On the Shelf
The top shelf. You know the place. The land of forgotten toys, unused items, knick-knacks that decorate a room, etc. However, it may be a place where special things are put to be out of harms way or protected. Our home plays host to all of the above.
A few months ago while shopping for light bulbs (by the way you need a degree now to shop for light bulbs), I ran into a friend of mine and Carole's. After the usual, "How is everyone doing?" the conversation shifted to "How are you doing?"
Honestly, I don't know how I was doing, but I do know I was struggling with the fact that at some point I was going to need to begin to go through Carole's things and make decisions on what to do with those things - give them to the girls, keep them, donate them, or throw them away. That bothered me. Some of you reading this know what I mean. It's not easy to open a closet and see clothes that aren't worn anymore, or open a drawer and see reading glasses, or a Bible, or a favorite coffee cup, etc.
Well, an hour later we were still standing in the aisle discussing what to do when she said something that put it in perspective and reminded me that God knows what to do, and He'll equip me to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.
She said, "You don't have to do it today. Put it on the shelf. Let God know you're putting it on the shelf for now and ask Him to let you know when it's time to take if off the shelf."
So, that's what I did. I came home and prayed and put the struggle of going through things on the shelf. The top shelf. And I forgot about it until this past Friday when I felt like God was telling me it was time to take some things off the shelf. I can't explain it, really, other than I knew it was time to go through the junk drawers in the kitchen. You know the ones I'm talking about. The drawers that catch EVERYTHING.
It took me forever and a day to go through them, but I'm so glad that I did. I found the usual junk that should've been tossed years ago, but I also found treasures that brought some tears and smiles. One of those was a personalized leather bound writing journal and really cool pen that I bought Carole several Christmases ago. She was an incredible teacher and from time to time would toy with the idea of writing a children's book. As I flipped through the pages, I read story starters and a few other short stories that she'd written and tucked away for 'one' day. Of course the biggest treasures were anything she'd handwritten - notes from sermons, Bible study notes, stories, etc.
There are many other things on the shelf, but going through the junk drawers was a start. If I've learned anything about grieving, it's that every one's journey is their journey. And, sometimes you just have to put things on the shelf until God prepares you for that part of the journey.
A few months ago while shopping for light bulbs (by the way you need a degree now to shop for light bulbs), I ran into a friend of mine and Carole's. After the usual, "How is everyone doing?" the conversation shifted to "How are you doing?"
Honestly, I don't know how I was doing, but I do know I was struggling with the fact that at some point I was going to need to begin to go through Carole's things and make decisions on what to do with those things - give them to the girls, keep them, donate them, or throw them away. That bothered me. Some of you reading this know what I mean. It's not easy to open a closet and see clothes that aren't worn anymore, or open a drawer and see reading glasses, or a Bible, or a favorite coffee cup, etc.
Well, an hour later we were still standing in the aisle discussing what to do when she said something that put it in perspective and reminded me that God knows what to do, and He'll equip me to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.
She said, "You don't have to do it today. Put it on the shelf. Let God know you're putting it on the shelf for now and ask Him to let you know when it's time to take if off the shelf."
So, that's what I did. I came home and prayed and put the struggle of going through things on the shelf. The top shelf. And I forgot about it until this past Friday when I felt like God was telling me it was time to take some things off the shelf. I can't explain it, really, other than I knew it was time to go through the junk drawers in the kitchen. You know the ones I'm talking about. The drawers that catch EVERYTHING.
It took me forever and a day to go through them, but I'm so glad that I did. I found the usual junk that should've been tossed years ago, but I also found treasures that brought some tears and smiles. One of those was a personalized leather bound writing journal and really cool pen that I bought Carole several Christmases ago. She was an incredible teacher and from time to time would toy with the idea of writing a children's book. As I flipped through the pages, I read story starters and a few other short stories that she'd written and tucked away for 'one' day. Of course the biggest treasures were anything she'd handwritten - notes from sermons, Bible study notes, stories, etc.
There are many other things on the shelf, but going through the junk drawers was a start. If I've learned anything about grieving, it's that every one's journey is their journey. And, sometimes you just have to put things on the shelf until God prepares you for that part of the journey.
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