A Chest of Memories

June 25, 2016

I have a big koa chest in my home where I put cherished items into.  Hoping one day my children will want to have them and treasure them as I do.  Today, I had my husband move the chest from our bedroom to the living room.  The reason I decided to have it moved is because it is a beautiful piece of koa furniture.  I want everyone to enjoy the beauty of it.  Before we could bring it downstairs (it's quite heavy) we had to empty it out.  I had not realized how much stuff I was accumulating.  Little story books, Brooke's cabbage patch dolls from the 80's (she tells me they are worth something), Trey's little league and popwarner jersey's,pictures, etc. Brooke's girl scout vest with all her patches!  Things I treasure and kept from Jeremy.  There was more. An american flag with 48 stars from Tex's fathers memorial service.

 As I went through each item, the memories flooded back.  Especially the box labeled "Jeremy".  Inside this box were all the condolence cards given to us, the newspaper articles of the tragic accident, his wallet, some things from high school, his last year book.  Seems like yesterday.  I began wondering if it's about time to get rid of some of these things.  Memories of Jeremy will never leave me, unless alzheimers sets in, but are these things really treasures.  Will Brooke and Trey want them- I doubt it.

I remember Tex and his sister going through their mom's things after she passed away.  The things she thought were so dear to her, they didn't feel the same way.  So why do we hang on to things?

I began to ask myself, "why are you holding on to these things"??  Why not frame some and put them out for others to enjoy, like that 48 star flag?  Why not get rid of those condolence cards, but of course read them all one last time.  It is time to say goodbye to those.  The news articles of the accident, I think I will let Brooke and Trey read them and then decide if they want them.  I remember every bit of information from those articles.  They will never leave my mind. Memorabilia is ok for a while I have determined, but now it is time to clean it out.  God has new things for me, He says so in His Word "Do not ponder things of the past, behold I am going to do something new with you.  Will you not be aware of it? Isaiah"  I can't see the something new if I am cluttered with stuff from the past.

So today I am taking a giant step.  I am cleaning out that chest.  I wonder what new things God will have me put in from time to time.  I am excited to see the "Something New" He has for me.