The Mystical Powers of a Purse

Yep...it was a new purse kind of day.  Not a brand new purse, let's just make that clear, in case my wonderful husband happens to read this blog post.  ;)

I couldn't help myself...I dumped the entire contents of my purse onto the dining room table.  Seriously? Who needs five lip glosses in their bag?  I put three of them back in my bathroom.  Some used tissues.  Several crumpled receipts.  A bank deposit slip folded in half with a wad of sticky chewing gum stuck in the middle.  11 cents.  Nice.  That'll get me absolutely nothing these days.

It was my youngest son's first day back to high school.  I still can't believe he's a Sophomore.  But the fact that I had to get myself out of bed on time and start back to the dull routine of 'normal', was enough to prompt a bit of a starting-over.  Hence the purse dumping.

I stood in my closet, looking up at the dozen or so purses collecting dust on the top shelf, trying to decide which one fit my mood best.  Silver? No...then I'd have to change wallets.  Black?  Boring!
Red?  Too summery... Wasn't in the mood for prints.  So, brown wins.

This process got me thinking about the way a new purse (brand new) makes me feel.  For some unknown reason - perhaps an invisible force that exists in the cosmos - when I get a new purse, I am prone to cleaning out closets or reorganizing drawers.  Very strange phenomena.  Revisiting an old purse doesn't quite have the same effect, unfortunately.


Today, I gave myself permission to have a 'do-over' mentality.  There were habits I had started earlier in the year, like going to yoga, getting up extra early, or reading at bedtime, that I wanted to get back to.  Sort of like a mid-year check-up on the list of things I had promised myself I would work on this year.  (I don't do resolutions.) 

Here's the note I wrote to myself as 2014 was just cresting the horizon:

I can’t believe how fast this year has gone…and why do we pick January 1^st to renew our commitments to healthier habits than we practiced just hours before…why can’t we start new habits on May 1^st or August 23^rd?

I wonder if it’s global, or if it is just Americans.

As I look back over 2013, I can appreciate the blessings of God.  Another beautiful, healthy grand baby, a successful year in business, a year absent of major traumas, losses or sorrows now begins to disappear in the rear-view mirror. 

I don’t feel like making the cliché list of resolutions, like lose weight, stop _________, save more money…blah, blah, blah…but I would like to make 2014 my BEST year yet… until 2015.

So, now I contemplate the future and ask myself what I will do to accomplish this goal.  Below is my 2014 “bucket list”. 

1.       To write more.   – I’d love to say “write every day” but I feel like that would totally set me up to fail…so I’ll go with MORE.

2.       Get the budget to a reasonable (livable) place and live by it. -  This is so very important because this is the step that will get my husband off the road.

3.       Buy better groceries. – For all of our sakes, I want to cook more balanced meals.  I want to eat healthier, home-cooked meals as often as possible.

4.       Integrate more systems into my life. – I want to establish systems that will help me be more prepared, punctual and effective.

5.       Spend more time with God.  – I’ve done pretty good of late, trying to talk to Him more, but I can slip up so easily.  I want to make God a daily priority.

6.       Make a conscious effort to live a healthier lifestyle.  – whether it’s exercising (on purpose) or parking further away from the store and walking more, I want to make small changes to my everyday life that will benefit me. 

7.       Plan ahead for Christmas gifts.  – Begin to consider gifts for the kids and grand kids throughout the year.  Listen for “I want… or I wish I had…”  Make a list for each person I will shop for and purchase gifts when I see them (especially if they are on sale!!)

8.       Spend more time with my parents. – They aren’t spring chickens and who knows what tomorrow holds.  I don’t want any regrets.

9.       Spend more time with everyone I love. – See above.

10.   Read a book or two. – Seems like I don’t do much reading.  I want to read something.  Anything. 

11.   Get up earlier most days. – Occasionally, I could sleep in…but I want to get up earlier and get showered, dressed and ready for my day BEFORE I take Caleb to school.  This is important to me.

12.   Learn a new skill. – Knitting, scuba diving, etc…something to expand my horizons!

13.   Plan (and take) more “weekend getaways” (even if it happens on a weekday.)

14.   Take a girl’s trip! – Girls need time away (aside from business, and families) to just be silly girls.  Minimum of 4 (friends and days!)

15.   Make my husband KNOW that he is #1 in my life! – Be everything he needs me to be: mentally, physically, emotionally and spatially.

16.   Give more.  – then give a little more.

17.   Make a new friend.  – A real friend.  Someone I’ll still be talking to this time next year.

18.    Write (and mail) more personal notes. – People love to get handwritten mail, more now than ever!

19.   Get a real will.  Legit.  Legal.  Lasting.  -  see #8. 

20.   Get out of my ‘rut’ (again). – Try something new every chance I get.

21.   Smile kindly.  Love deeply. Laugh loudly. – All are contagious.  Pass it on.

I guess it's time to dump out the contents of my life...pick through the rubbish and figure out what's working and what's not.   I'm just so thankful that our God is patient and long-suffering.  Can't you just picture him, sitting back, arms folded, shaking his head with that, "what have you done now, child?" look on His face?  I can.  God is generous with do-overs.  As long as we have breath, we can ask for a do-over and get back on track.  

It's like using the bumpers at the bowling alley.  Our life is the ball, and God is the bumpers.  He gently keeps us out of the gutters as we roll along.  When we get lost or feel ineffective, we can just hit the reset button and try again. 

Be blessed!