Monday, August 20, 2007

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...(Journal#78)


We pulled in the driveway from our trip to the store. As I get ready to push the garage door opener, a screaming shrill of excitement rips through the van. Sam sees it by the front door, left there by our UPS delivery driver.
"Bots, my bots mom" Sam screams.
"Bots, my bots, my bots" he continued as Zach and I unbuckled and went into the house.
"Det my bots, det it!.
"Sam, let mom bring in the groceries and then I will get the box," I said trying to calm him and to get us in the house first.

Most kids are excited about boxes, yes, I agree. Especially when they are babies. They always love playing with the boxes their presents came in rather than the present itself. Sam has stuck to this action since he was a baby.

Reduce...I wish we could reduce the clutter sometimes that Sam accumulates. He would have his room full of boxes and other "garbage items" if he always had his way. He tapes the boxes together for his creations with our blue painters tape. An important staple in our house.

Reuse...Once Sam has recovered a box from the garbage or recycling, he reuses it over and over again. Creating one masterpiece right after another. It is amazing watching what his little mind comes up with. The challenge is that no one can touch it or come near it for days. And if you even bump it, look out!

Recycle...We can't throw ANYTHING away. He actually goes to the garbage in the kitchen a couple times a day to see if anything of value has been discarded. When he finds other objects of interest, he then takes them to his box sculpture and tapes them on with the blue tape. This is a daily event at our house. This child can recycle and make use of anything.

While boxes can become irritating in our house because of the way Sam can take over our house with his box sculptures, they are an incredible blessing. They are a reminder to us to reduce the attitudes that clutter our minds, to reuse the things in life that make us happy, and to recycle and share those moments with loved ones.

A Twist of Faith
I love the saying that "God doesn't make junk". He makes use of everyone and everything on this earth. He is the great recycler. If we just reduce the focus on ourselves and recycle the love He gives us everyday, this world would be an amazing place. Recycle meaning to witness and share with everyone!
"Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch" Luke 5:4

Thursday, August 02, 2007

A Vigil and week of silence...(Journal#77)

(Update as of August 20th~ I had decided to leave this blog entry longer than a week and until the last body was recovered. That happened tonight, bringing the death toll to 13, with well over 100 injured. Prayers for all involved.)

...for our community here in Minneapolis and the victims, survivors, search teams and especially all the families still waiting to here word on the missing of the Mississippi Interstate 35W Bridge.

Today, as we drove to the University of Minnesota, as we have been the last two weeks...it was creepy and surreal. Having to go over the Intertate 94 bridge instead, and seeing the rescue boats in the river was chilling, knowing there are still cars with family members of people here below us in the flowing river. Again a reminder of how important each day is. Peace and prayers for all our fellow Minnesotans, and a week of blogging silence for me. Shalom.