Dear Reader:
If this all-purpose weather coat could talk it would have some tales to tell…some of you long-time readers know this was the “coat”…the one Mandy and John gave me for my Ireland trip with Anne back in 2014. Has it really been that long?
It was perfect for the weather and almost every single picture of me throughout the 10 days I was there has me in this coat. But the thing I loved most about it was the pockets!
I am a “pocket” girl…What is it about having a place to put your wallet, cards, cash and ID quickly out of sight without dragging a heavy pocket-book or purse around? Since Anne did the driving…I could stuff everything I needed for the day in those pockets.
But it isn’t just using pockets for I.D. traveling purposes…there is also a certain inner emotional sense of comfort in having pockets on oneself…whether with pants or a coat…a sense of security unveils in having a place to simply rest your hands.
As I went to hang up this coat to take a picture of it…I felt myself feeling around the pockets and lo and behold…there were two old Luden Cherry Cough drops in one pocket (You know how much I love them) and a crinkled five dollar bill in another pocket!) Happiness is finding money in an old pocket…crinkled or not!
I texted Anne to ask if she still had some of the Ireland pictures around since Chapel of Hope Stories Part II started in November and the Ireland trip pictures were before that…in June. She did and we had to laugh…not a day went by without the jacket. I told Anne we should have written an Irish story about “Traveling Rain Coat.”
In the latest edition of Kelly Rae Robert’s newsletter she announced that the family was in a rental house for six weeks while their house is being completed…snow has definitely slowed down the process. Kelly said their family was completely in awe of the amounts of snow in Three Sisters, Oregon. Her son, of course, loves it and his new school. Kelly admitted to having a bawling session after dropping her son off the first day…but still she knows that this was the right move…as tough as it has been. She knows she must listen to those whispers within her as she takes this new path in her and her family’s lives.
“This move is reminding me that following our whispers isn’t always the easiest of soul work. It takes courage to tune in, and listen to all that is calling us. And then it takes more courage and work to make changes (sometimes small and sometimes BIG) toward the lives that are waiting for us and our families.”
“Sometimes, this journey feels exhausting. Sometimes exciting. Either way, I’m, digging deep into my optimism pockets and practicing Trust along the way.”
Now that is another reason why we need pockets…so when we are down we can ‘dig deeper’ into our pockets and find the happiness and optimism we need to continue our journey!
(Kelly Rae Roberts art work)
So until tomorrow…let us take time to stop and listen to those whispers calling from within guiding us gently through the next bend along our path. Keep those whispers in your pockets always…ready to grab at a moment’s notice.
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
*Eloise got to visit Rutledge at school and she loves it…she will want to go to school with him everyday now!
* Looks very promising that something wonderful might happen at my next foot appointment on Friday March 15th…getting excited!
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
Good Saturday morning, Becky!
That Eloise is such a cutie!!! Love this stage/age when everything for babies is new and exciting and just wonderful! You can see it in her eyes.
I completely understand Kelly Rae Roberts’ sentiments insofar as “following our whispers” not always being the easiest thing to do. We, too, are in a rental while our house is being finished and we’ve learned that no amount of “wishing and hoping” will hurry the process along. Somewhere I saw the adage: “It will take as long as it takes.” And, that’s sort of been our mantra in this often-frustratingly slow process. “It is what it is.” It WILL get done and be finished, but in the meantime the only real thing we need to continually process is patience. As in the Bible, to paraphrase, no amount of worry will decrease the number of days it takes, or make the process go faster. It will take as long as it takes.
But we continue to follow our whispers. Just as you did with your pocketed coat to Ireland!
Have a blessed Saturday and much love!
Sis
My prayers for you…moving is never easy especially while waiting on a house to be completed…but oh the joy it will bring you for years to come…will be worth the wait!
I had to laugh at the pocket money you found. That would be good surprise. My MnL was always stashing aaway a bill or two. Could be a pocket or a book we just never knew and we always said that after she left we would need to go through wvwry book and pocket in her house. Well…as things turned out the house burned and saved us a lot of time. We will never know what all went up in smoke.
Too funny….pockets are for hiding treasures safely and losing them at the same time when you forget what you did with them!
I love pockets too, and sometimes when I wear dress pants, they have no pockets, and I am lost. Bet you save that 5 dollar bill. Just saying, because that’s what I would do for another keepsake of a wonderful trip and memories of things saved in pockets. I’ll have to tell you some day about the various pieces of money I have saved for a number of different reasons. Just think about the stories we would hear if those bills in our wallets could talk.
Now that is an interesting concept…talking money….love it unless it starts talking back! 🙂