Cluttered Grace

[GraceReclaimed Full Blog Here, Promise it's worth the click]

Several months ago, I helped my Mom clean out her closets. 

No small feat if you knew Elizabeth, the Al spoiled, budgetless, shopping queen! After the loss of my stepfather Dad, her shining knight husband of 33 years, it was something that we all had to wait a while to do.   

What I had offered half-jokingly as an uninterrupted week of my assistance to do anything around her home as a “Mother’s Day” gift,

turned out to be just that.

For almost an entire week, we sorted through three closets filled with many years of ballroom dancing, sunday dressing, Steinmart shopping surplus.  My sister joined in as we sneezed a little, remembered a lot and laughed a bunch!

As she pondered each item, keep, pass down, donate, you could feel a sense of clarity settle over her.   Letting go of things held on to can be hard, whether kept out of true sentiment, stubborn will or simply forgetting they were there.  My mom loved her clothes; and with each bag filled, we had to chuckle as she said “this is just sinful”. 

But we also had to remember from whence she came…Born on Christmas Eve 1934, hailing from tiny Eagan, Texas; Elizabeth Carol Dixon told stories of corn husk dolls, getting one new pair of shoes per year if that and wearing underwear sewn from flour sacks!  A pair of which were devastatingly revealed to a young crush when she fell while playing a game in school and forever ingrained in her memory.

So after counting around 450 hangers to replace with those skinny non slip kind in her main closet, we narrowed it down to a color coordinated and organized 300, give or take, with quite a bit of breathing space.  My how life for her changed in 82 years!  Who’s to blame her for wanting nice things and loving to shop?  It was all a well deserved blessing.

 

I started this post a few months back.  And today as I tried to come up with a post to explain my absence and lack of posts regarding a Christmas Trunk Show, I decided to share this with you all. 

My beautiful, beloved, best dressed Mom is now in heaven…so unexpectedly, far too soon, but undoubtedly dancing with my Dad and quite possibly clothed in the most beautiful dancing dress she has ever worn.   When she first went in the hospital, just a short month ago, our “plan” was when she got better, she was coming over to sit with me while I prepared for the show.  She was always willing to help in any way, because she knew and loved my procrastinating self.

So today all I can hear is her saying, “Belinda, maybe you should have started a bit sooner"   But then she would follow up with, “What do you need me to do?”

Now as I look around at my cluttered home in the midst of an almost finished remodeling project; then think about getting through the holidays and months ahead, I am praying for God's grace and constance like never before!  Oh how I’m going to miss her and her not so subtle but loving way with me.  And as I muddle through this season without her, I smile just knowing that I will always have her constant love and support.

Sometimes we just forget that real good memories have a permanent storage place in our hearts…my heart will be forever cluttered with uncountable gracefull ones!

"If you live close to God And His infinite grace,

You don't have to tell; It shows on your face."

 

As for a GraceReclaimed Christmas Trunk Show...

IF I can shoo the contractors out of my house, muster up the strength and keep in mind she would have been here with bells on, it MIGHT just happen.  

Probably more of a "Pop Up" type show,
I'll keep you posted, patience requested!!

Love you my friends, Hug your Moms

In His gracious care, B