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!!
I'll keep you posted, patience requested!!
Love you my friends, Hug your Moms
In His gracious care, B
