Stuff and Thangs and a Few Friday Facts

Right now people likely fall into 2 quarantine-style housekeeping categories: Your house is either the cleanest, most organized it’s ever been and you can’t even show it off to company, OR, you thought you would clean the house someday when you had time, and now that you have time, you’d rather spend it doing anything but that. I think I fall somewhere in the middle?

I’ve been organizing in between naps, but the day-to-day stuff feels like it can wait. Because, after all, I may need something to do later…

I’ve been able to use this time to get some much needed rest. Which has been sooo nice. I’ve been able to do things at my own pace and rest in between. But I’m ready to MOVE. ON. So, in my organizing, if you were able to come over and see, you’d notice there are not a lot of “pink” or “pink related” things laying around anymore. Clearing cancer stuff out of my sight was the first and coolest thing I’ve done so far.

I lovingly washed all my “hair” and packaged it up so it can someday bring comfort and a semblance of “normal” to another sweetheart. It’s interesting how, even though I couldn’t be more ecstatic to not need them anymore, I’m actually having a hard time parting with them. They were so good to me. I discovered I was even able to fool other chemo patients with them! If you ever find you have a need for some high quality hair, Belle Tress is the bomb-diggity! But for me, it’s time to say Goodbye to Moira, Rose and Mary Tyler Moore. (I combed my hair for the first time this week!) I know they will make someone verrrry happy.

One verse I often thought about, sometimes jokingly, and sometimes desperately, was Luke 12:7 “Even the hairs on your head are all counted…” I would think, Well, Lord, I’ve made this a little easier for you these days! Now, I believe it to be a bit more of a challenge!

Living in my house all day, every day, during this quarantine, has made me very aware of excess in my life. Like, it feels almost shameful. My youngest, like most college aged kids, had to come home from school. She hadn’t even been home 24 hours and just began purging her entire room. She said after living the dorm life, she realizes she does not need so much stuff. I was inspired by this (and also have lots of time on my hands) and started cleaning out my closet. Again. The current dilemma: Where in the world do you put all the stuff you’re getting rid of? Can’t take it to thrift stores right now… Thankfully, I had just gotten some “Clean Out” bags from ThredUp. These you just fill up with women’s and/or children’s clothing and ship them off (shipping cost is already taken care of), and if you’re lucky, you may get credit if some of your items sell. Which is more than if you’d dropped them off at Goodwill. Friends, this is how bad it is:

 

And, apparently, I have so much time and headspace, I’ve organized my books by color? Am I bored or just weird… Not sure yet.

 

 

 

And so is the cat.

 

But, in all seriousness, I have 3 Friday Facts for you:

1) Joy and Grief are rarely found without each other. It’s sort of a both/and situation. In my experience, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced one without the other. For example, our world is hurting right now, and we are finding new ways to be a community and serve one another. Comfort and normalcy may be stripped away, and I’ve been gifted the opportunity to evaluate what is important in my life vs. what I”ve simply been chasing. So, while it’s perfectly acceptable and appropriate to be grieving right now, don’t forget to look for joy. And I don’t mean optimism. I don’t mean something that comes from the outside. I mean, deep source that wells up from the inside. For me, that comes from God. “My brothers and sisters, think of the various tests you encounter as occasions for joy. After all, you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let this endurance complete its work so that you may be fully mature, complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-3

2) Plant your scraps. Some people are way cooler than me. Many plant gardens and do cool things like have chickens. I’m just not that cool. But I did a cool thing this week. I started keeping vegetable scraps and replanting some of them. I don’t want to hoard food and I don’t want to run out of food and I don’t want to get germs at the grocery store… So, I suppose this is a start (no pun intended). Ha!

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3) Only 5-10% of breast cancer cases are due to heredity. SO, don’t think you are off the hook if it doesn’t run in your family. GET SCREENED. DO YOUR SELF CHECKS. KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENTS. Early detection is everything. Again, I give you facts, not to cause fear, but to raise awareness. We need you here. You’re irreplaceable.

 

So, that’s that. Looks like I’ll still be able to keep my monthly appointment in Oncology next week as long as I make it through each of the checkpoints without displaying any symptoms. Here’s hoping!