Oh, what a beautiful morning; Oh, what a wonderful day!!

Just before 8 o'clock (after that beautiful sunrise), seventeen seniors from the Waxhaw Creek Apartments (where I live) boarded the little JAARS bus en route to Charlotte. Picture number 4 documents that five (or more) of my coworkers (at Vernacular Media) arrived (by car) at approximately the same time. In total, there were more than fifty volunteers from JAARS volunteering at Operation Christmas Child!! Conservatively, there were 200 workers in the receiving area before dividing into smaller groups to see a video and listen to instructions. Then we stood in long lines, single file, before moving to our work station. ~~ Each box went through three or four pair of hands, several steps. ~~ We departed with indelible memories, a T-shirt and a Christmas ornament. ~~ The seniors had lunch at Golden Corral prior to returning to JAARS. ~~ (Left click on a picture to enlarge.)

Nightmare on Friendship Circle !!

Quite honestly, I want to return to that simple lifestyle in the tiny T@B trailer. I needed so few things: A couple of small utensils to heat a can of soup (I mainly enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables); a small wardrobe of "wash & wear" garments; one or two excellent books (ie: the Bible); my laptop computer (with a good WiFi connection), etc., etc. I'm so frustrated by the amount of memorabilia I've moved from California to Ohio, to Shelby, NC, to a PODS, and finally to Waxhaw, NC. Look closely at the description on many of the boxes: David, Stephen, Thom, Pearl Marie, Justin, (names of sons and grandchildren). Will they ever see the things I have lovingly packed for them? Do they even care??

The first few pictures show the unpacked, inventoried, isolated collector's plates (ready for a potential buyer). But I have many more projects waiting my attention in the numerous other boxes. See the dozens of boxes along one wall?! Then I turned and took a picture of the boxes of health and nutrition books (ready for a potential buyer). To the right of the health books, a picture of the corner--and we are full circle back to the collector's plates.

Believe it or not, I've made progress during the four-and-one-half months I've lived in the apartment on Friendship Circle. I've sold some things, given some, and donated many bags, and boxes, of items to Thrift Shops. I've purged my jewelry box for gifts for women at the crisis pregnancy center. I've divested myself of small items that are appropriate for shoe box gifts for Operation Christmas Child. Is it any wonder that I often write that I wish my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, would call me home to Heaven??











Postscript, 2:30 PM, Sun. 11/06/11: It is a beautiful afternoon (64 degrees)!! I have the doors open. I ventured outside for a few brief moments to sweep the patio (leaves, sunflower seeds hulls, etc.). I've taken pictures of numerous things advertised for sale, uploaded them from the camera, and forwarded... to people who wrote expressing interest. I haven't begun the "house cleaning" process yet.

Christmas Shoe Boxes for Samaritan's Purse

It's that time of year: Time to start preparing shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse. I was shopping--at K-Mart--for small items. Prior to that, I was shopping in a Christian Thrift Shop for suitable things.

No, I wasn't buying for myself!! In fact, I'm making progress "downsizing." I delivered five boxes of much miscellaneous to the Christian Thrift Shop.

This past weekend I sent several boxes of audio tapes, and VHS tapes, to new locations. It had been suggested that the local prison could use the audio tapes of great sermons, and Bible studies. ~~ A mother--with seven children--was delighted with a Banker's Box full of "G" movies (Little House on the Prairie, Christy, Long Long Journey, etc.). ~~ A chrome, 3-shelf, stand may resolve a widow's storage problem?! ~~ Other advertised things were never claimed. Maybe next week??

Back to the topic of Shoe Boxes: While "downsizing," I put jewelry aside for "girl" boxes. I have lots of costume jewelry I'll never wear. I have ribbons of various colors. Perhaps a little girl--in a foreign land--will be happy with her Christmas box.

I have a large box, and large tote bag, destined for the local crisis pregnancy center. I'm told the Center likes to pamper the girls with gifts. I'm sending cute stuffed animals, scarves, purses, "chunky" jewelry, toiletries, small CD player, etc.

Living "full time" in my tiny T@B travel trailer educated me in the art of survival with a minimum of "stuff." As time goes by, I plan to distribute most of the things previously stored (for sixteen months) in the PODS container. Confession: I have an affection for the things accumulated, spanning decades!! It "feels good" to donate audio tapes (of Lloyd Ogilvie sermons) to the prison. It "feels good" to share VHS tapes (some still in their original wrap) with someones grandchildren. (My grandchildren never came to visit.) It "feels good" to give stuffed animals that caught my attention in years past. It is easier to donate when I have a mental image of the destination. I'm not prepared (psychologically) to have a Goodwill, or Salvation Army, truck back up to the apartment and haul things away. That day may eventually arrive but not in August (or September) 2011. It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway), there are many things that I hoped to give my children and grandchildren. I have **LOTS** of memorabilia: Personal items that were cherished by my parents and grandparents. (My children and grandchildren ignore my frequent attempts at reconciliation.) ~~ At this date, an unresolved question: What will I do with all the boxes of family history?? What will I do with the thousands of pictures? ~~ (Oops!! I got off-topic; the latter has nothing to do with Shoe Boxes for Operation Christmas Child.)