The Sock Drawer



The Dreaded Sock Drawer

 It seems to happen when we are in a rush to get out of the door. We grab a pair out of the sock drawer to find there is a mismatch, completely stretched out or your toe pokes through. We say to ourselves, “I must go through this sock drawer!”

I had several boxes of jewelry squirreled away. “I’ll go through them all some day when I get a jewelry armoire.” My husband gifted me with one at Christmas eliminating that excuse. I had actually gone through all except one box. I finished that task today as well. Most pieces hold more sentiment than actual value.



A few sentimental pieces from my stash

Oldest Grandchild' Haley's First Rosary given to me because "I needed it"
Opal pendant given to me by my sister Doris  'cuz I KNOW she loves me.
Gold leaf given to me by my  friend  Karen as a reminder...we can turn a new leaf in life.


I have the same experience with undeleted computer files. Time upon time, I have searched through tons of files that I no longer need or have hard copies to trying to find one that I actually need. I vow to self, “I am going to sit down and go through these--next time.”

This has been a hard winter on all of us. It was so cold I actually considered driving the 150 feet to the mail box yesterday. Fearing what the neighbors would think should they see me, I decided to run fast as I could, grab the mail and race back to the house. The running may have caused more of a stir in the neighborhood than the driving. No doubt it was not a pretty sight!

Temperatures are again below freezing today. I decided today was the day to tackle the sock drawer. I dumped the contents out and started sorting. There were those socks whose mates had mysteriously disappeared in the dryer. We hold on to those hoping hope against hope the mate will reappear again. The majority of the socks were just worn thin. Why I let them pile up on top of the good ones I don’t know. There were red over the knee socks purchased at a thrift store. They were worn once when I dressed as the character Thelma from Scooby Doo for a church fall carnival. Don’t expect I’ll use those much! But you never know.

Next on the list was sifting through and deleting all of those computer files. That took a while. As I reviewed, I ran across some blurred and out of focus photos of family. Even though the pictures were unclear, the memories from those days still remain fresh in my mind. Good, happy days. Others I don’t know why I had saved. There were no memories attached to them. Then there were those images that I had saved that caused me pain. Deleting those images was long overdue.

The thought crossed my mind, “Wouldn’t it be great if we had a delete and save button to hit for our hearts?” If we could just erase all of those things that cause us pain and save only those that bring us joy. Wow! Would life not be just perfect?

None of us or our lives will every be perfect. We cannot insulate ourselves from the pain of this world. We can and should avoid toxic people and relationships. With family, that is not as easily done. Family can be extremely cruel. Sadly, they don’t always recognize that in themselves. It is true that the wounded wound.

Dan said he had a nightmare (or did he say a dream) that someone came and stole me away. We find past hurts creeping in trying to steal away our peace. It seeps in through our memories and even in our slumber. I reminded him, "Sorry dear. I am here for the long haul." Whether that is for the better or worse news to him--he will have to determine!

Often parents shoulder a child's wrath rather than burden them with truth too painful and heavy of a load for a child to bear. Better to feel the sting of anger than the pain of a rejected and broken hearted child. It is not grandiose or claim of martyrdom. A parent who loves their child will do their best to shield them from harm. My children are grown and have their own families.  I am so very proud of them. While I am grateful they have the capacity to forgive, I also pray they will excercise great wisom in gaurding their hearts.

Thankfully, we are not in this life walk alone. There is our King in Heaven who is wise in all things. He guides us through thick and thin, our failures and successes. He is the one who does hold complete control over the save and delete buttons of our lives!

 Two young women who lived in the same house and who both had an infant son came to Solomon for a judgment. One of the women claimed that the other, after accidentally smothering her own son while sleeping, had exchanged the two children to make it appear that the living child was hers. The other woman denied this and so both women claimed to be the mother of the living son and said that the dead boy belonged to the other.


After some deliberation, king Solomon called for a sword to be brought before him. He declared that there is only one fair solution: the live son must be split in two, each woman receiving half of the child. Upon hearing this terrible verdict, the boy's true mother cried out, "Please, My Lord, give her the live child—do not kill him!" However, the liar, in her bitter jealousy, exclaimed, "It shall be neither mine nor yours—divide it!" Solomon instantly gave the live baby to the real mother, realizing that the true mother's instincts were to protect her child, while the liar revealed that she did not truly love the child. The reputation of the king greatly increased when all the people of Israel heard of this wise judgment.


1Kings 3:16-28.



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