Spring Cleaning

I'm writing this post from my sick bed.

How's that for dramatic effect?

About 3 week ago I was struck with a nasty virus that seemed to linger forever. For 4 glorious days last week, I thought I was over the worst. Last Thursday however, I started back up with a few sniffles and moved on to bone racking chills and feeling like death warmed over yesterday. This leg seemed to be a fast albeit brutal round 2, though, and I think I'm on the mend.

To combat these stuffy nosed blues, I've been started to think about spring cleaning. Bright, spring decorations are all up at my house and I'm getting that antsy urge take stock of what's been lying around my apartment all winter long unused and unnecessary.

When I was young, I had a hard time throwing things away. I think mostly owing to the pack rat tendencies of my father and grandmother. (unless it came to stuff us kids left lying on the stairs, my dad never had much trouble chucking those things indiscriminately!), but also I was so afraid to get rid of something that I might want again someday. The older I get, however, the more I recognize that all of the things that we fill our lives with are never that important. And if the only reason I remember something exists is because I pull it out from under bed storage and dust it off every few years, I think it's safe to assume I'm not going to miss it all that much now or ever. Not to mention, there's something about the fresh spring wind that just makes me want to feel light. To open up space in my world for the promise of this new year so recently begun.  To head into the warmer days and longer nights without all the baggage of a long winter.

I have some lofty plans for what I'll organize and clean out this year, but I'm going to try to start small, lest I get a little to crazy. First order of business? A good, old fashioned, shredding party with my ever growing stacks of papers, receipts, and documents that are now old enough to make their way out of my file box. I can't wait!

Are you planning out your spring cleaning? Or will you attack it one breezy day on impulse? Or not at all?

Hello, Again

The cold and snow finally descending upon New England this January and with it came a wave of melancholy I've been struggling to drag myself out of. I've spent far too many Saturdays and Sundays lately lying on my couch, watching episodes of Friday Night Lights and feeling that moving was more energy than I had. And, truth be known, feeling pretty hopeless.

Shortly after my optimistic thoughts on the New Year here, I began to feel a sense of wanderlust, discontentment, and confusion about the future. I feel trapped in the city without a trusty car nearby. I don't like my job, I don’t know what's next, and amidst several friends moving on to bigger and better things after a stint in Boston I feel a little directionless and left behind.

The Sunday after Blizzard Nemo (come on weather people, really?) ripped through my city, this all came to a head as I stood in front of a selection of steak at Trader Joe's thinking some iron would solve my problems. Cuz' you know, maybe I was anemic, right?

I wasn't anemic, I was depressed.

I've struggled with depression before, the worst when I was jobless and feeling lost  shortly after graduating college. And just as now, spent a lot of time watching dramatic TV and dreaming of a different life. (You know, since that's really helpful)

The naming of these feeling, though, has brought me hope. I am someone who believes wholly in God and the gift of salvation He has given me. And I believe He is also a God who wants to know deeply those who follow Him. So that Sunday and in these following my realization, I've asked Him for help. Through the encouragement and prayers of sweet and loving friends, He has affirmed that my life has direction and meaning. Through the unexpected request of a woman at the office to make some treats for her niece's bachelorette party He has reminded me the gifts  and dreams I have are not useless or unseen. And through spending time reading my Bible, He has reminded me that he wants my whole heart even when I feel tired and discouraged and far from His love.

" For I know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" Jeremiah 29: 11-14

I believe that there is  a God who lives and who longs to know me deeply and speak to me of his purpose for me. So I am choosing to seek Him with all my heart as He asks, even though I don't "feel" like it. Because He promised me He will answer and, in the desperate moments of my winter, He has.

Post edit: Mostly, I fail to talk about my faith on this blog. I've decided to change that, it's such a big part of who I am, it's a wonder I've left it out of my writing until now. It took me a long time to write this post as I wondered how to best talk about the things I believe without being confusing! If you're wondering about this sudden appearance of God in my blogging, you can always talk to me about it here: katydidwhatblog@gmail.com