Going through many possessions and things has given new meaning to the scripture from the Bible:
Matthew 6:19-21 King James Version (KJV). 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Here is a good example up above. You will see my once lovely wedding dress from 1980. This dress is from Sakowitz and was heirloomed. We paid $100.00 to heirloom this lovely dress made in France from Sakowitz that we paid over $1500.00 dollars for in 1980, just for the dress, not counting the veil or petticoat etc. I know, (frivolous) totally ridiculous. Thank God I have gotten away from any thinking of that nature or world of the big city so to speak. Unfortunately, I was young and had gotten mixed up with materialistic people in town and started thinking their way on things, very sad indeed, just awful really especially in liu of the very non-materialistic way I was brought up. Yes, we had nice things whether it was from Sakowitz or Kmart, but it was always in a sensible, practical way of what was needed and the quality. I know materialistic people can be anywhere, not just the city, that just happens to be where the story setting was for me back when, when I was deceived on some things.
When my daughter took the dress from the sealed Heirloom box when she was planning her wedding in 2017, it was brown! The netting was rotted and when she lifted the poor deteriorating thing up out of the box, it looked like it was something from the Dickens novel, Great Expectations that Mrs. Havisham wore or worse!
Because of my life in Christ, thank God this kind of thing doesn't bother me much, but I laughed and covered my mouth in amusement. I know, it sounds awful that I felt that way but just knowing the way people look at that kind of thing, the name dropping etc....and just seeing the condition of this is really so very fitting. It's a shame it had to be my wedding dress from my almost 40 year marriage but my heart is just not in material possessions of this nature any more. In fact, I am repelled by things like that. Actually this dress was going to the burn pile I was in such a hurry to not deal any longer with it over 2 years later after opening the sacred box. (Oh my gosh).
If it would have been an old photo of a loved one or a handmade item that one of my little girls or husband made me or picked out for me etc., that would have bothered me much much, much more.
I did manage to cut the border off the bottom in one large circular piece and cut the little white medallions and the one pitiful sheer, delicate long sleeve so meticulously beaded in pearls by little ladies in France. The poor little pearls had turned a 1960s appliance-brown. The pearls reminded me of my Grandma Oddo's dark brown refrigerator!
Yes, I've soaked those pieces and somewhat redeemed them back to white just as Christ does our hearts and just as He refines my Heart day to day as I abide in Him! I spend time with Him! I walk with Him and I talk with Him... There is nothing like that and no price can be paid for that. *big smile*.
...........................................
For encouragement, this is a video done by one of our daughter for her doctor. It tells of what she went through, and actually she and her husband were having to stay with us after a natural disaster and she started feeling better! You will hear why and how God moved. That was when the dress above was uncovered as Marianna was thinking of using the dress for her particular wedding. We all had a good laugh on that dress thank God.
Our daughter spoke of the Lord and how her healing was His doing and how He leads but sadly, the producers took that part out.
Now our daughter and her husband have a little miracle baby! He is pictured here with our little dog that was dumped out here, a little Godsend fur angel for us to enjoy, Peanut. They were both resting so peacefully a couple of weeks ago on our couch, I thought it was so sweet, the two of them.
This is Peanut another day, just resting, resting, resting... Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. I'm tempted to worry at times, but it's much better to take the cue of Asher and Peanut I think and trust Jesus and rest in Him just doing the next thing...
Before I close, I would like to recommend a Pastor that my husband and I enjoy very much. His name is Zac Poonen and he is on sermonindex.net. Zac Poonen has podcasts as well, and we usually listen to those once a week or so, he is on youtube as well. If you are looking for good sermons there is an abundance on sermonindex.net.. You will find David Wilkerson and Carter Conlon as well as other classics.
I'm still decluttering and trying to just take life one step at a time! Praying for you all, I know Brothers and Sisters are reading from different parts of our country and world and I appreciate you so much!
Until the next time, Amelia at The Forest Cathedral, praying for you and I covet your sweet prayers as well.
A peaceful evening here at in the forest...The moon is so pretty I think.
19 comments:
I have no idea what $1500 in 1980 would be today, but I remember very expensive designer jeans were $38. Was the box supposed to keep it like new?
Yes,the heirloom process, and box(es) was supposed to keep it like brand-new for future generations. We think it must have developed a pin-hole or two that let the air in, it was probably damaged in a move. Remember Gloria Vanderbilt jeans? Haha! Those things never would fit me right! lol
That photo of Peanut and Asher is too cute! How sweet that they nap together.
Your daughter is beautiful. The audio on my computer doesn't always work, so I have to hook up to a different speaker, but I do look forward to hearing that video of her. That color green she is wearing is stunning on her.
We did that with my wedding dress too---had it heirloomed and sealed in box. However, when Gabrielle got married in 2015, she wanted to use the lace from the sleeves of my gown to wrap her bouquet. That was her "something old." We opened the box and all was well---not brown, like yours.
Anyhow, some people think I was crazy to cut the sleeves off my wedding gown, but as you said, that isn't important to me. If I had been saving it for my daughter, she used it in the way she wanted. So why continue to hang onto it?
I wore my wedding gown 34 years ago this week!
Blessings,
Patti
So lovely to see a post from you pop up in my lists of sweet bloggers I follow !!! You must have been an absolute princess in your wedding gown. I know you are no longer desiring to spend that sort of money on material things, but at least you have the beautiful wedding photo's to remember your special day. My daughter planned her wedding so well, even on a tight budget she looked so beautiful. She is amazing with money. I think I spent $50 for my wedding outfit..I know, it's unbelievable. But you know what, while I love to remember the day, I wish I had had a beautiful proper wedding dress. I wish I had been slimmer and I wish my hair had looked nicer. Of course I only had about 10 minutes to do it myself. The whole wedding was very basic and homemade. We had very little money back in those days. Yet we still love each other and are still married. There must be a happy medium I think :)
It is good to de-clutter a little bit. As I'm trying to be very frugal right now, I am reluctant to throw out or donate too much as I may find a good use for it. My goal is to spend no unnecessary money this year..let me tell you, it's challenge :) Blessings to you sweet friend. I enjoyed reading your writing xox
What an amazing story about your daughter's allergy to mold. Thank you for sharing it! And how interesting, too, that the hurricane brought the blessing of discovery and the resulting diagnosis (as well as the dangers that normally come with such storms).
And then the illustration of the deterioration of your carefully-packed wedding gown and how we hold onto some things that we should perhaps release.
There are some real spiritual and practical lessons in these things that have happened in the life of your family. Maybe not all of your readers will see it that way, but for those of us who know the Lord and are seeking to learn more from Him in the circumstances of our life, this has been very instructive.
*I had forgotten to listen to the health testimonial video of your daughter, so just did so now. Wow, what a story...and who would have thought that mold would have caused her health to decline so very much. What a start to married life !! Truly praise the Lord for all the events that unfolded and that they discovered the mold. Your daughter is very beautiful and gentle too :). Thank you for sharing this story with us xo
Thank you Patti, I will pass the compliment along to Michelle, I know she will appreciate it so much. : )
That is so great that you were able to re-use the sleeves for your daughter's bouquet. For me, Marianna was going to use the dress but we were going to take the high lace neckline out and put in an Italian neckline. I think my heirloom box had punctures in it somehow, my husband is a real estate broker so we have moved from time to time and the poor box probably could only take so much plus being in hot attics at times. It's a good thing that that dress is not where my heart was and thank God our marriage has grown in beauty instead of deteriated. *big smile* God is good and oh how faithful He is.
Happy Anniversary!
Hi Linda, oh I bet your wedding was so sweet and pretty! Thank you so much Linda, it's funny you said you did your own hair. I had my hair dresser come into town and I didn't like what he did! : ) So I had to try to re-do it at the last minute. I think we found such a better way to do wedding dresses thanks to the miracle of online technology these days. What a blessing. We were able to order dresses for Michelle and Marianna from a vendor overseas and were amazed how beautiful they both were. Even the seams were french seams that my expensive dress didn't have. I think they were more beautiful then my dress actually. You wouldn't believe the economical price. We felt we couldn't lose. We took both dresses to dressmakers to tweak the sleeves (more fitted) on Michelle's, and reduce the size a teensy bit on Marianna's. It was still a wonderful value and a beautiful solution. The trick was to order well ahead of time, finding a near 100 percent vendor and taking measurements very carefully making room for any 'error' so to speak. We made sure the vendor communicated promptly when asking questions before we bought. Just goes to show a lot of money doesn't have to be spent to look lovely. I think homemade is very neat too, Linda. : ) I've always admired that very much. Yes, a balance. : )
Thank you for taking the time to watch the video on Michelle's miracle and how God worked through the hurricane. It was very, very difficult for her and her husband and no one knew what to do, we felt so very helpless most of the time and we all prayed. There were actually people who never believed she was sick! It was awful. She was married in '15. Harvey was in the end of the summer in '17.
God is so good and He truly makes beauty out of ashes. You should see what a good mommy she is! *big smile*
Thank you Barbara for taking the time to view and hear Michelle's testimony. : ) Oh it was so hard for the young couple and we just did not know what to do,we felt very helpless and would pray very hard. There were phone calls in the middle of the night that they were going to the ER, My son in law's father being rudely insulted by a doctor etc. People not even believing she was sick, but God came through in such a special way! So we thank God for Harvey, sure enough! We have been greatly blessed. Michelle and Josh are great parents now to little Asher and I don't think they'll ever take their sweet home life for granted. : )
Oh yes Barbara, this entry has a lot of Biblical and practical lessons doesn't it? I appreciate that you saw that. *bis smile*
Just visiting ... please continue to blog. Christian based blogs are little beacons of light in a dark and sad internet.
God bless.
Thank you so very much Victor for stopping by and visiting. I appreciate your support and encouragement very, very much.
Blessings to you Victor, I hope to be of encouragement to others as you have been. We need more Victors in this world.
What an enjoyable devotional/post to read! That is so true, all that you shared. Resting in Him rather than worrying is sl important, and babies and pets do demonstrate a deep level of resting and peace so beautifully. I’ve never thought of myself as a materialistic person, but the Lord has been good to show me over the past year that I can be materialistic by loving and wanting THINGS too much. As you shared, eventually everything ends up in the donation or garbage... it is what we do for the Lord that lasts. It is also nice to not be bogged down with too much stuff! Anyway, lovely read.
Michelle’s testimony is such a wonderful one — so happy she is doing so much better. ❤️
Awe, mom, thanks for sharing my testimony. All praise to the Lord for how far we have come! And everyone's sweet comments here are so precious. Thank you all for the kind words. ❤️
I just love that picture of Asher and peanut napping together. I will have to get that one from you to put in an album!
Your wedding dress was absolutely stunning! You should share a picture of you wearing it before it rotted! I'm so sad it got destroyed the way it did. But yes, a good reminder of the verse in Mat. 6:19-21.
What a sweet comment Marianna! Oh life is such a learning experience isn't it? At least if we are quiet and hearing that Still Small Voice it is.
In decluttering, it's amazing the layers over the years that have accumulated from homeschooling and our arts and crafts department! And then the sewing bug! I so want to simplify so I can live Life. I just heard Minimal Mom say that sometimes she will find just what she is praying for at the resale shop. So now? When she donates an item, she thinks of how someone will receive something that they have perhaps prayed for.
Yes, thank God Michelle is doing so very much better, thanks be to God. : )
Hi Michelle! Oh yes! I've been wanting to share the testimony but was waiting for the right time and it just morphed right into this entry! : ) God has a way of doing that. ; )
One day maybe I will post a wedding photo from our wedding, the dress was a special dress, a very sweet one with the little pearls and such. I can honestly say, yours and Marianna's was just as pretty and stunning!
I too thought that photo of Asher and Peanut was just so special, just so peaceful...Sometimes we look at little children, their innocent faces and trusting eyes or the face of a little pet and the eyes are so very peaceful...It so ministers...A Gift.
Ahhhhh... you wedding dress! Sorry to see it fad away. (Mine is in the dress up box!)
I really like the way you write. You take a darling picture (Asher Samuel and Peanut), make it a fun, behind the scenes story. Love it!
Hi Christine! Thank you so much for your encouragement! I try to just sit and let it flow, some days are better than others on that right?
It sounds like the kids play box is a very good and honorable place for your wedding dress, it fared much better than mine and put to a good use for your littles! I think that's great!
Thank you so much for visiting my Blog today. Hope you and yours are keeping well. I have visited here often and noticed you have not posted since 11 February. I can't find your latest posts on my computer.
God bless.
Hi Victor, As you can see I solved that problem by finally posting an entry with some photos I had prepared earlier. Thank you for the push!
God bless you Victor! I'm sorry about the late response, I thought I had responded and just noticed that I did not.
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