Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at PhotobucketThe Joys of Simplifying

I've shared that I realized a few months ago that my hobby was robbing our family of one of our favorite pastimes: leafing through photo albums and telling stories. I have made a brutal choice to SIMPLIFY my life and that means, in the photo department, that I WILL get all the photos that are in magnetic albums (or now on the hard drive) into photo safe albums. My goal is to preserve memories and I do lot of journaling - even in the old magnetic albums.

With my goal in mind, and some hand holding from local friends, I packed away the die cuts, papers, stickers and such....and began to ::gasp:: affix photos to those beautiful huge albums and write the story...that's IT - plain and simple. Yes, I LOVED scrapping...but I don't have time in this season for photos to be a huge endeavor. At a time in life when I have time for crafting....I can revisit this choice.

The family has heard this discussion between Mike and me. It is SAD that our littles don't sit around and thumb through albums. They see me leave each month with another magnetic album or two and hear that I'm transferring the photos. I have 4 albums transferred and 30 albums left to go; and 6 years of photos on the hard drive or in boxes. ::sigh::

I'm not sure what brought this on, but last night the younger ones discovered how fun it is to look through albums.

Krista and Zander were EXTREMELY close when she left home. He was 4 years old. He pulled out an album that had lots of photos of Krista. He finally looked up and said with a deep sigh, "These are pictures from when Krista was my lover". ::snort::
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Mike introduced Nolan to his Great Grandmother.
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We had another photo of the 5 younger ones and Mike gathered around looking at an album - but it showed a bit too much skin. I'd hate to lose my R rating. ::snort::

Mike mentioned that several of the albums were falling apart and all are yellowed...yep, it's time to simplify and get this job done....and if the photos were in organized boxes I wouldn't want them to look at them.....and it would take me just as long to scrap them.... it really is best for US for me to get them into new albums quickly.

It was a confirmation to hear them asking questions about times before they were born and remembering their early years. That's my goal for photos..... It really made my evening to walk in and find this.

It caused me to think again about how often we hate the idea of giving something dear to us up, but when God calls us to do that, we reap blessings.

I KNOW some of you think this is silly, but it was hard to realize I didn't have time for this hobby right now... We all make choices about how to spend our time. In the past two years I DRASTICALLY cut back mininstry outside my home (at church, homeschool groups, and even places like yahoo groups) in order to effectively minister inside our home. Most my hobbies revolve around friends, teaching studies, and family (geocaching - blog) etc. I don't have time to keep a blog and scrapbook. I hope to have time to affix photos and keep a blog. LOL The blog is first because it exists for our grown children to be able to be an integral part of our day to day life.

I guess in all these choices I'm seeing that often when I THINK I'm sacrificing it turns out to be a huge blessing anyway. ::snort:: Scrapping is just the silly tool that God has learned to teach me this lesson. Well, one of the tools....

I want to encourage you that if God calls you to give something up, there is always a purpose and a blessing to be had somewhere in the giving. Sure, I miss teaching four studies a week, I miss my creative outlet, I miss being more involved in a local support group…..but ah the peace of having my home in order.

{Note - this post is not about the ills of scrapping - scrapping only serves to illustrate the lesson that I'm learning. My attitude is not at all judgmental to those of you who have the time and feel it a priority to scrap - not at all. You go for it! In fact you make lay outs and I'll buy them and insert my photos. ::snort:: It's just not where I'm at in this season....and after last night and seeing the fun the kids had - I'm at PEACE with not being the perfect mother with the perfect scrapbooks, who can lead perfectly inspiring inductive Bible Studies. Really, it's about much more than scrapping. I'm at peace with the choices to cut back on ministry and activities, to simplify for this season, for the sake of the upbrining we want our little ones to enjoy. It just took seeing their faces as they pawed (poured or would that be pored) over the old albums, to bring it all home}.

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10 comments:

Michelle said...

Thanks for sharing this today. It's just what I needed to hear. And I don't think your feelings are silly. We all have some earthly attachments but you're right--although at times it can be painful, ultimately it is freeing. :)

Anonymous said...

Ahhh-I needed to hear this.

Jen

Anonymous said...

Oh, and I LOVE Zander's comment about Krista. So sweet!

Jen

Jodi said...

awww glad you came to an agreement with yourself about simplifying your albums and just getting them done.

I talk to so many people in passing who happen to mention scrapbooking, usually when I'm taking pictures at odd places like the dentist, LOL. The talk gos like this, do you scrapbook? yes, well, I do/did when I have time, which I hardly ever do. Do you? Yes, well I did once, I mean I want to but where to find the time..,,

LOLOL More of us need to take your example!

Lisa in Jax said...

I did this last year and it was a great experience for me too! I'm glad that you are making things easier for yourself.

Linda said...

I understand completely this struggle, and am going through it myself lately, mostly in regards to computer time. Though I'm not willing to abandon my scrapbooks, I have extremely simplified and am purchasing many pre-made layouts or at least things that are very simple to get down. My kids LOVE looking at their books, too.

Emily said...

Back about 10 years ago when all my friends were getting into scrapbooking I wanted to but just didn't see how I could find the time to complete it. I loved the way their albums were coming out but I knew even back then I wasn't in the right season to complete the task. I decided that someday when the kids are older and maybe out of the house that will be my time to scrapbook if I decide to do it. So, I made the commitment to have all my pictures in safe albums and in order. I have done pretty well with this until this year. I am now in the process of printing pictures from spring 07 up until present. My goal is to get the rest of the printed and into an album before Christmas so I can start 08 fresh!
Also, I have about 30 safe albums and I have them marked with a number on the outside so we remember which order they go in.

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Thanks all for your comments...and if sharing my thoughts ministered to any of you - to GOD be the glory. He's so faithful to speak to us through all sorts of ways - even silly ladies and their silly blogs. ::snort::

Debbie said...

You have hit the mark...the photos and the memories. The extra stuff is fun, but it is more important to be able to share the memories now.

Thanks for reminding me.

berrypatch said...

I think it's great that you have found peace with this. I just commented to my scrapping buddies (my sister & another friend) that I'm loosing my passion for this hobby. I just want my photos in order in a safe spot. I find myself making my albums even more simple with each passing year. :-)