Why you need to think now about making memories

(This post was written three years ago. My mother died the next May so this is a particularly poignant post. I thought it bore reposting and certainly is a good reminder.)

Did you get snow over the weekend? We did.

A lot.

Hubby and I have wanted a “snow day” for a couple of years. You know, a day when you don’t have to go anywhere. A day you can bake cookies and enjoy the beautiful falling snow. A day to listen to Christmas songs and drink hot chocolate.

NOT.

We were both under the weather. I think I might have a slight case of the shingles. Thank goodness, it’s not too bad. So instead of the picturesque day I had planned, I laid on the sofa most of the day.

I hate days like that, don’t you?

That means I’m behind today. But I have my list ready and I’m rarin’ to go.

I can’t wait to show you my “hat and scarf” project. I’ve been making knitting and sewing scarves for a number of years now for our local rescue mission. Some people make blankets (I think they’re called “snoopy” blankets. The charity is called, “Project Linus. You can learn about it here. 

Some people make adorable pillowcase dresses for little girls in Africa. I’m only one of any number of people who like to do something a little “extra” at Christmas.

I don’t usually start until the fall. I mean who knits when the temperature is over eighty? It’s a little self-indulgent because I love to try different kinds of yarn. Plus, it’s a little self-indulgent because I love to try different types and colors of yarn. And it gives me lots of time to practice new patterns. I’ll show them to you next week.

But today I want to tell you about the time with my mom last week.

We baked chocolate chip cookies. I had the dough ready and she “plopped” them on the pan. She did great.

My mom used to sew a lot. She was really good. I wanted to include her this year with some sort of project she could feel good about. So while it wasn’t a “sewing” project in the true sense of the word, it did involve scissors and fabric.

I bought some fleece for men’s scarves, the no-sew kind. The width of the finished scarf will be about ten inches but I had a hunch she might not be able to cut a straight line due to her vision, even though I selected a checked pattern so there would be lines to follow. So here’s what I did.

I marked the places where she would begin cutting and I made them one check wider than what they should be. She cut straighter than I thought but the scarves are still uneven. So-o-o-o-, because I had allowed for that extra width, I will be able to trim them evenly. She will think, as will the recipients, that she did it herself.

The fact that she was able to take part in something this Christmas is important.  It’s so easy to just let things slide with people who have some restrictions, to let them stay where they are. But I think that’s wrong. I believe God calls us to think outside the lines.

Anyway, if nothing else, it gave me another Christmas memory. For me, it’s about making Christmas memories with her for one more time.

I think most of us don’t think about the memories we make every day and how important it is to “plan” for these memories. Ask yourself:

  • Next year, at this time, what do I want to remember?
  • How do I plan to make those memories?
  • What can I do today to create those memories?

We read a lot about being present in the moment and I DO think that’s really important. But I think we can be in the moment when we need to be, while still making memories for the future.

Memories are time-sensitive. Christmas 2016 will never come around again. 

Plan on making some good ones for this year. You have almost two weeks left.

God bless and have a good day.