For a couple years now I've been saving magazines and catalogs. Cooking, decorating, kid, clothing. It's become quite a stack.
They're stored in a blue crate near the craft supplies. So as to promote creativity and self-expression when someone wants to put together a collage or something of the sort.
It's been two years and they haven't been used. They've only increased in number and begun to overflow in the crate. Until this week.
Two of the boys noticed the magazines and decided to try and stuff them all into a cardboard box. They crammed nearly all of them in, and then left the box in the middle of the walkway.
A walkway we move through constantly during school. Almost instantly I decided they must be recycled today. I tried to lift them, remembering the rules for lifting heavy objects. But as I began to carry them away the children protested.
These unused magazines suddenly held hidden treasure. They were appalled at my plan.
We made a compromise. Each child got to pick one magazine, the rest we give to Mr. Recycle Bin.
This week they've engrossed themselves in the pages, making up stories of the different people in the photos, sharing snippets of ideas with each other, marveling over the man's strong muscles in a work-out ad.
And I, beginning Lent with a fast, decide to put to use my own magazines. Those promises mine for the taking. The power within ready for the asking.
There's Moses and David, both nearly losing God's presence with them, begging for Him to stay.
There's me, looking around at the treasure I have, not wanting to let it set by unused, but employ and marvel at what's mine all day long.
...And if you're looking for a couple simple ideas on celebrating Lent with your family, I put a few together over at my cool cousin's blog...
