Wednesday, May 15, 2013

For Better and for Worse? To Keep or To Toss?

"Yay!" was the first thought that came to mind as I remembered tomorrow is trash day.  Our can is once again getting full!  I was starting to break down another small box that we had received mail in the other day, when my youngest daughter came running out.  "No mom!  I NEED that box!  I need it for my baby."  Having no clue why she would need it, or what she would use it for, but seeing her sincere desire for the box, I handed it over.  I enjoy watching all of my children's creativity, and must admit that when they reuse something I was just going to trash, rather than wanting me to buy something for their crafts, I enjoy it even more ;)

This simple everyday event really got me thinking... how often do we just trash something that we could easily reuse?  Our children have a pair of jeans with a grass stain or hole in the knee - do we toss it or turn it into a pair of shorts?  Or perhaps our daughter's skirt is getting slightly too short - do we toss it or simply add a ruffle?  Our shirts are wearing thin - do we toss it or cut it into rags to dust with or long strips to weave with?  The roll of toilet paper is empty - toss it or let the kids create with it?  The milk jug is empty - toss it or help the kids make a bird feeder?  How often do we toss things we could simply reuse?  If your car breaks down, do you fix it or buy a new one?  What about appliances?

But it goes deeper than than too.  How often do we as a society look at our relationships as broken, and toss them?  You have a spat with a friend... do you swallow your pride, apologize and try to mend that relationship, or do you throw it away?  Your child is "pushing your buttons," do you work with the differences through the difficult time, or do you say harsh words and throw your hands up in the air?  What about your spouse?  Do you fight and grow further apart, rather than working together to mend that relationship?

We live in a time where if something is broken, we throw it away rather than fix it.  Divorce rates are high, and even more scary is the number of cohabitation so that if it doesn't work out, there is less work involved to get out of that relationship.  EVERY relationship has its ups and downs, good times and bad.  Every single marriage has points where it could be deemed as "broken."  Yet, the decision is ours... do we put in the work to fix it or do we toss it and find a new one!?!?  I had a friend once joke that her vows stated "for better or for worse" so she got to choose... And sadly she only chose for better and when things got really bad, she chose to divorce her husband.

I know there are certain circumstances that many say are valid reasons for "tossing" a marriage.... I'm not really referring to infidelity or abuse, as I think those are circumstances that are best left to professional counselors to discuss, though I do believe even those relationships God can heal.  I'm referring to the general population that hits the hard times and "doesn't feel like" working it out.  I pray that we instill into our children the "old fashioned" mentality of fixing it when it is broke, rather than throwing it out!

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