From a Dove dark chocolate wrapper . . .

"Never stop learning."

from Carletta, Aliquippa, PA

Theresa's group photo at Spring Mill . . .

Me and my sister, Pam . . .

"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us;

we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."  -- C. S. Lewis

This is exactly what scares me when I pray for my kids.

Let's be truthful - I'm scared for myself, too, for what God may ask of me.

Scared that I'll fail.

Scared of the fallout.

Scared of what others will think.

Scared.

And yet, listening for God's leading.

(Thanks to Traci Michele of Ordinary Inspirations for putting a quote to my thoughts.)

Collections

I started thinking about the things I collect

after finding the blog A Collection a Day.

I have collections.  You probably do, too.

Sometimes we purposefully collect . . . 

sometimes we purposefully "uncollect"

(see the Great Santa Giveaway on December 15th of 2009),
and sometimes we are taken by surprise

that we have been unconsciously collecting.

I collect sets of 5 dice.

Playing Yahtzee was fun and a way to make learning enjoyable.

Probability, patterns, quick decision making.

It was easier if all players had their own dice.

I have dozens of sets and it's gotten difficult to find something different.

I still look.

I also collect blank books,

although I didn't realize I was actually collecting

until Anne pointed out that I love blank books,

but rarely actually write in them.

She told me I was collecting them.

She was right.

The feel, the colors, lines or graph or nothing.

They pick me, I think.

Nail polish - I ruthlessly keep these down to just a dozen or so;

they do go bad after a while.

My hands-down favorite:  Rimmel's Zeitgeist.

It looks bronzey-gold until you see it at an angle

and then it's a greenish-gold.  Wonderful effect.

Birds seem to be calling to me (no pun intended).

I only have a few.

I really do resist.

I started collecting tea cups 40 years ago.

I've stopped collecting,

but still have my original 15 and a few others.

Colored pens and pencils and markers - there is a gene for this.

I have it.

My sisters both have it.

My daughter has it.

All the items in my collections have a very low dollar value,

but they provide me with pleasure.

They make me smile.

And speaking of smiling,

I guess I also collect faces.  I have for years.

Family and friends send them to me (see sidebar Label "Faces").
[2012 Update - now combined into Label "Everyday Life"]

What do you collect?

Still playing with Spring Mill photos in PSE with texture overlays . . .