Simplify Sunday (5/30) Memorial Day

Debby McCuiston, self-proclaimed "Queen of Clutter-Free", does a segment for us each Sunday on simplifying our lives, getting rid of "clutter", and focusing on what's important.  We're really love this weekly segment - and hope you will too!  Take it away Debby...
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Happy Memorial Day! May I take a minute to say a very special THANK YOU to the men and women that have been willing to put themselves in harms way to protect my freedom. They are amazing people!! They go where and whenever they are called to give more than most, for me and my family. I stand in awe when I think of the sacrifices they have made on behalf of people they may never know. The sweet moments they miss with family and friends. The little and big problems that they know are going on at home but still continue to do the job they have been called to do.

I will forever be in debt the the families that have lost their precious son or daughter, brother or sister, husband or wife, and daddy or mommy so I can continue to live my life. Because of their sacrifice, it makes me want to live worthy of what they are willing to do for me. Please take a minute, anytime you see someone in the service, and thank them. Maybe if you know their family you could help out while they are away. Let them know we realize that without them we would not be the living in "THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE".  Thank you!!!

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For many, this is the official start of summertime!!  It's a weekend for spending time with family and friends. Laying around the pool, out in the boat, eating until you can't eat anymore (my holiday favorite)- that's the way to celebrate. Then at the end of the day, (as a sign to clean up the mess and go home) we shoot off fireworks. Life is good!!!
Or maybe you are like us and see this weekend as an extra long time to work on some more never-ending projects.We don't have a house on the lake or friends that do, but we will get the pond filled and all the fountains up and running. We don't have a pool, and although we have neighbors that do, we like them and they don't need to see me in a bathing suit.  So we will hook up the sprinkler and make sure we get all the flowers watered. We don't have a big family get together so we can eat ourselves into a sugar coma, but we may cleanup the grill just in case we find something that screams "cook me outside, and burn me to a crisp" and say, once again, how much better food tastes cooked on the grill.
Hopefully we will be able to get the loose ends of some projects finished up. Maybe we will be able to sit and plan out the projects that need to be done before the summer slips away. I do know that we are making plans to slow down a bit and enjoy life. Summertime seems to make it easier to take life as it comes. School is out (not that this effects me as we have no kids at home and I no longer teach) and I still run my life by the school calendar. Most of our church activities take the summer months off, so families can spend time trying to catch up with their kids and have a vacation. (Now that brings back some great memories-- 15 hours on the road with small children, hungry, tired and hot--now that is summer fun). I do plan of catching up on my coupon clipping (since there will be no coupons in the paper this week because of the holiday weekend). I will take the time to finish putting away my winter clothes and getting them put in the storage building. I am so excited to make sure my bathing suit is washed and ready just in case I wake up one morning and my prayers have been answered and I have grown about 8 inches and am a tall willowy 30 year old. (Summer is also a time to dream big dreams!).
Most of all, plan to enjoy this weekend and fix a nice tall glass of lemonade as you catch up on all the lastest family news (or gossip). Or set outside and catch up on that stack of books that have been waiting for you to slow down enough to read more than one chapter a day. Before you know it, the summer will have slipped away, again. Take these long days to get projects done, but sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Don't get so caught up in the planning and doing that you forget the whole reasons you wanted more room or a cleaner house. Take time to have friends and family over to enjoy this clean and organized space with you.
This week remember to take a few minutes to count your blessings. Everyone has those times in their lives when we feel overwhelmed and can't see our way out. If we focus on the things that weigh us down we will grow weary. If we try to look at the problems one at a time and try to see the lessons that we are to learn, it is easier to deal with. I have learned that God never gives us more than we can handle (Although, I have asked Him if He had the right Debby for this lesson). Knowing this helps give me push to keep going. Remembering I have friends and family that are there to help and pray me through it all, I know I can slay one dragon at a time. How many times have you uncovered a treasure covered in all the yuck of life? Remember to keep digging, the treasures and blessings are there and they are worth the effort it takes to uncover them. May you have a chance to get a glimpse of the plans that the Lord has for you and the path He has cleared and the dragons He has already killed on you behalf. He loves you more than you may ever know.
queenofclutterfree@yahoo.com