They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. There are days I am tempted to agree with them. Joel and I bought a new camera. We spent months researching and comparing brands, prices, and pixels, then finally bit the bullet. We pushed our nine-year-old, first edition, digital Sony camera aside and purchased a camera that promised to do everything, as well as cure cancer (well, not really). I was like a kid on the night before Christmas as I waited for our upgrade into the 21st century to arrive in the mail. When it finally came, I had that thing unpacked in less than five seconds flat.
I started snapping pics like I knew something about cameras…which I don’t. In fact, as I flipped through to review my recent shots, it became very clear to me that I know absolutely “nada” about camera technology built in the last 10 years. I pulled out the owner’s manual and instructional DVDs, getting to work, learning about his new piece of machinery. Suffice it to say, a month later I am still learning by much trial and error. Almost to the point of pulling out my old Sony and giving up. But of course I won’t. You see, the desire to take better quality photos far outweighs the desire to stop learning how to operate this new camera, as frustrating and impossible as it may seem at times.
I haven’t been blogging lately because I have felt like an old dog learning new tricks over the past five months. God is up to new things, and most of them aren’t that comfortable for me. He’s been stretching me beyond my comfort zone and requiring my nose to be stuck in his instructional manual rather than my computer. I often find myself wishing I could return to the things that I know, like my old Sony digital camera, rather than take that overwhelming step towards the life and future I have dreamed about.
It’s easy to dream. To think about how nice it would be to get that one perfect snapshot. It’s something completely different to start working towards that dream. That takes discipline, time, a few tears, and perseverance. It takes a determined effort to keep that dream in view, ignoring the growing pains, and trusting the One in the lead. The new tricks might seem a bit out of reach, but they are never unattainable.
So, throw that old first-edition digital camera away, and get down to business on the new thing that God has brought your way. We are not “Old Dogs” yet, my friend!
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closets. That means going through all those clothes, shoes, scarves and belts and finding the 25% that you can’t live without. I love a good challenge. In fact, I was so inspired after I watched Jill’s segment on Today that I ran upstairs to get started.
see what fit and what she had outgrown. She has learned how to make piles without my constant supervision. When she was done I checked on her work. She had re-organized her drawers with the clothes that still fit, and had put everything else in a pile ready for donation. I’ve been working with her for a long time, and she is becoming quite the pro.
One of the things I have tried to do as we have gone through toys and placed them in piles, is to verbally walk them through the process. I will ask questions like, “Why would we put this in the give-away pile?” or “What makes this item a keeper?” I have found that by talking them through it, and encouraging them to articulate why they are deciding to keep or get rid of something, allows them to fully understand what we are doing. It’s not just about getting the job done, but knowing the why behind it. At least, that’s my approach.
was an eye sore to me for three years. I hated it. Because of its odd shape, I had a difficult time seeing its potential to be anything other than a giant toy box with a desk. I rearranged furniture on a regular basis, hoping to make peace with my zig-zag shaped room.
time, but they are well worth the wait. I love our window seat. It’s a great place to flop with a good book or catch up on a little e-mail. There is a place for random toys, shelves for books, nick-nacks and pictures, and ample seating for people. The transformation of this room has been an incredible gift to our family.
Other individual spaces can be created with a little tweaking. In our living room we have a big red chair. It is my special spot. That’s where I have my quiet time in the morning, and where I like to flop in the evening (Joel loves this special spot too, so in the evening it’s first come/ first serve 
year I finally broke down and bought patio furniture. In the past it’s been “pay for a root canal…or buy patio furniture?” You can take a guess at which one we opted for. This year we were able to take the plunge and add a little patio seating to the exterior decor of our home. And I must say, I am loving it.
