My Other Fall Mantel

Yesterday morning found me standing at the kitchen sink washing the dishes that I had no energy to clean the previous night.

After water splashed up onto my sweatshirt I glanced down and noticed an orange spot on the neckline. I looked around in the sink and couldn’t find anything orange that would have caused the stain and after another look at it I realized that it was already dried so it couldn’t have just happened as I was washing the dishes.

That’s when it dawned on me. It was leftovers. The kind that don’t end up in a tupperware.

After the kids were in bed I had plunked myself down on the couch and eaten the last teeny bite of pumpkin cobbler and obviously some of it had missed my mouth.

I looked at that stain and had one of those moments. Those moments where you feel a shift in your spirit. I could take the time to go upstairs and change my shirt. Or I could just keep on wearing it, orange stain and all.

You see, there was a time in my life where that stain would have really bothered me. When even if I wasn’t planning on wearing it out of the house I still would have been thinking about it all day. But in that moment, I just didn’t care. It wasn’t worth taking the time to go change. And after I had finished the dishes and moved onto other things I never gave that stain a second thought. Even when a friend dropped by later on in the day.

It’s funny how certain things can take up unnecessary space in our minds or in our hearts. If it’s not pumpkin cobbler stains it might be something else.

Like decorating mantels. I’m ashamed to admit it, but there have been times in my life where the prospect of an empty mantel waiting to be filled with seasonal decor has kept me awake at night.

But, not this year. I’m not exactly sure when the ‘moment’ occurred but I know that it did because I felt that shift in my spirit.

I just didn’t care as much about my mantel(s). Oh sure, I wanted them to look pretty and fall-ish.

I knew that on my living room mantel I wanted to keep the beautiful painting done by my amazingly talented father-in-law.

It’s called ‘Here Comes the Sun’ and it just so perfectly captures the beauty of the Willamette Valley especially during this time of the year.

The ‘not caring’ as much about my mantel had some surprising results. Not only did it feel completely freeing, but I ended up liking this year’s mantel more than any I’ve ever done before.

It took only minutes to do and once it was done I didn’t think about it again.

Kind of like that orange stain. 😉

The older I get the more of these ‘moments’ I seem to be having. These defining opportunities to choose what I will allow to dominate my mind.

Don’t misunderstand me, it’s not that there’s anything wrong with giving a little bit of brain space to decorating.

I gotta have me some decoratin’ zones in this head of mine!

It’s just when it becomes consuming that we have a problem.

When the time spent pondering proper pumpkin placement (say that 5 times fast!) is greater than the time spent pondering things of real value.

Like how I can be praying for those who are hurting.

And how God could use me to be a blessing to someone.

Maybe how to finally work up the courage to step out into a new role.

And definitely how to get dried up orange pumpkin cobbler stains out of sweatshirts! 😉

And, of course, how to spend more time with you here At the Picket Fence!

* You can see my ‘other’ mantel and the rest of my home decorated for fall by clicking here *