Saturday, March 21, 2015

Cassie's Hope Chest Series // The Chest

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Hello there! My days of late have seemed to somewhat run together, leaving me a bit out of breath, only enough time to check the calender and then prepare for the next event. Some of that includes sewing alterations for a wedding, babysitting, packing up half our house, and the daily hum-drum of life. Though in the midst of having many full days, I still don't seem to lack the thoughts and hopes of the future. Funny how those things always seep through the rest of life's chaos is it not?

As Bek and I continue to blog, we want to be sure to bring you posts that you have asked for (within reason) and want to take the time to read; write things that will be enjoyable, things that you can say, "hey, that's kinda how I see it" or "I'm in the same boat right now" about. Because that is truly our main purpose, building up the girls and woman in our lives to be closer to the Father.

One of those requests (and things that we have felt like would fit our little circle) is sharing our things that we keep tucked away for our (God willing) life as a wife, Mother, and homemaker. So! I am finally taking the first step in sharing my Hope Chest today by firstly giving you a peek at what my chest looks like and how it came to be my own.
Cassie's Hope Chest Series
Cassie's Hope Chest Series
Just as many of the girls I know, I loved the idea of a Hope Chest and had always wanted one of my own, sitting at the foot of my bed. As the time went by and we two older girls got a room of our own, I was excited for the day I would put to rest the thoughts of buying little things for my chest and really start looking. But what chest?! On my 16th birthday my Dad & Mom surprised me with this lovely Lane trunk you see throughout. What a joyous day it was! For I had finally crossed that line of mid girlhood to a young lady and had a Hope Chest to prove it!

Cassie's Hope Chest Series
Cassie's Hope Chest Series
Each time I open up my trunk to put things in or reorganize (they take alot of that girls!) I don't only put in my small material items, but sometimes a prayer for my future husband or even a loved one. It just calms me to open it up and muse about what may or could happen (in all of life) and all the hope that the items within hold.

I do too want to mention my absence of such vigor for the chest around the age of 17 or so. (Yes, so close to the time I first was given it.) For some reason I seemed to think it silly or biased for me to do such a thing to spend money or ask for a certain item only to have it stored away for some maybe time. At this time I mainly threw in cook books Mom brought my attention to; thinking they would be good for the chest. But other than that I kept my stock of sock-kitting yarn and old 4-H papers in it. Nothing that really held value to what the truck was given to me for.

It has only been more recently that I have found more interest in actually filling the chest up. Perhaps I always thought I had better things to spend my hard earned monies on or maybe I really was not fully ready for the concept of such an interesting and lovely idea. Either way I am just adoring my chest these days and am ever so happy to share the things I have been given, the things I one day hope to use in the help of my own family's aid.
Mis1
Cassie's Hope Chest Series
Cassie's Hope Chest Series
Just for fun, before I sign off, I will take a minute to share about the few things I keep atop my Hope Chest. From right to left I have my 1932 Sears & Roebuck; this is a dear treasure of mine so I treat it as such by keeping it away from the rest of my collection shows it's valued in a different way, at least to me. I also have a pair of socks going most of the time which usually find their way to that corner of the truck sometimes in a basket, sometimes not. Next I have a very neat vintage stuffed dog that Mom bought me from Esty because she knew I was having fits over it *ahem* wanting it so much, so of-course I can't stow him away. The next few things are some old spools, door knobs, a handmade (gifted) felted wool flower and my "junk plate" which as you can see has a few things that are always handy to have on hand. ;) And last yet not least, I have started to keep my Finding Your Style page I wrote up after a course of time from this series. There have been so many times I have needed to be reminded of which "season" I am (I'm a Warm Autumn by the way) :) or other things I learned that are helpful to know while getting dressed to go out!

Do you have a Hope Chest?
Did you ever have a time when you just needed some time away from it?
What "season" are you?

What would you like to see next from this series?

Your friend,
Cassie
the Elder Writer & Sister


7 comments:

  1. I have two lovely daughters, 12 and 9, both of them I have set up a hope chest. They are very small chests to fit in our quaint little town home. In it, They put basic linens, church cook books, and childhood souveneirs. They have stacks of letters, poems, and hymns too. Even though my youngest is nine, I think it is beautiful to find girls that dream of a home and family of their own. Even if God decides my girls won't get married, they will still have a home to call theirs one day. So well done Cassie, my daughters love reading your and Rebekah's blog!

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  2. How exciting!! Your hope chest is beautiful! I always enjoy seeing what other girls put in theirs.
    Can't wait to see more! :)

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  3. Oh Cassie! Your chest is lovely! I too have sort of hit a spot where I don't put much in my trunk anymore, simply because there isn't much room.
    I was so pleasantly surprised to see your "Finding Your Style" page! I sometimes forget about that series, and when I do remember it, I wonder if anyone (other than me) benefited from it. I'm glad you did. :)

    Blessings,

    Brigid
    the Middle Sister and Singer
    http://boyerfamilysingersblog.com

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  4. Hi! Reading this - and some other blogs who have also shared their hope chests - gives me quite a lot of questions ... I was wondering if it might be some inspiration for your next Why I post, Bekah?

    I have the feeling that hope chests all point towards marriage - children - a husband, right? You then obviously believe you will get married? What if God has some other plan for you - don't you think that creating a hope chest focuses too much on what-might-happen (because not everyone does get married, even if they want to!) even if you don't know whether marrying is God's plan for you? I just don't 'get' the whole hope-chest idea, to be honest! It's like everything in your life is centred about finding 'him' and starting a family(?)
    I'm seriously not saying y'all are doing it wrong or something - I'm just curious!

    ~ Miss Molly Gibson

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  5. I don't have a hope chest and, tbh, kind of forgot there was such a thing. But it's cool that you do. :) What's your most favorite thing in there?

    http://teensliveforjesus.blogspot.ru

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  6. I so enjoyed your post and your hope chest is beautiful!!

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