Ratty, Tatty and Torn

I've always been the type of person that whenever I buy something new, it sometimes takes me a while to use it. Makeup and makeup brushes, candles, craft supplies, new sneakers and boots and countless other things because I'm just that strange. Why you might ask? The answer, my dear fellow (and hopefully slightly weird like me) friends, is that I don't want to ruin it. I like to have that "new" look to it and I like to keep it that way. I don't want to use it over and over again and then it end up looking all raggedy and messed up. I want it to stay pretty! I don't want that "worn" look to my things. 

What I really have never given thought to is what the worn look implicates or implies. It means that something is so loved, used so often and that it is probably a favorite item in the house. It makes perfect sense. You don't buy something you've wanted for a while only to leave it in a corner collecting dust. I can't remember who exactly but when I was at Liberty one of our convocation speakers told us a story about a pair of inline skates he had wanted. He saved and saved his money until he had enough money to buy them. He bought them and what happened? He didn't want to ruin them so they sat in the box they came in and eventually they were too small for him (there was a religious message in there somewhere, but I can't remember what it was). Point is, use whatever it is. I'm like Phoebe from friends in some ways. If you have something and never use it, I end up thinking "It's not doing what it was made for! Its sad that it can't fulfill its potential!" Like her being disappointed in the Christmas trees. They get cut and not all of them get to go to someone's home and have lights and decorations placed upon it and presents laid underneath. I feel like I am getting off topic somewhat. 

Case in point: I have a pair of oven mitts I bought at Wal-Mart for traveling. Its a cheap pair of oven mitts. Obviously I am not concerned about them getting dirty or torn (unless it's a cute Pioneer Woman pair!). Anyway, I was looking at them the other day and thought to myself "Man, those are looking kinda dingy." They have stains on them and one mitt even got too close to a stove eye and got a wee bit singed. But then I got to thinking. These oven mitts have seen a lot of meals passed through them. They've seen one of the ways I like to show my love to my main squeeze. I love to cook. I use them often. And they have the 'scars' to show it. 

One of my most treasured things I have kitchen related is my grandmother's cookbook. This thing boys and girls. It has seen an infinite amount of meals passed over it as my grandmother cooked for my grandfather. It has seen muffins and cookies and casseroles that she and I have made together. It holds a lot of memories. Sure, a lot of pages are stained, some torn and a lot of pages written on, but it just means it was used to its full potential. 

"A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't" 
Charles Spurgeon