Skills... No, not nunchuck skills.

Is there something you remember your mom or grandma doing growing up, that you'd love to know how to do? I look at all of the marvelous technology that we have, and the advancements in our daily lives, and I think it's wonderful, and I am very appreciative of it. But part of me inside wishes that life were still a little simpler and that we still NEEDED to learn skills to help us in everyday life. For example, I'm SOOOO thankful for a washer and dryer, but there is something so beautiful about seeing a load of clean clothes blowing in the spring breeze...

Or remember getting a beautiful handwritten letter in the mail? I LOVE writing Calligraphy, But now, the only time I use it is to write in my journal, like 4 times a year... I know I wish I were better at that. Maybe I'll be writing some letters soon...

What about sewing? There's something so fulfilling about creating, and a sense of accomplishment. I love sewing. But I only know how to because my wonderful mother taught me, Not because I NEED to know how. I could count on one hand the number of us {my generation and my mothers, sadly,} out there that could make a dress from start to finish from a pattern.
Making homemade loaves of bread, and canning homemade jam! MMMM, So much better than the store bought! Or making anything from SCRATCH these days? Or heck, make an entire meal not using the microwave... at all. I did that for 2 years after ours broke and I was too cheap to buy a new one. I went to my moms one night for dinner and started to fill a pot to cook the vegetables in, and she laughed at me and asked me what I was doing... She reminded me that they have a microwave.

Or playing a musical instrument? Now days we can just turn on the computer or Ipad and a song for family night is played for us. Or how often do we take the time to just play the piano or violin or flute or whatever, and use the talents that God gave us, just because...

Or knitting or crocheting? It may sound hokey or old fashioned, but this is a skill I would LOVE to learn! You can't tell me that this isn't cute and still applicable to our day...But how many people really know how to do that anymore?

Gardening? I think it's making a comeback, but it used to be something people did to survive! This is also a skill I'm working on developing... {remember my earth box...?} I'll be ordering it on payday! And then hopefully learning to grow and plant LOTS of things!! I'd love to be able to walk outside and pick the veggies I need for dinner, or the fruits I need for breakfast!

Don't get me wrong, I think that the world we live in is great! And I love technology, Most of the time. But I do think that it has made us lazy and some of the things we have take away from whats important. Like sticking the kids in front of the TV instead of reading them a book, or spending time to mix cookie dough with them, instead of having them cut open the package. Remember playing board games as a family? Probably not, they've been replaced with video games and computer games. So yes, I think it's so great, the things that we have, But I do think that there are a lot of things in life that we are missing out on simply because we live in a world where everything has been made simple and easy, or done for us.