VISITS

With Christmas arriving in just a few days I'm sure you are busy preparing and shopping and making plans for entertaining guests or traveling to be with loved ones. I too have been busy. Especially with entertaining. And I have found great joy in it.


A few little projects were on my to do list so that our guest rooms and accommodations were comfortable and welcoming. The third floor especially needed some finishing touches so I took a couple items that I had on hand and created something new out of some old pieces. (I love to do this stuff!)

I had an old mirror that wasn't being used anywhere. I found it once upon a time in an old house while helping some friends move. I updated it with a coat of white spray paint.

And there were two old chairs Keith and I had started to refinish several years ago but never completed. I thought they would be just the thing to put in the guest room on the third floor. So I gave them a coat of white spray paint as well.


We chose to have wall to wall carpet installed in two of the third floor rooms. It would help make it warmer and quieter underfoot when the rooms were being used by guests. Some white airy curtains and a few other accessories created the cozy atmosphere I was hoping for.

 The chairs and mirror fit just right in the space. Now I'm on the hunt for a small dresser that I can paint to match.






The family room right beside this bedroom got the same floor treatment. A new lamp and miscellaneous accessories makes this a new favorite hang out space for watching TV or playing Wii. 

There is also a guest bathroom cleaned and stocked and ready for use. 


I have marveled how many guests have already graced our home in the few months we have lived here. It is a joy to share this house with family and friends. 


These VISITS are wonderful times. Friends that we haven't connected with in many years ask to stop in to see this place we have moved into. Other out of town guests who need a place to stay say they've slept well in these rooms and ask to hear the renovation story. And lately we've enjoyed hosting larger gatherings of friends and family because this house will easily accommodate them. I've come to the conclusion that when we care for the house, people are drawn to it and people will feel cared for.


It's the same in our lives. When we care for our souls, people will want to be with us. They will be drawn to us. It is good to care for your soul; allow times of quiet reflection, time to create, time to organize, time to rest. I believe that it is those times that God VISITS us. Make room for His VISITS throughout your day today. Keep caring for the house.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almightly. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield...he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways." 

Psalm 91 

GLORY

Yesterday I spent the day preparing the house for the Christmas season. My tradition has been to decorate on the first weekend of December. I haul out the boxes of greens and decorations. It's always fun to remember years gone by when I lift the lid to find ornaments and Christmas stockings I made for my children when they were small. And the old paper Advent calendar reminds me how they used to count down the days til Christmas and memorize the Bible verse behind each little window. I pull out specific decorations always used in certain places throughout the house. But now, in our new home, I had to begin all over; a new canvas for fresh ideas. 


I chose a totally different color scheme for this house. My choice of decor in our living room lends itself better to a palette of blues, white and silver instead of reds and golds. After making a few purchases at some nearby craft stores, I was ready to let the creative juices flow. I put on some Christmas music and Keith and I set to work. 

As Keith hung the lights around the front door I thought about a phrase used in an allegory entitled Tales of the Kingdom by David and Karen Mains..."making entrance". In the story, this term is used to describe the process when a person becomes who they really are. "Lord, when people make entrance into our home, may they see who they really are because of your love."


The entry hall was next. Stairways always deserve a garland of greens. I had 18 feet of greens to play with. Ribbons, beads, pinecones...my fingers got a workout as I tied it all together with floral wire. 

While I was doing this, Keith put up the tree. It takes 2 people to string the lights and beads. But his first love in this process is to wrap gifts. So he went off to do that while I hung the ornaments. (something I confess I don't really enjoy doing and was always happy to allow our children to do...)

I filled the fireplace mantel with greens, candles and ornaments.  I re-used many old items by spray painting silver over top of gold, cutting off red berries and applying white ones, and tying blue ribbon where there once was gold. 

 Now the house feels ready to welcome the season. In this time of Advent we are reminded each week that the King is coming! Get ready! Prepare the way for his GLORY.

Are you ready? 

Are you preparing? 

As you decorate in the coming days and weeks, prepare your heart as well. This too is caring for the house. He wants to arrive and dwell with us. Let's make room for his GLORY to shine for all to see.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his GLORY, the GLORY of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

John 1:14

MARGINS

Work on the house has slowed down lately. In Ecclesiastes 3 it says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven..." After working on the house in a regular rhythm, it is time to take a break. Time off is important in caring for the house.

More ideas and inspiration can be had by propping up the feet and relaxing.

Each week I grab my calendar and look at the list of tasks needing to be done throughout the house. The punch list is long and feels almost endless. I try to break down the jobs into bite size pieces and then I schedule it out on my calendar and sticky notes. 


To guard from exhaustion and discouragement, I set MARGINS. A MARGIN is a border or edge that keeps us from straying too far from the center. MARGINS keep us in line and focused.

From the beginning, we purposed to work only on Wednesday evenings, on Fridays after other housework was done, and all day Saturday. And we would only work until 9:00 in the evening. These MARGINS kept us centered and sane. And we have sustained this type of schedule until now.

In light of the upcoming holiday season, it is time to move those MARGINS closer. The month of December is a good time to embrace the real meaning of Christmas; to focus on family time, traditions of the season and the birth of Jesus our Lord. Caring for the House takes on a different meaning during this time.

It's getting colder and the days are shorter but
our light is always on at the front door to welcome you.

My body (emotional, spiritual, physical) is the "house" of God. If I don't set MARGINS, I can so easily stray from the center and become unbalanced. So in this next season I decided to set new MARGINS. Caring for this house means that my calendar is more open for spending time with family and friends. There will be more time for rest and reflection. Instead of working on renovation projects, I will enjoy the spaces as they are. Instead of painting and repairing, I will simply dust and vacuum.

"I know that there is nothing better for man than to be happy and do good while they live. That every man may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil - this is the gift of God. There is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work..."  

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13, 22

During this season, choose to set MARGINS. 

God wants us to be happy and do good. 

He created us to enjoy our work. 

Are your MARGINS set in places that keep you centered? 

Are you able to find time to be happy and do good? 

Do you enjoy your work? 
Ask the Father to show you where to place your MARGINS.

May you find joy and be blessed in the coming weeks!

MOVING

The other day while taking a walk we asked ourselves the question, "What would our life be like if we had never moved to this house?" This year has gone by so quickly and when we look back we realize how many things have changed in such a short period of time. Sometimes it is hard to believe that we are where we are; that we actually did what we did. 


MOVING compelled me to grow my faith. It was a fresh start. It took me out of the comfort zones I had created for myself. MOVING caused me to depend on hearing God's voice for next steps. 


As human beings, we are always looking for routine and desiring the comforts of a predictable life. Sometimes God has a way of changing things up for us. He refocuses us. A year ago when we sensed God nudging us to move into this house in the city, we knew change was on the horizon. But we had no idea what each day would bring forth. 


There is a third floor in this old house that was almost the deal breaker for us when we considered buying the property. The ceilings are lower, the rooms smaller and it needed a bit more care and fixing than other places. We knew we wouldn't need this space, but it came along with the house. Our original idea was that it could be an apartment that we could rent out; provide us with some additional income maybe. But as we were in the midst of the renovations, time and money ran out. We put our plans on the shelf, trusting that God would show us what His purpose is for that space. Then, in order for us to have occupancy, we were required to finish the electricity and plumbing on ALL floors...which also meant framing and drywall. So we had to press forward after all. Today, as we are in the finishing stages of the third floor rooms, we are still unsure of how God might want us to use this space but I'm excited to discover His plan. 


Take a look...

At the top of the stairs, it was dark and tight. 

We opened up the space by removing a wall. What a difference it makes! And I just had to have a red accent wall just for the fun of it. It draws you into the space.

The bedroom under the eaves was depressing. We removed the radiators and replaced them with electric baseboard heat.

Upon removal of the wallpaper we found
lots of cracks and holes to patch. 

And now, while I still have to paint the walls and finish the flooring, it has already provided us with a cozy room
where guests can comfortably sleep.

The front room was large and cold feeling. And it had more wallpaper to remove...  

And now it is a fun place to hang out, watch TV or play Wii...still needing some color on the walls and a cozy carpet under foot.

 And then there was the bathroom...

Just enough room to turn around in.

While it is still small, we widened it and made everything new. I plan to paint the walls a soothing blue. I was so happy to have this third bathroom the other weekend when we had 4 overnight guests.

Following His voice is exciting. It takes you into new places and situations. Sometimes it may not feel comfortable or practical, but oh how good it is to learn new things about yourself and the world around you!


Get up and get MOVING! Don't sit around and stay comfy. God calls us to MOVE and change. He takes us into new places of dependence on Him. And that's a good thing!

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart. Don't try to figure everything out on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track." 

 Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message)

KEYS

Can you believe the end of October is upon us? It will soon be a year that I've been working on this house. Since the day I discovered it, began to explore the possibility of owning it, then purchasing it and renovating it...what a journey of transformation it has been. And it is not only the house that has changed, I have learned through these changes as well.

Last week we had a small group of persons come and pray with us throughout the rooms in this house. We invited God to lead us and show us how he might want to use this property. It is His house and I am so grateful to be the caretaker and steward of this house. 

This is the front entry.

Lift up your heads O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty...Psalm 24:7-10 

 I hung some keys here. They were found in the house so I figured they belong here. 

May the Lord bless this house to be a place where people's hearts are unlocked; where they are handed the keys to the kingdom of God; where they encounter who they are in Christ.

It was an encouraging time with friends learning what is on God's heart for this house. These keys will always remind me to search for the important things in life. The key to life is not found in possessions, but in friends and listening to what God wants. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. 

Keith and I are having fun watching and waiting to see how the future unfolds for us in this house. We have already been honored to host many people here for a visit, a meal or for discipleship. We trust that he will give us, and others who visit, the keys to understanding more about a loving faithful Daddy God. We are grateful.

...on another note, take a look at a few more pictures. I spent last weekend purchasing, sewing and hanging curtains in several rooms. They make the rooms feel softer and more inviting. I had to get a little creative. The windows are larger than average and the cost of simply going out to purchase custom-made draperies is phenomenal. So I thought I'd share some of my "secrets" for curtains-on-a-budget...

In the dining room...I bought 2 matching tablecloths ($9.99 each) and hung them on a rod with rings. No hemming or sewing required. I actually like the look.

In the guest room...I wanted to soften the hard angles of the bay window. The curtain rod is one long rod with two flexible pieces you can adjust to bend to the angle you have. I simply put six sheer panels on the rod and hung them. Simple and easy but it really softens to feel of the room.

The kitchen had three windows; each one was a different size and height. In order to make it appear balanced, I hung curtain rods the same height all the way around. Now your eye doesn't get confused and it's more restful. A typical window valance was way too short; I needed one twice the length. Buying fabric and making them would be easy but too expensive. I discovered some tier cafe curtains for $6.99 a pair. They are really intended to be hung in the lower half of a window, but they were the perfect length for these long windows.

In the living room I wanted to add some color to the tans and browns already there. Again, purchasing a length of fabric to make custom curtains would have been expensive. (I needed 8 yards per window x 3 windows = 24 yards at about $12-$15/yard!) I was on a major hunt for a bargain. Eventually I found the perfect thing at the amazing price of $9.99 a panel. Because the panels weren't long enough, I simply bought two extra panels and used them to add length to the others.

Here's what I learned while doing interior design for this house so far...Don't give up if you're looking for something particular. Keep searching. You will eventually find just the right thing...it will be the KEY to making it all work together. 

OPEN

It's been a busy couple of weeks, but in the midst of life's activities I still found some time to continue painting and put things in order. 

This weekend, I especially enjoyed hosting an "OPEN house" on Friday evening. We sent out an OPEN invitation to our church family to stop by. What a joy it was to experience a house full of conversation and laughter. I was especially blessed to see the children running throughout the house and enjoying play. It is the fulfillment of a vision I saw with my mind's eye ever since we began work on this house. My sense has always been that this house's destiny is to embrace friends and family; to build community; to provide a place of peace and rest.

I know that many of you like to see the rooms as they are "finished". (I've provided several pictures for you below.) I put that word in quotation marks because finished may not be realized for quite some time yet. I still have vision for more decorative touches such as curtains, area rugs, paintings to hang on the walls, house plants, etc. 

The master bedroom BEFORE...

...and from the same viewpoint AFTER.

To the right of our bed is a doorway leading into the master bathroom. It was a smaller bedroom originally but it seemed best to make it into an en suite bathroom. Here's the room BEFORE...

And below you can see the transformation. Those doorways are no longer there. (one led to a tiny pink tile bathroom, the other opened into the hallway) Instead, we put a shower in that corner and the partial wall you see below hides the toilet from view. New windows with privacy glass work well here too.

The living room BEFORE...

and AFTER...

We spent 2 days painting the fireplace mantel and bookshelves. We primed the whole thing one evening while "watching" a couple of movies on TV. That made the monotonous task go much more quickly and it was wonderful to have a husband who didn't mind being my painting partner.

And so, most of the rooms are "finished". However, the four rooms on the 3rd floor are still untouched. In addition, the hallways and stairwells remain unpainted. In spite of that, our front door remains OPEN. Everything doesn't have to be perfect and complete in order for others to stop by.

Isn't that the way life should be? God is teaching me through this house to be real and OPEN. I want to be OPEN to love and bless others; to share life and possessions with others. Let's be real. We have a tendency to shut others out because we feel we're not perfect. We only want others to see the "finished" places in our hearts and lives. But we are all "under construction". Let's OPEN the door of our lives to others even though we aren't finished. 

REFLECTING

Weeks are going by so quickly. With the fall season upon us and the holidays approaching, it is hard to believe we've been living in this house for almost 2 months now. I think I'm finally feeling at home and all our stuff is finally finding it's place. 


One of the original features I like about this house is the chandelier. When we first saw the house, it was hanging in the living room. It was the one of 3 lights that worked. 

As renovation work began on the house, it became covered with dirt and dust. So Keith and I carefully disconnected it and took it home. We disassembled it and carefully wrapped each crystal in paper towel and diagramed it so we could re-assemble it someday. Finally the day came for all the lighting to be installed...I had to unpack and clean the chandelier.

Not very pretty...and very dirty and dusty. Warm water and vinegar and a soft cloth did the trick. A tedious job of wiping every nook and cranny.

About a week after moving in, we took some time to replace the crystals. There were 5 different shapes and about 10 of each. I referred to the diagram we had drawn and Keith hung them one by one.

without the crystals...

With the crystals!

The crystals reflected the light and beauty of the chandelier, making it special and unique. I'd love to know the value of this piece; its age and origin.

As we were hanging the chandelier, my mind was thinking about REFLECTING. Each crystal was reflecting the light, magnifying it and making it beautiful. This is what God wants us to do...REFLECT Him; reflect His light to a world that is filled with darkness. His light makes us beautiful.


In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us, "You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."


Soon after we were married, a co-worker gave me a motto to hang on my wall. It still hangs in our bedroom. It says, "May our life together reflect You, dear Lord." This little prayer has influenced our life together, as well as my personal life. God wants our marriage to REFLECT his love relationship for his bride, the church. God wants my life to REFLECT his character. 


Be encouraged today. Jesus says you are a beautiful reflection of the light which God placed within you. Let that light shine today so that others will praise Him. This week, each time you turn on a light, remember to thank your heavenly Father for his love.

INSIDE

There has been little time for reflecting in the last couple weeks. My desire to blog at least once a week took a dive. The last three weeks have been filled with a lot of "life" activity, in addition to the continuing process of getting this house in shape. 


But today is a new day. In the past weeks I've been wanting desperately to be outside; to tidy up our yard, plant flowers, decide where to put a garden for next year and to give our house a curb appeal makeover. However, with all the work still to be done INSIDE the house, I had to tell myself that we will concentrate on the outside next year. So I've carried on with the work INSIDE. Each weekend has been filled with lots of painting. I've been very grateful for the help of my mother who came on Fridays to lend a hand. We were able to finish painting several spaces in the house. Finishing details (the fun part) will come in time. But the house feels cleaner and more organized as each room is painted. This has been my routine during these past weeks...

1. get a bucket and rag and wipe down all the surfaces
2. prime all the surfaces
3. paint the ceiling
4. paint the trim (windows and baseboard)
5. paint the walls
6. vacuum the space and replace furniture and hang pictures 






My stash of paint is dwindling down. In the end I will have used about 43 gallons of paint (including primer). That's a lot of roller covers and paint trays.





This sink in my laundry is a wonderful place 
to wash out brushes and clean rollers at the end of a day.



Here's a look at the spaces I've been working on...

Hall bathroom BEFORE demolition

Hall bathroom DURING

the hall bathroom now...I'm looking for some artwork to hang on the walls yet.

The back entrance (mudroom) also contains a powder room and laundry room. It took a long day and some evenings to finish this frequently used area. Here are some before-and-afters...

BEFORE: This is the way the room looked when we purchased the house. After stripping it back to the studs, we built some walls to make a specific area for a laundry and half bath.

And NOW. . .

                                       LAUNDRY

A shelf with a clothing rod helps
to organize clean clothes as they
come out of the dryer.

We hung some cabinets above
the washer and dryer for cleaning supplies.

POWDER ROOM

Finishing these small spaces mattered greatly to how we live in the house. Working on the INSIDE projects helped make life go more smoothly.

Last Sunday in church we sang these words...

"Take my heart and form it

take my mind, transform it

take my will, conform it

to Yours, to Yours, O Lord."

As I sang those words, the Lord began to speak to me about how he works on the INSIDE of our hearts. He begins on the INSIDE. His work is an INSIDE job. We are told in scripture that the Lord looks on the heart. We tend to look on the outside. Once again I felt Him nudging me to deepen my relationship with Him. I must give attention to the INSIDE of my being. 

Lord, today again, I give myself to you. I give you permission to work on me; to work on the INSIDE of me. No one else sees what you see. Please renovate me and change me on the inside. It is for You and for your glory. Amen.

And so I continue to trust in Him and His timing. And come to think of it...with the amount of rain and flooding that happened in this past week, I'm certainly glad that I continued to work on the inside...instead of the outside. It would have all been in vain. And now the ground is even softer. 

And here is one more room. I am finished painting it, but I have yet to furnish it. This space is meant to be a quiet place for reflection and prayer. I'm looking for it to be one of the places where I can escape to allow God to do His "INSIDE" work in me.

BEFORE: it was a tiny bathroom at the top of the stairs.
This picture was taken after we removed the tub and sink.

And NOW...



























We call it the study. A small desk and/or bookshelf should complete the space. 






How is your INSIDE work going? Stay soft so God can tend to His work in you.