DEATH

DEATH. Quite a different theme for this blog. I'm all about life and encouragement. But into everyone's life comes a time to think about the unpleasant, the inevitable and the reality of DEATH. Death stinks....literally.


This week as I entered our master bathroom, there was a strange odor. Because I was collecting dirty laundry, I thought perhaps someone's clothing was exceptionally in need of cleaning. But later in the evening as I went into the bathroom to dress for bed, the truth was revealed. There is DEATH behind our walls somewhere!


Now I have to admit it came as no surprise. In the past months we've heard some sort of critter scratching around sporadically in the ceiling. And there are lots of squirrels in our back yard. I distinctly remember during the demolition stage finding a storehouse of walnuts in the walls of this old house. Perhaps the squirrels came back for their treasures.


So currently our lovely master bathroom stinks. We keep the door closed and the window cracked open. In addition, inside the wall is the sound of one (hopefully only one) frustrated critter, scratching and clawing at the studs and inner workings of the wall. It's the wall that divides two sanctuaries...my bathroom (where I prepare and clean myself physically) and my study (where I prepare and clean myself spiritually). DEATH is disturbing the peace around here.


What an amazing allegory this is for me today! God speaks in all things...even DEATH. 


I mentioned to my husband not too long ago that it feels like something inside of me is dying. Since taking on a full time job I've not had time to create and work on things that bring me life. In addition, my new job is more about numbers, files, forms and rules of compliance; there is little space for creativity and interaction. I'm giving it my best shot at learning a new field and serving my co-workers. I am trusting God to show me his purposes for me in this new role.


But in the mean time I will transparently admit the DEATH that I am feeling. It stinks. My peace is disturbed in the morning especially as I have to dress and prepare myself for going off to work instead of having more time to stay home and "care for the house". Even personal quiet time with the Lord is affected by this DEATH. There is less inspiration and less time for dwelling in his Word. During this season of DEATH, I find myself longing for more of the LIFE he has for me. I long for the peace he gives.

Father God, today I ask for revelation. Show me how to live in the midst of death. I ask for your peace today in the midst of difficulty and frustration. Carry away the affects of death and breathe the sweet aroma of peace into my soul. I need you. Amen.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matt 11:28-30

(still no pictures...but soon. In this season of time, the work that is being done is unseen. But the results of the unseen work will be evident in time.)

PERSEVERANCE

Recently, we took a walk through the house, room by room, and wrote down all the little things that still need attention. It would be easy to live with many of these things left unfinished. Life is comfortable enough for us now. But hidden behind pieces of furniture is unfinished baseboard. Stair railings could use a good polishing to bring out more of their beauty. Several walls need a touch up of paint where I skipped a spot in the rush of finishing a room. No one else probably notices these things. But I know they are there.


For some reason, we have not been able to find the same working rhythm we had a year ago. With comfortable clean rooms, who feels like getting out tools or paint? Why would I want to sand and polish another stairway if it will coat everything with a fine layer of dust? And now that the bills are finally paid and the bank account is being replenished, it is difficult to think of sinking another chunk of money into more projects.


So we write lists. We break the final finishing work into do-able jobs. We'll get it done little by little. We will schedule it on our calendar in between weddings, church meetings and family activities. Here is a small sampling of what needs doing...
       - polish woodwork
       - remove linoleum on 3rd floor stairs
       - make curtains and pillows for family room
       - fix hole in floor
       - caulk where wood shrank
       - paint trim on inside of closet
       - seal kitchen tile
       - finish painting 3rd floor windows
       - and more...including larger items such as installing a gas fireplace and landscaping the back yard.


Caring for the house is never really done. It's a process... sometimes we find a working rhythm and we make good progress. But when we'd rather relax, or when we get busy with other things in life, it takes PERSEVERANCE and intentionality to finish the work.


Isn't that just the way it is with our spiritual house? Sometimes I hit a season where I seem to feel more spiritually alive; God speaks and it is easier to see growth. Other times, I find it difficult to get into a regular rhythm of Bible reading, prayer and worship. It takes PERSEVERANCE during those times. Caring for the house is never really done. It's a process and a journey.

"Father God, give me more strength for this season. I want to see new growth; feel new life. I ask for more grace to complete the tasks you give me to do each day. And I am thankful that you are walking with me on the journey. Amen."

PERSEVERANCE: steady persistance in a course of action, especially in spite of difficulties or discouragement; Continuance in a state of grace to the end. 


James 1:4
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

I'll PERSEVERE in caring for the house and provide you with pictures in the coming days. Until then...

CANVAS

I love a blank CANVAS. It's an invitation for me to create something. It's a new beginning, a chance to start something new. A blank CANVAS can also produce some doubts and fears. Will it turn out like I want it to? Will I be disappointed? 

For the last year or more, I've been carrying around an idea in my head. I enjoy playing with color and paints. Finally, one evening I became brave enough to buy some paints and a large canvas (bigger than the one in the above photo). Then I played...

While it did not turn out exactly like I imagined it in my mind, I enjoyed the process of creating it immensely. It inspired me to keep practicing and playing. So we'll see what the future holds in this area of my life.

A few other projects that have kept me busy lately involved finding pieces of furniture at second hand stores. But of course I am looking at each object as a CANVAS upon which to create something new and fresh; something to fulfill my purposes for it. Take a look.

We found a set of chairs with worn, dull wood and ugly fabric. We removed the seat, stained and polished the wood frame. 

I bought a yard of fabric to match the fabrics of our living room couch and curtains. Cut it to size... 

stapled it in place, attached the seat to the chair frame and...

... a new set of chairs!

I discovered a set of bookshelves in yet another second hand store a few weeks later. And it was two for a good price. I would use one in the study and the other in the family room. (I still had several boxes from our move yet to unpack; all of them filled with books.) We hauled the bookshelves home only to discover we couldn't stand them up in our basement where we needed to store them until we had time to paint them.



Again, they were dark, dull and worn. But I saw good lines in them. We laid them down, stripped them of hardware, and primed them.




We purchased shiny new knobs. A fresh coat of semi-gloss white paint gave them new life. For the one in the study, I painted the back panel a soft gray-blue. Now I can begin to unpack the boxes of books.

 This house has been my CANVAS. The renovation and design has been a process of creating that I am enjoying immensely. 


What is your CANVAS?


I think God uses our lives as his CANVAS. He sees wonderful purpose and beauty in us. We may feel dull and dark and useless or cast aside. He wants to refresh us and use us for his purposes. Allow him to touch you with his creative hands. His Word speaks new life into our souls. 

"We are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (NLT)

Ephesians 2:10 

REMEMBER

It's a snowy Saturday morning in January. The house is more quiet. The normal street traffic sounds outside our front door have given way to the sounds of snowblowers. This is our first real snow here at this address. It will soon be one year that we began the journey of caring for this house. And we all know that whenever we reach a "one year ago" point in time, we REMEMBER. Our minds begin to say, "REMEMBER when....?"

This snow reminds me of our very first visit to this house. A year ago no one was taking care of this house. We had to trudge through snow and slush to get to the front door. And inside, we had no idea how warm and comfortable the house could feel. As we inspected the back part of the property, we had no idea what was buried under the snow; walkways, grass, flowerbeds?

After a year of hard work, it is satisfying to REMEMBER how things used to be. It encourages me to see how far we've come in such a short time. 


Do you ever look back at things in your life like this? REMEMBER how it was "back in the day?" I suppose as we get older we do that more often. Our world today moves at such a fast pace. We have become quite accustomed to change. In fact we have become so comfortable with change that we often forget to look back and REMEMBER. We can learn a lot by looking back and reflecting.


I remember one situation in my life that was particularly trying. It was difficult. A relationship in my life was painful and broken. I even stopped praying about it because I didn't have any faith to see things get better. Then one day, a few years later, I was reflecting. I was aware that things had changed. As I REMEMBERED how things used to be, and now observed how different the relationship was, I was encouraged. It renewed my faith in God...He was surely working in spite of my lack of faith and trust. What a wonderful loving God.


I encourage you to use some of these quiet cozy winter days to REMEMBER. What challenges have you been facing over the past years? How have things changed? Look for the kindness and goodness of God. It is there...if only we take time to REMEMBER.

"I will REMEMBER the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will REMEMBER your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds."

Psalm 77:11-12

God tells us many places throughout His Word to REMEMBER what he has done. He especially wants us to REMEMBER the covenant He made with us through the shed blood of Jesus. Live with that in mind today. 

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!