Christmas thoughts

I'm taking a brief respite while feeding the baby, and so I ramble.

The past several days have been very busy as I try to reclaim our house (sheetrock dust is a formidable foe), decorate for Christmas, finish my Christmas shopping (which couldn't be done until I'd relocated and sorted the things I purchased before we tore our house apart), and help the family participate in Christmas Week activities. There have been a few Freak Out moments, I confess, but I think I am learning how to take it as it comes, seeing as how I haven't cried once about the fact that I don't yet have a single Christmas cookie in the cookie tins.

Despite the busyness, this year I am acutely aware of the fact that my life is in far less upheaval than what many people around the world and before me are experiencing and have experienced. I suppose it is only obvious that I think especially of years ago when Mary-- a young girl in many ways, very pregnant, perhaps a social outcast, alone in her journey except for her betrothed (and possibly still somewhat unfamiliar) husband-- had her life turned upside-down.

How many moments were there when she had to purposely quiet her soul and stay her tears? I think there must have been at least a few, because she was only human. I think her tears might have sometimes even overflowed despite her best efforts, because even when there is a keen sense of the hand of God, things can still be trying and hard and we don't always lean into Him and His grace the way we ought to.

Here I am, snug in a beautifully renovated home. I have a new washer & dryer, a new furnace, reclaimed floors. I am surrounded by candles and lovely decorations and so many things that represent the generosity of so many wonderful people. My husband is really priceless. Really. My children are safe and sweet and full of love and forgiveness. The upheaval of my life is not truly upheaval at all.

I am a rich, rich girl.

But I am freshly desiring to offer myself to Him. When He comes to me and brings a message of destiny and calling, I pray that my response would be like Mary's so many years ago: "May it be done to me according to your word." I don't want to try to calculate the cost or wonder how to preserve myself. I want to lose my life in His grace and purposes.

house photos

the whole great room doesn't fit in one snapshot, but here's some



the wall that awaits paneling



widened doorway from the dining room, minus trim which will be custom-made



LOVE the size and color of the planks!



the staircase is vastly improved by the solid paint color, in my opinion



bedroom view #1



bedroom view #2

Home for the holidays

As I write, our house is completely finished and is simply at a stand-still while the last coat of linseed oil finishes drying. We will be home before we know it.

It looks amazing and I feel so blessed! So many have given so much time and have been so gracious, what with loaning tools, giving advice, lending a hand, taking on aspects of the project, housing us, being understanding when we're not completely on top of things, etc. Most of all, though, I have to say how much this past month has made me freshly appreciate Daniel. He has worked so so so SO hard. Multi-tasking is far from his favorite thing, but it has not been uncommon to see him with a tool in hand and the phone in the other as he juggles regular work with the house project. Not to mention the late nights, the long hours, the skipped meals while he just pushes through... He does it and he does it gladly. What a blessing.

I still don't have pictures, but they will come soon. Tonight Daniel is planning on moving some of the bigger things (piano, bed, dining table, etc) out of the kitchen/family room and I should actually be able to find our belongings again, hopefully including the camera.

It's funny how this project just kind of spiraled from one morning taking a look at the floors from the basement view to the present: rooms are rearranged, beams are reinforced, the ceiling has been exposed, paint is new and fresh, and our floors are gorgeous. There was much hidden treasure right there that we had no idea about.

I'm sure there's a sermon illustration in that and if you attend CFC, you just might hear it one day!

The Holidays

Despite our home life continuing to be helter-skelter due to on-going construction (though we are on the homestretch and I am thankful for that!), the holidays are upon us and we are making the best of this wonderful time of year. There have been Christmas cookies, Christmas movies, Christmas planning, and this weekend, a CFA Christmas production that Gabriel and Bronwyn were part of.

Our family, Saturday night, after the second of two performances of "Good King Wenceslas: The King Who Knew The Joy Of Giving"