The Evidence is Everywhere

My businesses have taught me a lot about how people live.  Entering clients homes hired as their interior designer or to maintain their home, allowed me to see we all don't live the same.  Many homes were camera ready for a magazine shoot, while others were marked with evidence of activity. Some homes told the family's stories, while others announced, "Adults Only".   Each type of home has taught me something.  Organized homes can bring a sense of calm, when there is a balance.   Fully lived in homes seemed to say, "life is more important than items."

So if you happen to drop into my house, I can guarantee you it won't be camera ready, but you will be welcomed in anyway, because the evidence is seen everywhere of our life.

The pieces I so strategically arranged on my newly painted coffee table...............

Will probably be found where I recovered them

Yes, someone decided he could decorate better than Grand Mommy and she later found them

That is right...lined up on Grand Mommy's purse

Forget the well organized kitchen cabinets

He loves the plastic cabinet and spends play time sorting through and stacking cups.  Well organized "NO!" cabinets aren't worth the price of missed memories.

Even the bathroom leaves behind evidence that this is a Grand Mommy's house, where she allows her sons and grandsons to be creative more than clean.

Someone left behind their art tools.

  

And just who needs, "All Toys Put Back Where They Belong?"

These cars just warmed my heart, left behind after a day of play at Grand Mommy's house, lined up on my stereo speakers.

Sushi on the floor, proves that a special night with my youngest breaks all house rules. 

Life is just too short for possessions to own us.  Life is too short to spend so much time saying, "No!" in order to keep a camera ready house.

So, now you are warned.  My door is always open, come on it!

I won't apologize anymore for our lived in space..............because Memories

Are More Valuable than An Impressive Home, full of things that will rot.

I pray my home always shows evidence of those who come through and enjoy life!!

That is the story I want to tell, more than camera ready.

How Do You Hit a Curve Ball?

I am not a softball or baseball player.  In fact, I am not sure I even attended many baseball games until I got married and started having ball players!   I was the mom on the bench yelling and cheering them on, yet not totally clued in on all the rules.  My sons and daughter have played pitcher, catcher, infield, outfield and first base.  Although my husband played in high school and my father-in-law was a semi-professional baseball player, my own knowledge can be summed up in the last sentence about the positions my children played.


HOWEVER, one term I do know is the curve ball.  Since three of my children were pitchers and my late father-in-law got his spoken name of  "Lefty" because he pitched left-handed, I know this term means you are trying to catch your opponent batter off guard.

Out of all six of my children, there is one child that has been dealt more curve balls than anyone in our life... it is my daughter.  Some of these curve balls were thrown at her by the opponent to knock her out of the game of life.  Other curve balls were ones she allowed by making some wrong choices and then others are just the fact we live in broken world.  BUT, MAY I SAY....................THEY  HAVE NEVER TAKEN HER OUT OF THE GAME OF LIFE!

I just need to list some of the more recent "life-changing, possibly-take-you-out-of-the-game" curve balls she has hit out of the ball park for a home run.

The same day that her "Knight in shining armor" proposed to her, her father (my hubby) lost his job.  We were jumping with joy over her engagement while wondering how we were going to be able to pay bills.  How would we pay for a wedding?  Our financial struggles had already put us on a roller coaster for a few years and we were sinking again.  That unemployment journey took one year to complete before my husband got a regular job.  Did she run and pout about us not being able to throw our one and only daughter the wedding of her dreams?

NO!, she looked straight at that curve ball and decided, "you just watch me!" and proceeded to hit it straight out of the ball park, by paying for her own dream wedding.

Score - Pure Victory 1 - Opponent 0

The next curveball came with excitement, but meant she would have to alter how she hit the ball. Their honeymoon brought pregnancy and Baby David was born nine months later.  Housing had to change during the pregnancy to handle a baby.  The one room apartment wouldn't work for a growing child.

Score - Pure Victory 2 - Opponent 0

Just as they were walking in the joy of parenting and she was working to bring in extra income, they decided to buy a house.  This would be the house with the backyard where the active David would play.   This would be the house she would decorate and hewn in her homemaking skills.  The process was long...a few foul balls along the way put them living with friends for months before they entered their home.


Score - Pure Victory 3 - Opponent 0

As the young family started to see how newlyweds and a new baby made a family, they discovered they were to be parents again of, not one new baby, but TWINS!  As Pooh would say - "Oh My!"  She giggled and laughed, while chasing around a toddler, and trying to see how they could financially make it without her bringing in an income.

TWINS were born!!!

Score - Pure Victory 4 - Opponent 0

She hit it out of the ball park.  There hasn't ever been the joy I have felt from being her mom like I have felt as I have watched her mother three children under the age of 2! She laughs, she plays, she just flat out enjoys those boys!!  Not one time have I felt she couldn't do this.  Not only is she doing this....she makes it look easy.  When the twins were only a month old, she knew living off of one income with a mortgage was going to be a challenge, so she started her own furniture business.  Her garage is full of sawdust and wood.  The jobs have been pouring in.  Babies on her hips and she keeps going.

Score - Pure Victory 5 - Opponent 0

Then the next curve ball came this week.  She called.  We need to sell the house and do it fast.  As much as they had tried to avoid this coming...............it came.  She stands up to bat.  Will she bunt...and try to make it to first base only?  Will she just let it strike her out and walk back to the dug- out feeling defeated?  Will she stand strong and hit the ball out of the ball park?

The sale of her home means they will downsize drastically. She will sell much of her furniture.  Their life....temporarily will take them on a different walk.  She will move to an unfamiliar city.  She will have to take this adjustment and move forward for her husband and her boys.

I don't know the end of the story.  She and I have both cried.  I would say there have been some strikes...not three, and a few foul balls, from both of us.  Yet, she stands strong holding on to the source who has ALWAYS....YES.., ALWAYS BROUGHT HER THROUGH TO COMPLETE VICTORY!!!  Her Saviour and Lord.  As we drove around looking at houses for her, she joined me in singing Praise to the Lord.  You see, We will not be overtaken, we will not be overcome............. because the truth is... the Lord is swinging the bat!

Simple Pleasures

Life seems to just have so many twist and turns, which means I am breathing.  In the midst of breathing or catching my breath, I can lose sight of the simple pleasures God has provided for us.  These simple pleasures seem to be the best anti-stress medicine available.  Since my weight has decided it had missed my body and came back to take up residence, my legs are taking me out to work out, and in my obedience, the Lord refreshes me with Simple Pleasures.

 I stopped to get a picture of nature on my brisk, calorie-reducing walk.  I enjoyed watching in amazement. I sent a copy to my oldest grandson to enjoy with me.    A Simple Pleasure.

The following day I grabbed five of my six grandsons and took the to an Apple Orchard.  We discovered many of God's creations.  I shouted with excitement, "There are the flowers I sent you over the phone yesterday!"  They were plentiful around the pond at the orchard.  I softly prayed, "Thank-you Lord," as my grandson and I discovered the same flower I had sent him through the phone the day before.

The other twin is in his mother's carrier asleep.  Our adventure was another of God's Simple Pleasures.

Our third son - Aaron-attends a class at the University near our home.  He drops in one night a week to eat, re-dress out of office clothes to casuals, before heading to class.  Last week he slowed down a few minutes to warm his brother and my heart by playing the violin.  I grabbed my phone to catch that moment.  Although he rarely plays, he still had enough skills to impress Benjamin.  A Simple Pleasure you can't buy with money.

He covered his mistakes with some silly notes. 

Saturday night we took off to a Drive-in Movie.  The fall night air just welcomed us to this adventure.  I haven't been to a Drive-in in DECADES.  I can't even tell you the last time I went.  Hubby, Benjamin and I had the best time.  Just something so simple...land...a movie screen...a fall night.  A Simple Pleasure.

Life just get too complicated.  One of our adult children is going through another change. Life just doesn't seem to slow down. The News reminds us of everything that is wrong. It is too easy for worry to step into my door and take up residence.  I am intentionally looking for the Simple Pleasures.  My God is in Control and if ...just if....I will stop long enough, He will show me what pleasures He has provided.  He is a Good and Faithful God, who wants us to pray and then let Go!

May your week be filled with Simple Pleasures.