Weekend Progress...

Woo-hoo!!  Teacher-in-service equals a three day weekend for us! :)  And, I have made some progress around here.  Long way from done...but progress!

 

Some friends of ours gave us a few 5 gallons of paint.  I bought one gallon of the color we chose (in a darker shade) and mixed it with two gallons of the light tan.  Ta-Da!  Three gallons of terra cotta for the cost of one!  Good bye white walls!  Hello warm desert colors! :)  I will do some more tomorrow after church.  Maybe I can get our "L" shaped hallway done this weekend!

My first thing from Pinterest! Homemade Laundry Soap! Simple and easy with only 3 ingredients!  Oh yeah, less than six dollars and I have two gallons of laundry soap.  And, have enough stuff to make another batch or two!  YEAH!!  Smells great too!

My laundry room is painted a light turquoise  I found this wonderful saying to put on the wall.  I love it!  :)  I read it every time I go in to do laundry and it makes me smile.  We still have a long ways to go but we are getting there.  It is wonderful just to start.  I feel blessed every time I pull up in the driveway. 

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

Isn't that the truth? ;)  I hope that your having a great weekend as well!



View of Politics

My goodness ~  it is that time again.... Politics

I usually keep my mouth closed when it comes to politics.  Everyone thinks that their opinion is the right one.  Some people are so closed minded that there's no use even talking.  If you turn on some news cast, the truth is so altered that it becomes watered down.  Then, those listening accept it as the truth and their opinions grow. 

Republicans ...  Democrats ....  first of all they are politicians.  Good.  Bad.  Ugly.  It's all there.  One label doesn't make one better than the other.  I don't judge a book by it's cover.  You have to read the book.  Way back when, those labels meant something.  Now, well, they are just a label to get elected under.  Do I believe in abortion?  No.  So, that means I am a republican, right?  Nope. Do I believe in the trickle down effect?  No.  The rich just got richer and the poor got poorer.  So, that means that I am a democrat?  Nope.

So, please don't judge me.  I when I vote, I look at the person ~ not the label.  Just because some is labeled a republican doesn't mean his/her morals are Godly and just.  For instance, a certain political candidate right now is labeled republican.  He is also a Mormon.  Which means, he believes only Mormons go to the celestial kingdom.   (the best level of heaven according to them) Also, that they "are co-eternal with God and have the potential to become Gods themselves."  I had to read that a few times.  Seriously, they believe they become God's themselves and have spirit children.  Okay, not anywhere near what I believe.  Will I cross him out because he believes a different way than I do?  No, but it also doesn't mean that I will vote for him because he has a nice label on.

I know that might get some backlash from this.  But it gets old.  I know some people that vote republican just because the label once upon a time meant they had Godly morals.  I know a lot of people that believe everything FOX news spits out.  I don't believe everything ANY one says if it's about politics.  My two cents during any political campaign is to use your knees and your head.

1)  Hit your knees and pray for guidance.  2)  Do research yourself and use the brain that God gave you.  Pretty good advice for politics and in life.

God's Harvest and Workers

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers
are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into  his harvest.”  Matthew 9:37-38

There's a picture that comes to my head when I read Matthew 9.  Jesus went through many busy cities and villages.  He witnessed to many.  People were gathering and learning about God.  Jesus also healed many sick and broken people.  Blind men were allowed to see.  A mute was allowed to speak.  A girl was brought back to life.  So many people in need.  The ESV version describes it as people helpless like "sheep without a shepherd".  I love that description.  In so many ways, times haven't changed.  People are still scared and confused just like they were hundreds and thousands of years ago.  People are God's harvest.  And the harvest is plentiful! 

But, we must do the work.  Our harvest is God's people....which is EVERYONE!  Plus ~  the laborers are few.  We must pray for workers.  Not only that ~  we must be a worker.  We cannot expect to just let some one else do it.  We must dust our bootie off and do it ourselves.  Isn't that what Jesus did?  He didn't just tell the disciples what to do.  He showed them.  He got dirty and did the work.  He spoke to people that I'd be scared of.  He healed those I might turn away.

Who are we to chose?  Each of us know some one that is not saved.  Some of us even have family members.  It's so hard because I just want to just fix it, but knowing that I can't.  I just want to slap my brother sometimes because he just doesn't see the big picture.  (yes, I know, probably shouldn't admit that but it's still true) He still holds on to anger and his chips on his shoulders until there's no room for us in his life or his heart.  There's no room for God.  Yet, the only thing that I can do is pray for him, let my light shine, and love him through it all.  I cannot change his heart, only God can.

I believe that's why volunteering has always meant so much to me.  When I get out there, out of my comfort zone, I am part of the laborers and I rely of God to get me through.  I can show God's love through my hugs or food or kindness.  I can plant seeds in people that are looking for something to fill their lives with.  I've missed it the past few months.  :(  I really do miss it when we don't volunteer.  Kids miss it as well.  Once this place gets a little more settled, we are going to jump back in it.  Everyday could be harvest day! :)

Lord, just use me.  Use my family.  Use my home.  Let us not just wait
on the side for some one else to pick up the Cross.  Shine your light through
our imperfect, human bodies so that YOU shine...not us.  For when I am
weak, You are strong.  Let me be one of many workers in the body of Christ
that reaches out and makes a difference.

Busy, Busy!

It's been a very busy few weeks. Busy can be good! :) Since we've received our keys, we have been right at work. We painted all four bedrooms: ceilings and walls! The kids picked out their colors before they left so we could get to work. We also tore out the carpet. Smells so fresh now. Looks it too!

Joey's Soothing Green Tea Paint

Faith's Pretty Turquoise

It was great to have friends stop in to share in the excitement with us. Our open door policy has begun! :) I really feel that this is not just our home.  It is meant to be shared. God has given us this home to be a blessing to my family and others. Who knows how many friends and family will gather in these doors? I can't wait to begin!

We've had friends and family come over to help us clean.  We've been given some gift cards so we can continue remodeling!  Some friends even brought over ceiling fans for our bedrooms. Isn't that amazing? Our friends are a testimony of how God works through others to bring blessings. Felt like home in the middle of our mess. And, yes, it's still a mess around here! We had our "Estate Sale" this weekend so things are getting cleaned out around here.  Of course, I'm tired and it's back to work time.

Luke's Fisherman's Net

My light lavender walls with sage green

Of course, with an older home, you do quickly find out some of the quirks. Like for one, those silly circle things on the wall you never paid attention to...well, those are the phone lines. Don't know about you, but my modem has a flippy square at the end...not a four-prong circle. :D Yeah, they finally came today to give us a wire from the box to our designated office area. (and yes, I've been working on getting that painted so some guy didn't think we live like that! LOL which Kent thought was a bit funny because our garage gives it away!!)

I look around and I can see that we have a long way to go.  We still have boxes to organize, pictures to put up, and carpet to pull out.  But, it is wonderful to begin. God wanted us to wait for this house. He put blocks on all of the others know this is the home meant for us. I can't wait to see what wonderful things He has planned for us and this home!