Blessed Assurances: Making Our House a Home

I have been trying to find the best way to write this post. And you must read this knowing that this post falls solely under the heading "getting my words out."

First off I LOVE MY HOUSE. I often will walk through the house and say out loud, "Lord, thank you! THANK YOU!" I feel blessed to be where we are today and down right grateful that my husband refused to settle on the many houses over the past 7 years that I just knew were for us. In fact I had nothing to do with finding this house. NOTHING. It was all the Mister. He came home with a list of houses he wanted us to look at with our realtor and I said, "Okay-whatever." Seriously, I was so done with house hunting at this point that I had lost the thrill for the hunt. I just wanted a house--any house would do--just tell me when to start packing was my attitude. We found 4 houses before this one that we were willing to put an offer on but each one already had a contract pending when we tried to move ahead. Talk about being frustrated but trying to trust God at the same time--a delicate balance. But this house had no contracts and no interested buyers and had been on the market the whole time we started looking (since December.) It's like God was just waiting for us to find this house or allowing me time to grow to the point where I let Jeff find the house and be totally at peace with his decision. In fact, a week before we looked at this house for the first time, I had said those exact words. I am so thankful that I did say it too. Not only did Jeff do a great job finding us a home but my man walked a little taller too knowing I fully trusted him to lead us.

Fast forward a bit...

I had a moment the weekend we moved. I was hot, tired and was trying to get dressed for church without knowing where any of my essentials were located. And then we realized that something was wrong with our shower--it had no hot water. At the time, I couldn't take a shower in the other bathroom because our shower curtain was at the apartment. And taking a bath was out because I had not had time to bleach the tub to my liking. All this to say, I was a wreck and hating myself for even feeling this way the first night in our home. As I was drying my hair I found myself saying, "I wish I was back at the apartment!" To which I quickly chastised myself for even thinking such a thing. It was at that moment that I found myself quoting 1 Timothy 6:6, "Godliness with contentment is great gain." And yes by the following Sunday things were back on track and I had no problem finding my essentials. Oh the difference a week makes.

And then came last week...

Most of you know by now that I was very much looking forward to putting my own stamp on our house, my decorating touch so to speak. Unfortunately 5 weeks away from having a baby can keep you from decorating high up places, like above the kitchen cabinets and painting bathrooms that desperately need a new coat of paint. As I was sitting in Andrew's room (my favorite, most decorated room in the house) I found myself wondering if it would all get done soon. The answer to that question is no, it will not. Then I had to ask myself if I would be okay with that. The answer to that question is yes, I will. I don't know why I put so much pressure on myself to have it just right in such a short time. The thing I have coming to realize is that the joy of being a homemaker is having little projects to enjoy doing at your own pace. Who cares if I have accessorieses sitting in my window sill waiting to be put on display above the cabinets? It will happen one day. Who cares if there is a big black streak down the hallway where "the originals" scratched the walls as they were moving furniture or the chunk of wall their furniture took as a keepsake. It will all come together in it's own time and I am okay with that.

I have so much to look forward to that I don't want to let my need for perfection hinder the joy that is coming the next few weeks, months and year.

I look forward to bringing Andrew home from the hospital to his first place.

I look forward to planting flowers in our flower beds.

I look forward to picking out fabric for my curtains to hang in our living room.

I look forward to having people over to our house to entertain.

I look forward to getting outside to meet my neighbors and start cultivating friendships on my street.

I look forward to trick or treaters ringing our bell.

I look forward to celebrating our first Christmas as a family of 3.

I look forward to watching Jeff be a father to our son.

I look forward to rocking my baby boy in his room and laying him down to sleep.

I look forward to making this house OUR home.

But most of all, I look forward to seeing how the Lord will use this house to bring Him glory.