Time with my Son-in-Law

I have truly been blessed with the most amazing son-in-law. His faith, character and integrity as a man and as a husband to my daughter far surpasses them all.

For my Christmas gift, Jeremy completely remodeled my bathroom. I've had the awesome gift of time spent with him over the last couple of weeks as he made every detail perfect and we spend evenings having dinners together and visiting with them both.

Calm and patient, Jeremy is steadfast and secure with a rock solid foundation. Truly, God first, his faith defines him. It is all the difference.

As a husband to my daughter, he is everything he is supposed to be sprinkled with unbelievable patience and love. I admire his character and love and respect our relationship as son-in-law and mother-in-law.

My daughter is truly blessed beyond measure.

A Daughters Admiration

"I was talking about you today," Brooke shared.

She told me her co-worker was telling her how she wished her mom felt beautiful, when Brooke said, "I think my mom knows she is beautiful, but I don't think she realizes how beautiful everyone else thinks she is."

How thoughtful, I thanked her.

Then she thanked me for taking care of myself and always putting myself together. She appreciates that I am not a fat and frumpy mom like the other kids moms in high school.

It is nice to hear.

Total Transformations

There are a few total transformations happening I am so excited about!

The first is the main bathroom in my house which was dated when I bought my home 13 years ago and the only room that hasn't been gutted, until now.

It started off as a Christmas gift request. I asked my son-in-law, Jeremy, if he would put in a new floor in my bathroom as my Christmas gift. He happily agreed and when he came to look at the project, he recommended we rip out the dated vanity and tile off the walls.

Yes, tile on the wall. It is awful and I've hated it all these years.

Jeremy's recommendation with the nice floor I am putting in is to do it right. The walls came down, everything ripped out and thus begins the total transformation.

The ceiling refinished, the walls made beautifully smooth, the flooring absolutely perfect, a new vanity, and then he asks a question I didn't know how to answer ... "Do you want the old woodwork put up or use the off white baseboards your dad gave me to use?

I was caught between I don't like the old woodwork, but it matches the rest of the house. Not sure if the off white will look okay. I defer to my talented son-in-love. He picked up new woodwork and brought over several choices of stain color. We changed it all together.

The new woodwork he chose, the color I chose, and the different way he put it up is absolutely PERFECT! Who knew woodwork could change the entire look and complete a room so well!

It's time. Those old miscellaneous mismatch towels used all these years, will be trashed. Fluffy, new towels that match will finish off and complement the new look.

The second is something entirely new to me as of days ago I've been entertaining for a while, a new interest for me I am shifting my focus on. More to come of that!

A Break in the Clouds

Finally, a break in the clouds.

A deer was hit by an oncoming truck and literally flew in the air and into my Jeep. Some things in life are extra strange and I do call a buck air born flying at me strange! Five weeks later ... I just picked up my Jeep yesterday. So grateful to have it back.

Holidays in a rescue mission is pure madness. Everything falls into my office, from all of Ohio wanting to volunteer feeding the homeless during the holidays, the missions gala which is the largest fundraiser of the year adding another production between Thanksgiving and Christmas, massive food donations, increased clothing donations, working holidays and making these special, and weather turning into winter brings its own laundry list of needs for the population I work with. Cold weather brings in rodents and the mission became infested (30 mice caught in just one day unraveled me) with mice, we always battle bed begs and theft. Fed up I asked for tons of mouse traps and I went to the Humane Society and found the perfect cat for the mission, The Great Catsby. He is a mouser and friendly. Holidays also add high emotions in the mission and bad attitudes which is all day wear and tear. Add pulling off Thanksgiving at home and Christmas shopping, I find myself tapping into little things to bring me a sense of Christmas spirit and balance.

Max is adjusting to his new home with us, Finn isn't attacking him as much and I have lot of photo frames knocked over due to eight little paws that now race through my home. Having two cats is far different than the calmness of one. 

Balancing finances for Christmas is always a stretch, I closed on refinancing my home yesterday at a lower interest rate brings much relief. 

A break in the clouds.

I find myself regaining balance in little things from turning on the Hallmark channel for Christmas movies, Christmas music in the car, having special treats in the house, cleaning my house, reading my books and lots of conversations with God.

I go non-stop multi-tasking all day, every day working endlessly to make everyone's world easy at the cost of excessive weight of responsibility on my shoulders from other peoples issues with no end in sight.

What is unnecessary stress in my life and what life stresses do I need to push through? 

I am reassessing and shifting and I see bright blue skies!

The New Addition to Our Family, Maximus

Finneaus has a brother. Meet the new addition to our family, Maximus! 

For every kitten we have brought into our home, weeks and months of research took place with breeders statewide as well as states away.

Not this little guy, it was serendipity. 

Having only a couple conversations on getting another kitten so Finneaus wouldn't be lonely we were simply out one evening when we walked into a wonderful store with pets and saw him.

He looks so much like our beloved Sammy Blue who passed away two years ago and the moment we picked him up he laid content in our arms as passive as can be purring.

When David put him in my arms, he reached his little paw up at me. The was the very last thing Sammy Blue did seconds before he passed, putting his paw in my hand.

We all fell in love.

Not so much Finneaus ...

... he was pissed.

It's been an adjustment, but Finn is adjusting well now, too.

Max is a perfect addition to our family.

Brooke put up the first $300 and David covered the rest and said, "Merry Christmas." Some times life presents unexpected blessings and you have to make a quick decision. I'm so glad we did. 

Finn 💙 Max

Focus

What is your biggest focus today?

       What you focus on  e  x  p  a  n  d  s. 

Is that going to be good or bad?

What you pour into your mind will pour out into your heart and life.

Choose wisely.

Your thoughts, mind, day, life and relationships depend on what you choose. 

   

Moping Over 2016

Sometimes I cannot even put my finger on all the things that don't feel right in my life. This year has not been a good one [Although I can say the highlight was my daughters wedding, my wonderful new son-in-law, and their new life together].

I pray.

       I pray.

             And, I pray.

                   Show me the way.

This morning this daily devotion God was talking directly to me.

November 16, 2016
When It’s Time to Stop Moping by Sharon Jaynes

God addressed Samuel: “So, how long are you going to mope over Saul...Fill your flask with anointing oil and get going (1 Samuel 16:1 The Message).

Have you ever been so discouraged that you just wanted to stay in bed and pull the covers up over your head? Maybe that’s where you are right now.

I’ve hidden under the covers a time or two myself. OK, well maybe more than two. So how do we venture out? How do we get over the discouragement and get going again?

There’s a story in the Bible that helps me when I feel mopey. 

A few years after the Israelites made it to the Promised Land, they grew tired of being ruled by God through the prophets. They wanted to have a king like all the other nations.

Samuel was the ruling prophet at the time, and he told the people all the reasons having a king was a bad idea. They persisted in their demands, and eventually God allowed them to choose a king. “They are not rejecting you,” God assured Samuel. “They are rejecting Me.”

The people picked a man named Saul because he was tall, dark, and handsome. I’m not kidding. It’s right there in black and white. Saul reluctantly accepted the kingship, was anointed by the Holy Spirit, and totally depended on God for his new position.

But after a while, Saul decided being a king wasn’t so hard after all. He disobeyed and dishonored God by taking matters into his own hands. (Never a good idea, I might add). As a result, God snatched away Saul’s kingship and removed his anointing.

Samuel was so discouraged over Saul’s failure; he went to bed and pulled the covers up over his head. He was disappointed in Saul, and felt sorry for himself.

Now this is important. If I were sitting right there with you, I’d stand up in a chair and read this out loud. Here we go. One day God said, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel” (1 Samuel 16:1 NIV). I love Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase: “So, how long are you going to mope over Saul?” (MSG)

Mope? Yep. That’s a good word.

God asks you and me the same question: How long will you mope because life hasn’t turned out like you thought it would. How long?

I don’t mean to make little of any of the painful or discouraging situations in your life. 

But here’s what I know today: No matter how painful or discouraging the circumstances of life may be, God never intends for you to get stuck there. You should never put a period where God puts a comma.

There’s always more of your story to be written. When you loosen the string holding the binding of your book tightly shut, and give God a free hand to continue the narrative of your life, things which the eye has not seen and the ear have not heard and have not entered the mind of man will be yours.

God goes on to say to Samuel: “Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king” (1 Samuel 16:1, emphasis added).

At some point in our moping about, God comes to us and says, “Enough already. Get up. Get going. Be on your way. I’ve got something for you to do. Your life is not over. The story has more chapters to be written. Let go of your discouragement and take hold of the next adventure I have planned for you.”

Samuel was terrified, but God assured him: I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate” (1 Samuel 16:2–3, emphasis added).

I will show you what to do. And that’s all God expects of me and of you--take the first step of obedience. Get up and get going. He will take care of the rest.

I love the next sentence in the story: “Samuel did what God told him” (1 Samuel 16:4).

Ah, the key to experiencing the adventurous life of a thriving faith . . . the faith you always longed for.

How is that for a heavenly kick in the butt?! 

My faithful Magical Highlighter meets me right where I am and I get chastised, but I heard. 

Touche'!