A Heater For The Heatwave???

We are in the midst of a heatwave here in the NW, and every day I am thankful for the blessing of a/c! I am a lucky woman to have a home that is a cool refuge where we can play and sleep in comfort. The house is maintained at a lovely 76-78 degrees, and while that is perfect for me during the day, something happens to me around 8:30 at night. My hands and feet begin to feel cool, and before I know it I am looking for a sweatshirt or blanket. Those who know me will tell you...I am a woman who is notorious for feeling cold in the evening.

Sunday night I was brushing my teeth, getting ready for bed, and feeling incredibly cold. My poor little feet felt like ice on the bathroom tile and I was covered in goosebumps! Like a siren singing an irresistible song, the wall heater that my kind husband installed especially for me called my name. How could I refuse??? I promised myself I would only indulge while I was brushing, reached out and turned the knob to 80, and sat directly in front of it as the heat blissfully rushed over me. Sweet warmth! True to my word, I turned it off as soon as I was done with my teeth, finished up my night-time routine, and jumped under the covers in bed before all the heat left my skin.

A short time later, Paul passed through our room and headed in the master bath to get ready for bed himself. "Something smells sort of hot in here," he says. He's not asking me a question...just musing out loud. I hear him opening cabinets, checking the jet tub and looking around the bathroom. "Huh," he says, with a tone that tells me he is perplexed yet resigned. Bed is more tempting and he is willing to let it go, unresolved. When he climbs in bed next to me, I finally confess,"I was cold. I may have turned on the heater. But it was just for a minute!"

"What?!?" He cannot believe his ears. "It's hot in here. The a/c is on."

"I was so cold! I couldn't resist!"

"It's hot. You're crazy!" He says to me, amusement in his voice.

He's right. It IS crazy how cold I can get in the evening, but that moment in front of the heater was divine! I'm so glad he installed it for me...even in the midst of a NW heatwave!

Maintenance

Okay, I have a confession to make. Our old house was pretty dirty when we finally moved out. We had been so busy with construction the last several months that things went undone. Thank goodness that my family (who helped us move) loves us in spite of dust bunnies!

Now that we are in the new house, it is my intention to turn over a new leaf and become a maintenance cleaner. I know that one of my weaknesses is being a procrastinator. In the old house, I would clean when it got messy. I would mop when the floors visually needed it. The same was true for dusting. Here, however, we have a fresh start and I intend to make the most of it! I want to clean to keep things clean; to never let it get to the dirty/dusty stage. I'm sure I will sometimes fail and sometimes succeed, but hopefully in the end I will have formed a new habit that keeps our home comfy and tidy more often than not.

In honor of my new motto, yesterday's goal was vacuuming and cleaning the bathrooms. As I was wiping down one of the bathroom sinks I was giving myself a pep talk about maintenance. That's when it occurred to me that the same principle applies to our spiritual life. Our relationship with God needs to be maintained. We need to spend time reading His word, praying, and getting to know Him in the easy times. That way when the hard times come we are established in His love; rooted and grounded and able to trust Him to see us through.

Now my maintenance goals are two-fold; one a new goal to strive for, the other an existing goal to put renewed effort towards. May I persevere in both!

Warning to Travelers

I am a wee bit wiser as an air traveler now since my husband and I have just returned from Boston and Maine.

We flew United, round-trip. I called ahead to confirm our schedule with a customer service rep and made sure to clarify all the rules and regulations as it has been more than a year since I last flew anywhere. Still no more than three ounces of liquid in one's carry-on. Check. Disposable razors only. Check. One carry-on and small personal item per traveler. Check. Want to check a bag? You'll have to pay. Hmmm. That was a new one. We got one free bag last time. The customer service rep suggested we check in online ahead of time because the fee to ship luggage is discounted if you do it before you arrive at the airport. I thanked her, ended the call, and went to follow her advice online.

It was a painless process overall, however I was privy to new information. The small print kind of information that you have to click on a separate link to find out. I learned that if I wanted to check say...antlers...I would have to do it at the airport. Yes indeed. Or if I wanted to check my hang gliding equipment, luge board, or vaulting pole I cannot do it online. No. I must check these in person, at the airport.

"Bummer," I thought. "Now I'm gonna have to repack my bag!"

Just kidding, just kidding; but it's silly and crazy, don't you think?? Sort of like the warning you get on your drive through coffee that says "Contents hot. Consumer may get burned."

So, future traveler, you have been warned. Next time you are flying and want to bring your... christmas tree...first consult your airline's "list." Here is United's, free of charge :)

The LIttle Things

The older I get, the more I find that it is little things that make me happy and give me a light heart. Simple things...things that cost little to nothing. Things like the warm bodies of my children coming to snuggle in bed with me in the morning. My husband smiling at me. The look of our property when it has been freshly mowed. Clear, uncluttered living spaces. Having the ability to clean up from dinner in 10 minutes or less thanks to my handy new dishwasher (That did cost a little money, but it has been almost 7 years since I had that luxury). An extra hot cup of coffee with the perfect balance of cream and sugar. A great worship song that lifts your heart to God. Entering my kids room to find them sharing the space, each quietly and contentedly reading books. Snuggling next to my husband after a full day. Snapping a photo at just the right moment...

I'm sure I could continue my list of little things for a while, but you get the idea. Even when the days are long and trying there are still little joys to be found if you open your heart and watch for them. May each person reading this post have a LONG list of little joys today!

Move!

One year's toil and work has finally come to fruition. We moved into our new house over the weekend! There are still a couple pipes to be insulated, the closets need baseboard trim and some need shelves, and there are boxes to unpack and possessions to be sorted through...but we are here, and it feels WONDERFUL!

I confess that when I was in the middle of installing tile alongside Paul or painting walls, I often felt that this day would never come. The new house was a place to go work, and I couldn't imagine it as a place to live. Now that we are here, however, it is rapidly feeling like home. I know this house better than I have known any other house we have lived in! I know each color of grout, what paint goes where, which of the slate tiles are my favorite, and where the pieces of hickory flooring have the most eye catching pattern. I know the little flaws as well as the places where everything came together smoothly. And now I am learning the sounds of it being a home as the children run around and settle into their new rooms, explore the kitchen to find their breakfast items, and chase the puppy in circles around the furniture!

We have slept three nights in our new home. Each morning I wake up thanking God for His amazing provision - for what feels like a clean, fresh start for each of us. May we always be good stewards of what He has given, yet keep perspective that all these blessings are momentary and our true home is yet to come.