Hey there!

Notice anything different?

(If you're reading this from an email subscription, you might want to pop over to the "real thing" to see what I'm talking about.)

We're (well, actually, Kate is) in the middle of tweaking this gorgeous project that she's been working on ALL summer, and the final product should be up tomorrow or Thursday.

I'm so excited! It feels like Christmas!

(In the meantime, head on over to the Mothers of Daughters blog--our August issue is up today. My post is titled, "The Best Thing You Can Do for Your Child This School Year" but I'd love if you'd read the whole thing. Lots of goodness going on there!)

Kicking the Bucket List in Europe: Part 2

After the beauty of the castles and vineyards of the Rhine Gorge, a place I had always wanted to see, I wasn't expecting much on the rest of the trip.

I do that sometimes--I keep my expectations low so I'm not disappointed. I know, it's dumb.

Sometimes, though, I'm surprised. Pleasantly surprised.

On this trip, that's exactly what happened. I loved the beauty of the castles--the views that morning on the top deck of our ship were stunning and special and I'll never forget them. I really didn't think that scenery could be topped.

I was about to be pleasantly surprised.

Day 5: Heidelberg

I had heard of Heidelberg--who hasn't?--but I knew very little about the town aside from knowing that they had a castle and a university. That could be interesting, given my profession, I thought, but, again, I didn't know what to expect.

Expectations exceeded. Heidelberg was lovely.

Rain threatened that day, and it rained a bit on our drive to the town, but it didn't keep us from trudging around the castle grounds.

Heidelberg castle is definitely worth seeing, if anything for the views.

Check out this sweet little guy peeking around the tree. Don't you just love that?

Heidelberg may be known for having the largest wine cask in the world . . .

(this is in the castle grounds and it holds about 60,000 gallons of wine!)

. . . but I know Heidelberg for having the best iced coffee in the world.

(at Cafe Konditorei Knosel)

OK, we had cake too.

Day 6: Strasbourg, France

Now, unlike my usual self, I did not do much research prior to this trip. (Sensing a theme here?) I had had kind of a busy summer and, truth be told, I was tired. I knew we would have guides everywhere we went, so I just decided to go along for the ride.

I did, however, look up Strasbourg before I left because I thought I had heard something big about it before. Honestly, I didn't know what I was in for.

Yes, Strasbourg is the home of the EU (the European Union).

(Apparently the EU won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. They're kind of proud of that.)

And, yes, it hosts one of the largest and most beautiful cathedrals in all of Europe.

But what I didn't know was how absolutely charming every street of Strasbourg would be.

Even in the pouring rain.

Our day started out a little rough as it was truly pouring rain--a deluge, if you will. Our guide persevered, even stopping in a restaurant to borrow a couple of umbrellas, but even with the umbrellas we were soaked to the skin. 

But we were in Strasbourg, so we weren't about to stop. The longer we walked, the more enamored I became. Ancient timbered roofs, cobblestone streets, narrow passageways. Everywhere I turned, the city seemed to take me in.

Eventually the rain stopped, thank goodness, and I was able to really enjoy the beauty of this city. 

After the "official" tour, the four of us looked around the Cathedral for a bit, including a viewing of the Astronomical clock. Once that concluded at 12:40, we were hungry, so we found a small cafe where we could sit outside and enjoy a tarte flambee, a truly Alsatian delicacy. (We all agreed that it tasted just like the Trader Joe's flatbread pizza, only better.)

We had a little time after lunch to wander before our canal tour, so Jenn and I walked through the little streets where we stumbled upon a real French market complete with a butcher, a fruit vendor, a cheese man, and a foie gras dealer. The best, though, was the huge booth full of French linen clothes. (I bought a dress. Fun!)

I think I could have wandered the streets of Strasbourg for days, if not weeks. Every street, every door, every window was different, holding unique stories behind them. 

(I think this is my favorite photo of the entire trip.)

Even the shops were surprising, as one pottery shop we found had wide plank pine floors and old wooden ceiling beams that looked like they had been unfinished and scuffed by weary feet for hundreds of years. I could only imagine who had lived there, walked there, read there, cooked there. Such a beautiful little place!

Later, we took a canal tour around Strasbourg, which was even more beautiful. I could have stayed in Strasbourg a long, long time.

Strasbourg completely captured my heart, and I was sad to leave.

Day 7: Colmar and Riquewier, France

Just when I thought things couldn't possibly get any better . . .

we landed in Colmar, France.

Honestly, I didn't know much at all about this part of the trip. (Big surprise, huh?) I had never heard of Colmar, and I certainly had never heard of Riquewier. Again, my hopes weren't very high.

This ended up being, quite possibly, my favorite day of the entire trip.

The Alsace region of France is known for its wine, something I did not know before we left. I mean, I had heard of Alsace, but, again, didn't know much about that region. Now it has moved way up on my list of places I'd like to explore further.

But on to our day in Colmar. . . .

All I can really say is cute. This gorgeous city, known as the capital of Alsatian wine, is charming from north to south, east to west.

(Their largest church, complete with stork's nest in the upper right. And there was an actual stork in it!)

Colmar was where I became obsessed with window boxes. I just love how they dress their windows with herbs, succulents, and boxwood.

One cool thing I learned about Colmar: Bartholdi, the guy who sculpted the Statue of Liberty, was born here. As he was trying to figure out just exactly how to make the statue, he created several prototypes which dot the landscape throughout France. Just outside of Colmar, we came upon this:

She's much shorter and, I think, a little more stout than our own Lady Liberty, but it was neat to see that this symbol of freedom shines in Europe too.

We left Colmar and drove a short distance through some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen.

Riqueweir (pronounced Rike-veer)

"I feel like I'm on the set of Beauty and the Beast . . . only in real life!"

I think I said this more than once during our visit to Requieweir. This picturesque little village is set right in the heart of the vineyards. Its one main street heads straight up a hill where a church and steeple sits at the top.

That must be where these folks were heading.

On a Thursday.

Strange.

[edited to add: Guess what! It really WAS strange that people were getting married on a Thursday. Someone from our trip wrote to tell me that these were actually models on a photo shoot. Ha! Thanks, Paul!]

Anyway, as I said, this beautiful little village is set right in the vineyards and boasts several wineries.

We didn't have a lot of time here (sure wish we had had more!), so we looked around a bit, then found a restaurant to sit and relax and enjoy some of their local specialities.

All in all, it was a great day full of pleasant surprises.

Up next . . . Switzerland!

Kicking the Bucket List in Europe: Part 1

Last month I got to cross a few items off my bucket list: I went to Europe. As in, real Europe. Not just England. Not just Paris. No, I got to visit the heart of Europe: The Netherlands (the home of my husband's ancestors), Germany (the home of my ancestors), France, and Switzerland.

To say that the trip was amazing would be an understatement. 

It was a blessing. A huge, huge blessing.

The best part? I got to take this trip with my mom and my sisters. We've traveled together before, but this one was big. Special. The kind of trip you dream about and hope you can experience someday, but somehow never really think will happen.

But happen it did, thanks to my mom, because she is having a big birthday year and this trip was part of the celebration.

(Happy Birthday, Mom!)

So here we go. I want to share as much as I can with you, but there's just so much to say, so I'll try to keep it brief.

The main part of our trip was a River Cruise on the Rhine River. We started in Amsterdam and finished the cruise portion of our trip in Basel, Switzerland one week later.

I know most of you are thinking that we took a Viking River Cruise, what with my affinity for Downton Abbey and all, but you would be wrong. We took Viking's lesser-known (in the States, anyway) competition, Ama Waterways, aboard the AmaCello. Now, since I've never been on a Viking cruise, I really can't compare the two, but what I can tell you is that Ama was spectacular. The ship was small (it only held 148 people), beautiful, and clean.

Here's a picture of the home-away-from-home that I shared with my sister:

The food was . . . oh my! Every meal was a feast, and the service throughout the ship was top-notch. We really enjoyed it.

A lot.

Days 1 & 2: Amsterdam

I was excited yet apprehensive about visiting Amsterdam because, you know, the Red Light District and all. Growing up, whenever I thought about Amsterdam, aside from hearing about Corrie TenBoom and Anne Frank, I thought the city was only filled with unseemly people and that every night was a huge party.

I was wrong. They also have bicycles.

(This is one of my favorite pictures--do you see the little sign that's on the window? Can you say irony?)

Lots and lots of bicycles.

 They also have tippy houses that, I learned, are built right next to one another for a reason: support.

Amsterdam is built on a marshy swamp with miles and miles of man-made canals flowing through it. It's absolutely gorgeous, but it wouldn't surprise me if some morning we turn on the news to find that Amsterdam has been swallowed up by the sea.

All-in-all, I found Amsterdam to be a lovely city with lovely people. Everyone we talked to was warm and gracious (and they all spoke perfect English!), and I'd really like to take my husband back there someday.

As to the Red Light District . . .

My sisters and I did walk through the RLD one night--we just felt like we had to see it. Once. It's one of those things I can say I've seen, but I never need to go back there again.

It just made me sad.

On our second day in Amsterdam we took a beautiful tour of the city, which included a canal tour. So pretty!

The tour ended with a visit to the windmill made famous by Rembrandt, who was from Amsterdam. The date on top of the windmill says 1636. NBD.

 Day 3: Cologne and Koblenz, Germany

So in the afternoon of Day 2, we set sail (like the sailor lingo?) down the Rhine River out of Utrecht, Netherlands. (I want to say Holland, but I learned that "Holland" is actually two states within the Netherlands. There is North Holland and South Holland, which explains where my husband came from, but the country is called The Netherlands.)

That day and night we were on the boat for 18 hours.

The next morning we docked in Cologne, Germany. I had never really heard much about Cologne except for the famous cathedral, which was truly beautiful, but aside from that, I felt like the city was thoroughly unimpressive.

My sisters and I took a bicycle tour through the town--that was fun--but we didn't see much that I'd want to come back to see again.

I'd say that the best part of Cologne was this:

Enough said.

Things do get better, trust me.

Later on that day, we "set sail" again, docking at Koblenz, Germany after dinner that night. Just a week or two before I left I found out that our adopted "son," Matt (very long story for another day), was living in Koblenz, so we made arrangements to meet that night.

When Matt suggested meeting at the Deutches Eck, the German Corner, which is a famous monument in Koblenz, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find it.

I shouldn't have worried. That thing is HUGE!! Probably the biggest monument I've ever seen in my life.

And Koblenz is absolutely lovely. We only had a few hours in that town, but I wish I could have stayed a little longer. Matt was a fantastic tour guide, showing me the older section of town, which, by the way, looked exactly like Epcot.

I'm so glad I got to see Matt!

(We're cracking up in this picture because the little German lady we stopped to ask to take the picture just couldn't figure out my camera. Matt, in his broken German, kept trying to explain, but she kept not understanding. 

I think this is the 7th or 8th try.)

Day 4: Cruising through the Rhine Gorge & Rudesheim, Germany

This was the day we had all been looking forward to, and the day did not disappoint. Our cruise manager, Darinka (who, by the way, was exceptionally lovely), told us we should be up on the top deck around 8:00 a.m. because as soon as we left Koblenz we would start seeing castles. 

Thankfully, the day was sunny and warm. Actually, it got a bit TOO warm as the day and the week went on, but who were we to complain? We were cruising the Rhine! 

Can I just say right now that you need to put this section of the Rhine River on your own personal bucket list? I could never do justice to the amazing beauty that we experienced in those few hours, slowly crawling along the river. Castles, churches, villages, and vineyards everywhere you looked. It was like living in a fairy tale!

Here's the view from the top deck of our ship:

Those are mostly Riesling vineyards down there--those Germans make some of the best wines in the world.

I'd say we all enjoyed every minute.

Rather than bore you with a million pictures of castles, I thought I'd show you one of my favorites. This one is so cool because it looks like it's just emerging from the side of the mountain.

What smart person thought of that way back in the 12th century, I'd like to know?

After several hours of floating down the Rhine, checking out castles, my neck was getting tired from swinging left and right, so it was with mixed emotions that we put the UNESCO heritage site behind us and docked in Rudesheim.

Rudesheim is a picturesque little village known mostly for its vineyards.

We know it mostly for its oppressive heat.

As the day went on, the sun grew hotter and hotter. We were scheduled to take a vineyard tour and wine tasting in Rudesheim, but once we got up to the vineyard the heat was blazing and we were feeling like it might just be too much to traipse through the vines. We thought we'd much rather traipse through some shops, so we left the tour and walked through the town.

Absolutely charming.

Absolutely stifling.

Bye bye, Rudesheim. Maybe next time.

Up next: Heidelberg, Strasbourg, and the Alsace region of France.

Your thoughts? Have you ever seen the Rhine Gorge? What's on your bucket list?

Looking Back/Looking Ahead

I totally stole that title from my daughter.

Because I've been home for a week already (a week!) and I feel like all of my creative juices are sapped. Completely gone.

I sit down to write a blog post and . . . nothing.

I'm choosing to blame jet lag.

It's not like I don't have anything to say. Ha! When that day comes, I'll shut this old place down and be quiet. Kind of like Job.

But until then, on some days, I'll have to force myself to be creative. Just like I tell my students.

So today I'm going to look back a little bit . . . and then I'm going to look ahead.

Looking back

As you know, this summer has been filled with physical labor for me. Kind of like giving birth, only harder.

I'm almost finished with the Great Townhouse Project of 2013 (thank goodness!). I kind of HAVE to be finished with it because girls start showing up to live there next week.

My plan is to get in there and clean this week, then I'll take some pictures so I can write that long-awaited before-and-after post I know you're all dying to read.

***

I mentioned jet lag. I just got back from almost two weeks in Europe, and I'm still kind of on a high from it. What an amazing trip. We saw some truly stunning places, met some wonderful people, and did some amazing things.

And I got to share it all with my mom and my sisters. So special.

Here's a sneak peek.

I'll have a complete trip report for you later this week.

Looking ahead

I have so much to look forward to in the next couple of months.

We're going to the wedding of a very special girl this Saturday. She and her sister have been like daughters to me, and I'm so happy to be able to share in this day with them.

Can I be old enough to attend the wedding of my friends' children?? Yikes!

***

School is starting soon. Julia heads back in a couple of weeks, and I start the week after that. Every day I think, "I really should go into my office," but as soon as I have those fleeting thoughts, something else takes precedence.

I really should go into my office.

One of these days.

It's funny, though. I've always been that kid who loves the first day of school. Who loves school in general, really. And, being the school nerd that I am, the first time I drove through campus after getting back from Europe, I got butterflies in my stomach! I guess that proves that I really am at the right place for now.

***

Speaking of campus and the college and starting school. I'm so excited because the daughter of my best college buddy, Jen, is coming here this year! In fact, Jen will be here next week to drop off her daughter and the week after that for Orientation. So much goodness (!) because not only does it mean that E will be fulfilling her life-long dream to come to school here (she's wanted to live here since she was about 8 years old), it also means that I'll get to see Jen a whole lot more than I have in the past few years.

So excited for that!

***

I'm also excited for my girls and all that they have ahead of them this fall. New activities. New dorm. New experiences.

Kate is heading back to Washington D.C. for fall semester. She has an amazing internship opportunity and will take some classes as well. I'm excited for her, especially to see what God has in store, but I'll miss her something awful.

Guess I'd better get used to it.

***

Finally, here's a little sneak peek at something that I'm crazy-excited about.

Stay tuned . . .

Now tell me . . . what's one thing that you have coming up that you're excited about? Do tell!!

In Which I Get a Life

Today I promise I won't talk to you about town homes or estate sales or paint (ugh!). I do promise, however, that I will follow up my Great Townhouse Project of 2013 series with some before and after photos in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime . . .

. . . it's time to get outta Dodge!

I have been telling you that my reward for all my hard work this summer would come eventually, and now the time is here.

You all know how much I love to travel. And you all know how much I love my family. This week, the two will converge as my mom, my sisters, and I all head out together for a very special girlfriend trip.

To celebrate my mom's 75th birth year (she'll turn 75 next year--sorry to spill the beans, Mom!), she is taking us on a trip of a lifetime.

We'll start here:

Cruise down here:

End up somewhere around here:

Then take a bus or train (I don't even know which) to here for a couple of days:

And finally end up here:

Excited doesn't even begin to cover it!

I've made the bold decision to NOT schlep my computer overseas, so you won't be hearing from me here for a while. You can follow me on Instagram (where I might post a picture or two) or on Facebook (where I might post an update or two), but the blog will be silent, just as it has for most of the summer.

Vaarwel!

Auf Wiedersehen!

Au revoir!

P.S. I've been to one of these cities before, and if you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know which one. See if you can guess, and tell me in the comments. Oh, and if you don't follow me, why not sign up for email updates today? I'd be ever grateful!

Photo credits 1|2|3|4|5

The Great Townhouse Project of 2013 - Weeks 6, 7, & 8

So many of you have asked about the project lately that I thought an update might be in order.

I haven't posted about the townhouse lately for several reasons:

1. So much has happened lately that I don't want to spoil the Before and After post I'm going to do at the end.

2. I thought you might be getting sick of it by now.

3. I'm getting sick of it.

**Whine alert**

Seriously. This was a much bigger project that I anticipated. Every day of my summer so far has been consumed with this townhouse. 

A friend emailed this morning and said, "You seemed totally stressed when I saw you the other day. Time to stop the renovations."

Amen, friend. Amen.

I SO want this to be done--and it almost is--but I can't just quit now. 

In all honesty, though, I have to tell you that many mornings this summer I've woken up and grieved the fact that I've only been able to sit on my porch exactly five times all summer. I've longed to spend an hour in the sun. I've missed my friends. I've wondered if I even HAVE friends. I've thought, "I can't take this anymore!" And I've wanted to be able to snap my fingers and have it all done, like, NOW. 

**End of whine**

Like I said, I'm nearing the end. I'm washing floors and hanging pictures this week, so it's almost there. (I do still need beds, but I'll find them.) Things are coming along.

The best part? I've finally been able to put the paint away! (Oh my word. If I never see another paint brush it won't be too soon.)

Here's a sneak peek at one of my favorite things we've done so far. 

Isn't it pretty?!

The past few weeks haven't been without some setbacks, though--the biggest being the water heater. 

Yes, a couple of weeks ago, on a Monday morning, I walked in and the house felt strange. I can't describe it other than it just felt different.

I walked upstairs and did a couple of things, then I went down to the basement. Once I got down there I thought, "Hmmm. That's strange. It's warm down here." Not only that, it was humid. The basement is usually cool and dry, so it felt weird that it was damp that day.

Then I heard water and knew something was up.

I stepped into the utility room and saw that water was pouring out of the bottom of the water heater. No telling how long that had been going on--thankfully the floor was wet but not damaged. I called a plumber immediately and now I can say I am the proud, albeit a bit surprised, owner of a brand, spanking new 40 gallon water heater.

It's the little things, right?

Actually, this was a big thing. A there-goes-the-new-kitchen-floor-because-your-budget-is-busted kind of thing. 

Yes, some decisions had to be made because, frankly, after the Great Water Heater Incident, I was out of money, out of time, and out of energy.

The kitchen floor will not be replaced. 

Nor will the kitchen cupboards be painted.

Sad to say, I'm human. I can only handle so much, and painting kitchen cupboards in Week 8 just is outside of the limits of my humanity. And my sanity.

In the meantime, over the 4th of July weekend, I got some wonderful help from my family. Caroline painted the utility room--hooray! (She's been on paint crew at the college all summer, so the girl knows what she's doing with a brush and roller.) 

B spent lots of time helping me with all sorts of things. Especially windows and screens. Ahhh. It feels so good to have clean windows!

Speaking of windows . . . see those blinds? They are some of the very few things we salvaged from this place, and now they are very clean. AFTER TWO HOURS OF SCRUBBING!!!

Geesh!

Here's another project that took hours.

The patio doors in the kitchen were covered with this contact paper. Who thought that was a good idea? 

Julia and I spent the better part of a day getting that stuff off the window because, as you can see, it came off in small pieces (at first--until we figured out a system) and left all the gummy, sticky backing on the window.

Thank goodness I found this spray-on product at the hardware store that took the backing off in just 10 minutes. Whew!

Here's my cheerful helper--isn't she great? (Wah! I miss her! She's in Memphis on a missions trip this week.)

I'm grateful for all of my helpers this summer--I really could never have finished this project without them. I'm pretty sure I'd be institutionalized by now if I hadn't had the encouragement and support of my family. 

And Glenda!

So, up next will be a Before and After post, hopefully next week. And maybe a few thoughts about this project after that. 

But I also want to tell you about my reward that's coming up quickly . . .  *squee!!!!*

Alright, check in. Just tell me something in the comments to let me know I'm not alone! What's your summer been like? What are you looking forward to?

Mercy Found Me

You guys. This popped up on my Facebook feed this morning. I wrote it four years ago at my old blog site, but I wanted to share it with you here because I don't know about you, but I need this reminder. Over and over again. 

*****

She stood by the door as I entered the grocery store: tanned, blue-eyed, hair pulled into a tangled ponytail. She wore a gray t-shirt with an American flag in the shape of a heart on it. She could have been a mom, and maybe she was, but her expression revealed something else.

It was blank.

Staring at me through those blue eyes, she looked like a ghost. A very tan ghost.

I smiled and tried to look her in the eye, but her blank expression haunted me and I looked away quickly.

Later, as I unlocked my car and started piling bags of groceries inside, she slid up to me, out of nowhere. Maybe she really was a ghost.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” I said.

“I’ve fallen on hard times and I was wondering if you might have a few dollars to spare.”

Immediately I thought back to the previous Saturday night. My husband and I, our daughter, and her friend had all gone into the city for an evening at the theater. We arrived early so we sat in a nearby plaza to people-watch for a while. Most of the benches and tables were taken by the homeless, some sleeping, some chatting together, all on alert for something or someone.

As the four of us sat on a bench together soaking in a perfectly beautiful evening in the city, my husband took out his wallet and removed all of the single dollar bills he had.

I’ve seen him do this before; he wants to be ready if asked.

With Saturday night in mind and a ghost standing before me, I looked through my wallet for some money. I handed her the bills and said, “God bless you.”

“God bless you,” she said.

It didn’t seem like enough: a couple bucks and a “God bless you,” so I asked her, “Do you have a place to stay tonight?”

“Well, last night I slept at the table outside the Dominicks.”

My heart crumbled.

I chatted with her for a minute, asking if she knew about PADS (our local homeless shelter). She did. I asked if she knew where the shelter was going to be tonight. She did.

Then she took my empty cart and disappeared.

I thought about her as I drove home. I prayed for her. I wondered if I should have offered her a ride (pretty sure the answer to that one was yes).

And I thought about my husband, always ready with some bills when others would simply shrug off the everyday assaults of the city.

Some would even scorn those who would dare beg for money.

I’ve scorned. In my heart I know I have looked with disdain on those who don’t get a “real job.”

But for some reason, as I prayed for the woman who loves America but has fallen on hard times, I thought something else: she has as much right to receive mercy as I do.

It’s a hard choice, some days, to be a mercy-giver. We think people should earn it. We think that mercy belongs to people who look like us or who work as hard as we do or who believe the same things we believe.

We think we have a right to dispense mercy to those we judge deserving.

We think we have a right to judge. Period.

But mercy knows no color, no social standing, no economic importance.

Mercy just gives.

And gives.

And gives.

Good Reads

Obviously I haven't done a whole lot of blog reading this summer, but I have had a chance to skim through my reading list. Here are a few I've wanted to share with you from the past few weeks.

First, OH. MY. WORD. Ann Voskamp and her daughter, Hope, were in Africa last week visiting their Compassion child (how amazing would that be?!), and while they were there they also met up with Katie Davis (Kisses from Katie). Cool, huh?! Anyway, I'm going to list some of Ann's posts from her trip because each one is so moving and poignant and they will make you cry. 

Take the time to read these carefully, quietly, and allow yourself to be moved.

Why You Are Where You Are: For Such a Time as Now

A Letter to the North American Church: Because it is Time

When Life is Big and You Can't Control It

How to Be Beautiful & Have a Beautiful Home & Life

Alright, moving on. Here are a few more posts that also spoke to me recently.

I may not be the "est," but I am the "only" :: Kat at Inspired to Action. What a great way to look at our roles as moms.

Quit Pointing Your Avocado at Me :: Momastery. Oh boy, did I need this one. If you tend to fall into the comparison trap, you might want to read this one too.

Perspectives on Our Children's Education: Going Public :: The Gospel Coalition. Wow. The Gospel Coalition decided to take on one of those "hot topics" among Christian parents: education. This is one of a three-part series--parents who have chosen private, Christian school and homeschooling wrote the others, but since we put our kids in public school I found this one to be especially interesting. And the comments! Whoo doggie! Why, oh why, do we feel we need to belittle someone else's choices? Come on, people! (Still, the comments are fascinating.)

Would You Steal This Mommy Blogger Photo? :: The Velveteen Mind. A good reminder to all of us to be careful about how we use photos on our blogs. 

Well, I'm off. French Market this morning (if it doesn't rain), then more of the same. 

Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

The Great Townhouse Project of 2013 - Week 5

First, let me apologize for the quality of the photos I've been using for this series. I'm basically grabbing my phone at the end of each day, snapping a few shots of the work I've done, and heading home. It's really just to help me remember. Even with that, I don't remember exactly what I did when. Hopefully, one of these days when the project is finished (Lordwilling!) I'll remember to bring a "real" camera with me and take some decent photos. 

Until then, please bear with me.

*****

So, in preparation for writing this post, I decided to jot down everything I did each day this week.

It's no wonder I'm tired! My goodness! As I looked through the list, I could not believe how much I got done this week.

Let's just say I'm motivated.

But the week was not without some breakdowns. I'm ashamed to say, I had some moments I'd rather not repeat this week.

Monday

After Glenda's help on Friday, I returned to a sparkly-clean kitchen and a renewed motivation. My reward is looming (I'll tell you about that one day soon)--July 18 is coming!--and I felt like I could plow through the next four weeks.

So on Monday, since there was very little I could do upstairs, I decided it was time to tackle the living room. I started with primer.

Ugh.

Have I mentioned how much I hate primer?

Thank goodness I was motivated because I finished priming the living room (which was painted a shade I like to call Almost-Vomit), the small bathroom

(lovely green and gold sponge painting from the '90s),

and the basement stairwell (a shade of green that harkened back to the 1950s that the builder must have had left over).

I went home with a headache, but happy to have started on the first floor . . . finally.

[Monday also required a bit of a sad detour as I had to go over to the missionary furlough homes to check out our current residents. They have lived in our unit for three years, and I'm so sad to see them go, but wish them the Lord's richest blessings as they head back to the mission field this fall.]

[And, yes, for those of you at home keeping score, I now have two units to prepare for new tenants over the next three and a half weeks.]

[Yes, I think I'm crazy, too.]

Tuesday

On Tuesday I moved on to ceilings. Ceilings are hard. They give you a stiff neck, an aching back, and sore arms.

Ceilings are especially hard when the lighting isn't very good.

When I went back to survey my work the next day I found a 2'x2' section that I had completely missed in the living room. That's what bad lighting will do for you.

The good news is, I finished the living room, kitchen, half bath, and basement stairwell.

And I have no pictures to show for it because who wants to look at a plain, white ceiling?

I came home exhausted, made dinner (don't ask me what we ate, I don't remember), and then made a critical tactical error: I went back to the townhouse with B after dinner.

Unfortunately, I wasn't in the best frame of mind to work after the day I had already put in, and, well, let's just call it like it was--I was crabby. I didn't want to be there, but I also didn't want to refuse my husband's offer to help, so I went.

Big mistake. And I'll leave it at that.

One awesome thing happened though--B tackled a job I was just too scared to do: he moved the refrigerator.

**Squeemish alert: look away if you don't want to see what was behind the refrigerator.**

Many kudos to my dearest for cleaning behind the refrigerator.

Wednesday

Wednesday was a big day because I finally got to put a new color on the living room walls. I was so ready to close the chapter on the Almost-Vomit and turn a new page in the life of our townhouse.

Seems Manchester Tan was just the ticket. I painted and painted and painted some more and got the living room done.

As well as the basement stairwell.

Another productive day in the neighborhood!

Thursday

Continuing with the Manchester Tan theme (and because I had bought a 5-gallon bucket of the stuff), I headed down to the basement and made the quick, executive decision that the basement would be the same color as the living room.

And the basement was finished fairly quickly.

I sure like the Manchester Tan a whole lot better than the Lemon Yellow that was down there before.

Lemon Yellow

Manchester Tan

What do you think?

That evening B headed over to get some things done, but I made the mistake of sitting down after dinner. Once I did that, it was all over. I couldn't move.

I begged off on Thursday.

Friday

By Friday I was getting pretty tired (sensing a theme here?), but I carried on. Thank the Lord, my motivation was continuing.

Since most of the walls were done, and because I needed a break from the paint roller, I decided to work on trim. There was still a little trim work that needed to be finished upstairs, so I worked on that, then moved into the living room.

Good progress on trim on Friday.

And I'm thrilled to report that the upstairs is almost done. (I just need to get up the courage to face a sort-of-halfway-nasty bathroom that isn't quite there yet. All will be well.)

Saturday

By Saturday my own motivation was lagging, so it took my husband to grab me by the hand and get me going again. We decided to put in a few hours on Saturday morning/afternoon.

I had not yet painted the windows in the living room--I guess I was putting them off because windows are tedious and difficult--so I decided I'd do those on Saturday morning.

Check the windows off the list!

Lunchtime came and I was starving. This is where I tell you about the best new booth at the French Market this year: The Jolly Posh. They serve up traditional banger sandwiches just like they make in England, and they are so delicious! B and I had shared a banger sandwich earlier this summer, and we loved it, so we decided to make that our lunch.

A delicious reward.

After lunch, I was pretty much ready to pack it in, but B was still going strong. When I started to suggest that we be finished for the day, he said, "Really? I thought we could work for another hour or so."

That was just the kick in the pants I needed.

After that I collapsed in a heap and B had to drag me home.

Funny thing was, we had tickets to the theater on Saturday night, so I had to scrape a week's worth of paint off my fingernails before we left.

(Seriously, that is so embarrassing. I've been walking around like that all week.)

So let's summarize, shall we?

On Monday morning, I had not yet started on the first floor or basement. By Saturday, the first floor was finished (except for the kitchen) and the basement more than halfway done.

I really have to give credit to my helpers. As you already know, B has given this as much time as he can. And Julia has given me a few hours almost every day--she's becoming a great painter!

Next week is going to show huge changes. I can't wait! Hopefully by the next post I'll really feel like we're nearing the end.

Hopefully.

And in the meantime . . .

The Great Townhouse Project of 2013 - Week 4

My sister texted me this morning and said, "Your fans want an update on the townhouse." After I picked myself up from the floor laughing, I thought I probably should update, well, her anyway.

Jenn, this is for you!

*****

After ending Week 3 so discouraged, I decided that Week 4 needed to be productive.

Really productive.

I still had bathrooms that needed to be painted, so I took a deep breath and headed in. I wasn't entirely sure I would survive those bathrooms, but, good news!, I did.

I started out on Monday with the primer. I have discovered that primer gives me a wicked headache, especially in small, enclosed spaces, like bathrooms, but the job needed to be done. There was no way I was going to be able to cover the pukey brown color with a sweet shade of light gray without primer.

So Monday was priming day.

Tuesday was painting day.

And, lo and behold, I got one of the upstairs bathrooms painted.

Here are the before and after photos of the "master" bathroom.

I also painted the other upstairs bathroom, but didn't think you needed to see a picture of another bathroom painted the exact same color. Needless to say, things are definitely freshened up in the bathroom areas.

My helper came, too, last week, and worked on doors and trim. Julia is becoming a pro painter!

I also worked on the hallway--priming (why, oh why, did I decide to cover all darker colors with lighter ones?), painting, and trim.

Because I'm terrified of ladders and had no way to reach the highest parts of the staircase, I let my friend, Ken, who's been helping me with some repairs, take care of that.

These pictures show just the beginning stages--it's all done now--but you get the idea.

Week 4 ended completely differently from Week 3. I was so discouraged the week before, but at the end of Week 4, look who showed up again!

Dear Glenda. Bless her.

Really, bless her. She is amazing.

This week she told me she'd help me tackle the kitchen, so, after traveling about an hour and a half on the El and the Metra, she grabbed a bucket and got to work.

Have I mentioned how much I love her?

Speaking of love, I think I'm developing a crush on this product.

My sister introduced me to Simple Green when she was here, and I'm pretty sure it has changed my life forever. Just look what it did to these nasty cabinets!

Glenda was impressed, too. She's pretty much a pro-cleaner and she said it was great stuff. Somehow I believe her.

While Glenda was working on the cabinets, I tackled the half bath on the first floor. Seriously, this bathroom is probably 3' x 3' but still it took me an hour and a half to clean it.

I'm shuddering just thinking about it. (And wondering for the millionth time how--oh, how?--did those tenants live there like that?)

I feel like such a grownup because I am now the proud owner of a grout brush. This little tool only cost me a buck and it is totally worth every one of those 100 pennies.

Just look at this picture (turn away if you want--it's gross). The grout at the bottom of the photo hadn't been cleaned yet, but the grout at the top had been cleaned with the brush. What an amazing difference!

(Seriously, how did they deal with the filth?)

Even after a full day of scrubbing, Glenda had a little bit of goodness left in her. Since she still had some time before she had to catch her train, she decided to tackle the stove. Honestly, I don't think the thing had been cleaned, like, ever.

Now, if you're not feeling great, you really might want to turn away because what I'm about to show you will truly make you sick.

You know how you can lift the top of the stove to clean underneath the burners? Yeah, well, you can. (Apparently our previous tenants didn't know that either.) When we lifted the top of the stove we found about a quarter of an inch of grease, along with lots of popcorn kernels, M&Ms, pasta, and crumbs of various sizes.

The good news is that, as you can see from the picture on the right, we were able to clean out all of the crud. It's a miracle that the place didn't burn down, don't you think?

All-in-all I'd say that Week 4 was a very good week. I still have a ton of painting to do, but I'll get there. I'm starting to see a tiny pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel.

So tell me, what have YOU been up to?? I miss you all.

The Great Townhouse Project of 2013 - Week 3

Thanks for hanging in here with me as I process this townhouse renovation. I promise I'll write about other stuff this summer, but for now, I want to record my progress. This seems as good a place as any to do that.

*****

Remember how I said the garage at the townhouse was full of miscellaneous "stuff"? And when I say "full" I mean stuffed, crammed, packed. I'd like to call the "stuff" something else because it truly was a bunch of trash, but since I'm a lady I'll keep those words to myself.

Let's just say I wasn't reeeaaal happy with the previous renters who left that little "problem" to me. Oh, they tried. They called the Salvation Army who came one day and took five straight-backed chairs exactly. 

Didn't even make a dent.

It made me want to cry.

So, when Jenn was here, she encouraged me to call 1-800-GotJunk to come take the "stuff" away. Those dear boys showed up early Monday morning and left me with this.

Isn't it beautiful?

Week 3 was off to a good start.

After my heroes left I got going on the second bedroom, which was painted a kind of brownish-tan color. Ugh. Even the ceiling was that color--particularly bad because it took two coats to cover the ceiling. 

Knowing how difficult it was going to be to cover that brown color, I decided to prime the walls. Good move. The priming wasn't that hard (although it did leave me with a nasty headache), and the paint covered just fine in one coat. 

So here's what happened in Week 3.

"Master" bedroom got primed and painted, including the trim.

 And the closet.

And this sweetie showed up one day. 

Do you know Glenda? Do you read Glenda's blog? 

You should, on both counts. This dear friend is so amazing and sweet and full of energy and laughter and I just love her. 

She called one day to ask if I needed help--um, yeah!--and, since her husband was coming to town for a meeting one day last week, she tagged along. 

Glenda told me that she's not a great painter, but she really likes to clean. Was there something she could clean in the house? Again, yeah. 

Who does that? Who volunteers to clean the filthiest piece of college housing on the planet?

Glenda does. And, boy, does she do great work. She went to town on one of the bathrooms that, frankly, I was kind of scared to even go into. And by the end of the afternoon, the place wasn't quite so scary.

I truly think there are not enough jewels to put in that woman's crown for what she did for me.

And the encouragement she brought at just the right time was incredible since I wasn't quite sure how I was going to work on the black abyss that was that bathroom. 

*shudder*

The next day I got out the primer again and started to take care of that scary bathroom. (Here's a picture of the brownish color that covered not only the walls--oh no!--but also the ceiling.)

Oh, and B replaced a lightbulb in the overhead fan. You'd be amazed at what a huge difference a little light makes. That bathroom is really coming along now--my goal is to finish painting it this week.

The week seemed to be moving along pretty well, and I was feeling kinda sassy about the progress I was making, until I walked in on Friday morning and found this.

Our friend and handyman, Ken, had been repairing some drywall and ceilings and had come over to do the sanding. When I walked in and found a thick coating of dust all over everything, I just about had a breakdown.

But I took a deep breath (not too deep), grabbed a broom, and started sweeping. I probably should have worn a mask, and if I have lung problems ten years from now you'll know why. The dust! Oh my goodness. The dust.

I knew it would be bad--I had lived through remodeling before--but I just wasn't prepared for how discouraged it would make me. I mean, I thought we were making progress, but this seemed to be a huge setback.

(Don't you love the beautiful '80s chandelier? It's going. One of these days.)

(And notice all the spackle marks on the wall behind the lamp. The living room is a disaster.)

The worst part is that Ken isn't even finished with the sanding he has to do! In the end I decided to just sweep the floor and wait until Ken was finished before I actually wipe down the walls and everything else. (Crossing my fingers that he will finish sanding today.)

I felt like the dust was a small setback, but I couldn't let it get me down for long--there was just too much to do. So on Saturday I grabbed a paint roller again and kept moving. 

Kate came over to help me with the ceiling on the "master" bathroom while I primed the hallway and staircase. (Another potential setback--I can't reach the highest point of the staircase because I don't have a scaffold and I'm terrified of ladders, but Ken says he can help me with that. I'm choosing not to focus on the setbacks right now.)

So on Saturday I was back to feeling good about things. Obviously, it's a roller coaster, this project. One day I'm feeling good, the next I walk in and find dust everywhere. But what I know is that I can't quit. Girls are coming to live there in August, and I need it to be ready for them.

Not just ready, but beautiful. 

So let's recap everything that happened during Week 3:

- Garage emptied (woo hoo!).

- Master bedroom primed. 

- Master bedroom painted, including the trim.

- Master bathroom cleaned (by the darling Glenda).

- Master bathroom primed and ceiling painted (by my dear Kate). 

- Living room ceiling sanded.

- Upstairs hallway primed.

What I haven't even mentioned yet is all the work that B and the girls have done in the basement. Since I'm mainly working upstairs, I haven't really been down in the basement that much, but let's just say his work has involved mouse poop, dryer lint, and stray thongs.

Yes, you read that right.

It's funny, when I list it all out like that I can see that progress is really happening. Real progress. It might not be as quick as I'd like it to be, but as long as I keep working and don't let the setbacks get to me, things will move along.

And I can't discount the help I'm getting from others, which is so critical because I could not do this on my own.

Hmmmm. I think there might be a pretty big spiritual lesson in there somewhere.

Mulling it all over today. 

While I paint.

The Great Townhouse Project of 2013 - Week 2

God bless my sisters.

One had a really cute baby whom I've gotten to squeeze twice since April.

And my other sister actually drove home with us on Memorial Day in order to spend the week with me. Silly girl actually offered to help with The Great Townhouse Project of 2013.

She had no idea what she was getting herself into.

So Week 2 was spent with my sister, Jenn, of whom, I regret very deeply, I did not get a single picture. She was an such a trooper and an incredible encouragement to me.

See, I know what I like when it comes to decorating, but, as a Words of Affirmation girl, I need someone to just say, "Yes! That's it! You're on the right track." And that's just what my sister provided.

She liked the paint colors I had chosen. She helped me pick one more important color that I couldn't figure out. She did some particularly nasty cleaning (one cupboard actually made her gag!). She dug in and painted like a pro.

But most importantly she kept telling me, "It's not so bad."

Week 2 was a week in which I really needed to hear, "It's not so bad," because during Week 1 I was having some serious stomach issues, and those of you who know me well know that stomach issues are NOT what I need. Ever. Again.

So having Jenn here was a blessing I needed in more ways than one. She made me feel good about my selections, but she also made me feel good about The Great Townhouse Project of 2013.

Here's just a bit of what we accomplished during Week 2.

We painted a bedroom!

I painted the ceilings of both bedrooms while Jenn did something else (I can't even remember now what that was--I have tunnel vision, remember?).

Then we painted the walls and the trim. By the time she left on Saturday we pretty much had one bedroom completely finished.

It felt SO GOOD!

(By the way, the room started out yellow. I have nothing against the color yellow--yellow is sunny and nice--but it's just not that "in" right now. I'm updating the bedrooms with a lovely shade of gray. It's an Ace paint called "Chelsea by the Sea" and I love it.)

And here's the best part . . .

Remember those totally nasty ceiling fans? The ones I was ready to take down and throw away on the very first day?

Look at what my sister did!

She went to town with the Simple Green (oh my heavens, that stuff is AMAZING!) and cleaned those suckers until they shined. She even took off the old glass lampshades so I can replace them with some updated ones. Obviously we have a couple of things to take care of, but the point is, the ceiling fans are CLEAN!

Glory halleluja!

One other thing we did when Jenn was at my house was hit a couple of garage sales. (Yes, not only am I painting and updating the place, I'm also furnishing it.) One day I got a beautiful, solid oak table with six chairs for $200--score! And the next day we went to an estate sale and picked up a box full of kitchen stuff, a desk, and a dresser WITH a mirror for $150.

Jenn helped me load up the car, then unload it into my own garage at home, which has become a storage locker because the garage at the townhouse was full--FULL, I tell you--of miscellaneous furniture and other whatnot.

(And that's a story for Week 3.)

Anyway, the garage/estate sales made me very happy. Who doesn't love getting a good deal?

Having my sister here made me even happier.

Thanks, Jenn!

The Great Townhouse Project of 2013 - Week 1

So on Monday I introduced you all to pretty much the entire content of my brain right now: The Great Townhouse Project of 2013. It has consumed me. Sadly, it's the last thing I think about when I close my eyes at night and the first thing that's on my mind when I wake up in the morning.

I'm obsessed.

But with reason: I'm on a timeline. This thing HAS to be done by July 18 when I fly out of the country for two weeks.

Or maybe by August 12 when our first renter arrives.

Whatever.

What I mean is that my thoughts have been completely consumed by this project. As I've said here before, I'm not a great multitasker. When I'm teaching, that's pretty much all I can concentrate on. When I'm writing, that's all I can do (much to the dismay of my family who likes to eat). When I'm renovating a townhouse, it's all I can think about.

Sad, I know.

(When I shared this revelation with B this morning, bless his heart, he turned it into a Good Thing by telling me that by being focused it ensures that the job will get finished. Isn't he sweet?)

(Or deluded?)

Anyway, in order to make myself feel better about what feels like a seriously huge mistake right now, I thought I'd track my progress here. Hope you don't mind.

The thing is, I just finished week 3, but rather than making this into a really long post, I think I'll just go ahead and write three separate posts, one for each week.

So, let's travel back in time, shall we? To mid-May when the keys to the townhouse were actually handed to me. And I cried huge, bitter, very-afraid-of-what-I've-gotten-myself-into tears.

Remember this?

Well, Week 1 mainly involved getting that ugly (and, may I add, greasy) shelf off the wall. Surprisingly (or not), it didn't take much to get it down.

The wallpaper, however, was another story. I think they must have used cement to stick those stupid apples up there!

Let's just say it took a while.

Week 1 mainly involved my getting my bearings, trying not to gag, and, of course, scraping wallpaper.

Oh, and being afraid. Very afraid.

We also removed every nail and screw from the walls. We filled holes. We sanded.

We took down the most beat-up blinds I've ever seen.

 And removed every switchplate from every electrical outlet in the house.

Our thought is that the simple change of fresh, white switchplates will make everything seem new.

One can only hope.

I only had a couple of days to work during Week 1 because of our little 1,800 mile jaunt to Dallas for Memorial Day weekend.

Up next . . . Week 2.

Catching Up and Introducing The Great Townhouse Project of 2013

Yep. Uh huh. Well over a week.

As you can probably tell, real life has taken its toll on me lately. Thought it might be a good idea to simply summarize my life of the past month. No deep thoughts here, really. Just a good old fashioned catch-up post.

So, since school ended for me in early May, here are a few things I have done:

1. Loaded up my car a few thousand times. Bringing girls home from college, even if it is only a few blocks, is exhausting. Plus, purchasing furniture for our newest "project" means loading up my van a LOT (see explanation below).

2. Had visitors three of the past four weekends.

3. On that one weekend, drove 1,800 miles to squeeze this cutie pie and to introduce my girls to their new cousin.

Side note: Also, over the weekend, got to visit the new George Bush Presidential Library. Oh my! The section about 9/11 is incredibly moving.

A couple of pieces of the original Twin Towers.

And the name of every person who was killed that day are listed on the wall.

Amazing.

Moving on . . .

4. Had a fantastic visit from my sister, Jenn, last week. Woot! (She really doesn't get up here enough.)

(And I can't believe I didn't get a single picture of her!)

5. Took possession of our latest "project."

6. Cried over said project.

7. Felt sick about said project.

8. Dug in and started to work on said project.

9. Started feeling a wee bit better about said project.

10. Celebrated 28 years of marriage.

What I have not done much of over the past month:

1. Cooking.

2. Cleaning.

3. Resting.

4. Exercising.

*****

Now, about that "project." Oh my. Where to begin?

Last November, B and I purchased a townhouse which is really close to campus and will be used to house college students. Specifically, OUR college students, among others.

When we bought it, we knew it needed some cosmetic repairs, but not until our current tenants moved out two weeks ago and we actually took possession of the property did we actually see the extent of work that needs to be done.

Everything was covered with about a quarter inch of filth. And I do mean everything. (You might want to look away if you're squeemish.)

The day I got the keys, Julia and I walked around the place for a little bit, and then I went home and had a mini-breakdown. Or a big breakdown.

I cried.

Friends, we have an Extreme Makeover situation on our hands. 

Every square inch of this place needs cleaning or repair or . . . something. It's horrendous. I wouldn't let my girls live there right now, so my task this summer is to bring this place up to Wildman standards.

So here's the deal. I'm going to be over there most of the summer. I'll be painting the place from top to bottom (I'm on a very limited budget, so I'll be doing most of the work myself). I'll be scouting estate sales for furniture (we're going to furnish the place). I'll be schlepping supplies and furniture and paint back and forth all summer.

My van will be getting a workout, even if I'm not.

What I think I might do is post pictures once a week with the progress we've made. Are you interested? At all?

What else might you want to know about cleaning up and restoring a rental property? I'm probably needing the answers to those questions myself, so feel free to ask.

So here we go: The Great Townhouse Project of 2013. Grab a paintbrush and come on over!

Good Reads

I'm away this weekend, enjoying my newest niece with our family, but thought I'd leave you some good reads for the long weekend.

When You Sort of Feel Like You're Drowning :: Ann Voskamp. Yeah, I can relate.

A Helpful Guide to Becoming Unbusy :: becoming minimalist

The Single Defining Characteristic of a Manipulator :: Storyline Blog (Donald Miller)

Suburbia Needs Jesus Too :: Her.meneutics

Distracted Parenting :: Clover Lane

Have a great weekend! Leave me a comment letting me know what you're up to this weekend--I'd love to know!

Letters to My Daughters: Choose Joy (Part 2)

Dear Daughters,

Last time I wrote this: A deep, abiding joy will serve you well in life—I encourage you to find it.

Still here.

Still encouraging.

Find joy.

Joy is a people-magnet. Joy is a relationship-builder. Joy is a life-giver.

Find it.

So you’re probably wondering how. How do I find joy when I am feeling so out-of-it at school? How do I find joy when I’m not sure what I’m going to do with my life? How do I find joy when I feel like there’s a limited supply and everyone around me has my share of it?

Some days I feel like I’m not the best person to answer these questions—I’ve asked them all myself. Some days I feel the least equipped to talk about finding joy because I let all of those Cs take over and my soul is sapped.

And on those days, I run, RUN, to my Bible.

Recently I flipped to the concordance in the back of my Bible and looked under the word “joy.” What I found astonished me, I’m ashamed to admit. I should have known.

Nearly every reference to joy in my Bible concordance was tied to God or Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. Yes, there’s the famous verse in which Paul encourages the Philippians to “make my joy complete by being of like-minded,” but mostly that has to do with their dedication to Christ, their unity in Him.

Do you see where I’m going with this? Joy is tied up with our relationship to God. He is the source of true joy.

I’ve told you this often, but I think it bears repeating here: the only life worth living is one totally dedicated to Christ because only in Him will you find true fulfillment.

Or true joy.

Just check your concordance.

So if God is our source of true joy, lasting joy, real joy, let me be very obvious here and talk about what will not bring you joy.

Money.

Houses.

Cars.

People.

Stuff.

More stuff.

You get where I’m going. Every day you probably see people trying their best to find true joy by pursuing things, but I’m telling you it’s fruitless. The celebrities you see on T.V. can’t find it. People who look to bigger houses or flashier vacations can’t find it. Even we ourselves can’t find it apart from Christ.

Think about the travels we’ve taken as a family. Some of the most joyful people we’ve met have been people who have barely anything that this world would consider significant or important. But they have Jesus, and that makes their lives rich.

Remember Iris in Brazil? This single mom had one son of her own and was hoping to adopt two Brazilian children so that they wouldn’t have to live on the streets.  She didn’t have much, but she had a roof over her head that she longed to share with others.

Iris was also a fantastic baker, and she shared her skill with us when she baked Kate’s birthday cake that year. I still remember the smile on her face when she brought the cake over to help celebrate her birthday. Even though Iris had very little in the way of earthly possessions, that woman knew real joy.

You know this lesson in your heads—we’ve preached it to you your entire lives—but take it into your hearts and know this for certain: true joy can only be found in one place.

Seek it. Pursue it. Find it.

Choose it.

I love you,

Mom

Letters to My Daughters: Choose Joy (Part 1)

Dear Daughters,

Remember this? “Make a good choice, my friend!”

It rings in our ears, makes us smile, and sometimes even makes us roll our eyes. This phrase became a joke in our family, even though it was no joke to the teacher who repeated this phrase over and over again in elementary school.

But, you know, she was right.

The choices you make today will affect how well you live later on. 

Today I want to talk to you about a choice you can make right now that will affect your relationships both today and in the future. This choice will help guide the way you live both now and tomorrow and it will affect every relationship you have.

Choose joy.

Yes, this might sound like a cliché, but I tell you as one who did not make this choice for many years: choosing joy brings life to you and to those around you. A deep, abiding joy will serve you well in life—I encourage you to find it.

First, though, I want to warn you about three joy-suckers that will kill your soul. Watch out for them. Flee any temptation to give in to them. Your life will not be rich and full if you allow these joy-suckers into it.

What are they? Comparison. Criticism. Contempt.

Comparison. This one sucks the joy out of you because it makes you feel less-than. When we look around at what others have or what others have achieved, thinking that we should have the same or better, we assume God has slighted us, dealt us a bad hand.

This is a lie because the Bible tells us that we are His beloved and that He watches over our coming and our going. God also asks us to trust Him to lead us. Why should we want what others have when God has our own best interest at heart?

Criticism. This one sucks the joy out of those around us, hurting our own hearts in the process. It’s a subtle form of comparison that, rather than making us feel less-than, makes us feel superior to others.

This is a lie, too, because the Bible says that no one is perfect, that all have sinned. When we criticize, we act as judge—a job we have not been given.

Contempt. Contempt can be a two-pronged problem because we can view either ourselves or others in this way. Contempt says that God made a mistake when He made us or those around us.

What a lie! God says that His creation was “good” and that His people are His delight.

So how do we find joy?

Joy comes, I think, when, rather than compare ourselves to others, we join with others, seeing the good in them, seeing potential for a bigger life and a greater adventure.

Joy comes when, instead of criticizing, we choose to build someone up in love.

Joy comes when, instead of treating someone with contempt, we choose to treat them with kindness and that kindness is returned.

Joy comes when, rather than sneering with contempt at what God has made, we choose to rejoice in His blessings. Even something as simple as the weather (which I do tend to complain about sometimes) can be a good indication of where we are with God. Are we saying, “This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it”? Or are we grumbling and complaining, when all that really does is tell God that we think he could do better?

My dear girls, today I encourage you to choose the path of joy because this is a path that leads to contentment and peace. Trust me, your life will be richer and the lives of those around you will be blessed if you choose joy over comparison, criticism, or contempt.

I love you,

Mom

P.S. I have more to say about joy, but I’ll share it later this week. 

Photo credit

Grace at 2:15

She steps toward the car and reaches for the door, sunlight splashing over her shoulders and across her wavy brown hair. I look, smile, then look again.

She’s changed.

School’s almost over for this one, and I see, in that brief moment, a full year’s growth.

Her face, more mature (goodbye, babyface!).

Her legs, definitely longer.

Her hair, styled rather than simply cut.

Her clothes, carefully selected, reflecting her sense of herself.

Her gait, assured.

All of this just in a quick glimpse as she ducks her head into the car.

She smiles from outside the window--a slight upturn of her lips, that quick connection that says, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

(O.K., if I’m really honest, she was glad I was there to drive her home so she didn’t have to walk. But still, she seemed glad to see me.)

It was a smile that said, “I’m good.”

I noticed today that my baby girl is growing up. Oh, sure, I notice it most days, especially as she very nearly reaches my height, but today it took me by surprise.

The end of the school year makes you take note of the changes, doesn’t it? With all three back under my roof for the summer, I’ve been thinking a lot about the past year and how it has changed them. Changed us.

It’s been a good year. Not without its challenges, this year, but good, overall.

And while the physical changes aren’t as pronounced in my girls anymore (I still remember the years of amazing stringbean growth, the too-short pants), the character changes are still coming, probably faster than ever before. Lifetime prayers for my girls are being answered.

And I like what I see.

I see confidence.

I see intelligence.

I see curiosity.

I see humor.

I see wisdom.

I see discernment.

I see girls who are ready to follow wherever He leads and to lead wherever He wants.

I see young women who are growing, changing, accepting, even though it’s painful at times.

I look, I see, and I wonder, How did we get here?

Only grace.

Good Reads

In honor of Mother's Day today, I've collected a few of my favorite parenting posts as of late. Enjoy!

Parenting is Kingdom Work || (in)Courage. Such a good reminder!

Intention in the Morning || Clover Lane. Get your head ready for the game. Every day.

Weary of Sin || The Good Enough Mom. I could so relate to what my friend, Nancy, wrote here.

The Gift of a Long Life || A Deeper Story. This really spoke to me, and it might speak to you if you're (ahem) older.

It Matters Whom You Marry || The Christian Pundit. And if you're younger, or if you haven't yet married, this is absolutely wonderful. To the young women I know: read this.

20 Things Every Parent Should Hear || Five Kids is a Lot of Kids. Funny, wise, and true. One of those posts I wish I had written.

Parents: A Word About Instagram || Life as of Late. Someone posted this on Facebook, and it was so good I thought I should share.

OK, this last one isn't about parenting, but since today is graduation at the place where I teach, I thought I would also post this one for the grads. Some great advice here, even if you've already graduated.

12 Things to Do After Graduating || The Gospel Coalition blog.

Happy reading!!

Just a Day

Today was, well, just a day. 

I walked with a friend for an hour this morning. (Therapy, first thing.)

I did too many loads of laundry to count. 

I cleaned my oven. (You know you want my life.)

I baked cookies for Teacher Appreciation Day tomorrow. 

I ran Julia all over Kingdom Come. 

I loaned my van to a college student friend so he could move some furniture.

And I sat glued to the T.V. for the Benghazi hearings. (C-SPAN3 = Channel 105.)

It was just an ordinary day. Only it wasn’t so ordinary because it was MY day. A day I kind of liked. A day that made me happy and brought me joy (quite possibly a direct result of knowing we would be eating leftover hot dogs for dinner).

Yesterday Julia got into the car after school and, after I asked how her day was (this was at 4:20 in the afternoon, after a full day of school and play practice, while on her way to driver's ed--the poor girl hadn't been home since 7:00 a.m.!), replied, “Great! I had a great day.” 

So I followed up: “What made it a great day?” 

And she said (this is the part I love), “I don’t know. It was just a day, but I’m happy.”

Just a day, but I’m happy.

What if we took all the average, ordinary, cleaning-my-oven kind of days and turned them great only by changing our outlook? 

What would happen then?