IKEA Bins in the Shire

Back when my kiddos were wee little critters we had a bit of a toy explosion issue.  I had enough sense to realize these little people couldn't tidy a room up to "mom standards,"  but I did want to be able to see the floor from time to time.  On a trip to IKEA one Saturday afternoon, I made a wonderful discovery...the Trofast toy storage system.

During those early childhood years, my only requirement was, "All toys must be in a bin before bedtime."  (Sometimes they even accomplished this!)  As they got older, and one of my children developed a deep love for all things organized, the bins were labeled and each type of toy had its own little home.  (Sometimes they even accomplished THIS!)

When we started homeschooling, the bins took on a new purpose, and various subjects and experiments and crafts had their own special place.

As the kids made their way into the public school system, the bins found their way into multiple rooms, and were used for jewelry, sports equipment, make up, accessories, secret hiding places for letters from girlfriends (shhhh, don't tell that I know).  

Now that the kids are grown up and moving into their own homes, I was tempted to send the bins with them.  However, I've grown so accustomed to their usefulness, that I just couldn't give them up quite yet.  They've taken on a new role in our humble abode:  Craft and Comfort Central.

Today I bought these ADORABLE shoes (don't worry there really is a bridge to help you cross this logic leap.)

But my feet look...well, lets just say I took a picture of my tootsies and decided there are just some things that don't need to be shared.

I walked over to my handy-dandy wall of crafts and comfort, and grabbed my foot repair bin. (ahhhh, there's the bridge...see, its not THAT random)

Add a little hot water to the bin, stir in the peppermint epsom salt, soak while I blog about my bins and feet and other strange-but-true facts, scrub like a mad woman with the pumice stone, and voila!  I  am no longer afraid of being mistaken for a Baggins!  (Consult a Lord of the Rings nerd if you need to know what that means.)

I'll never be a foot model, nor would I care to be one, and my cankles leave a bit to be desired, but thanks to my grown up IKEA bins, any time I want a little foot pampering, all I have to do is grab the bin and soak my way to peace and prettiness.

Oh...and because no blog is complete without the requisite Bible reference:

Its rather ironic that my Bible reading today was Romans 10.

Romans 10:14-15

The Voice (VOICE)

Faith is not something we do. It is a response to what God has done already on our behalf, the response of a spirit restless in a fragmented world.

14 How can people invoke His name when they do not believe? How can they believe in Him when they have not heard? How can they hear if there is no one proclaiming Him? 15 How can some give voice to the truth if they are not sent by God? As Isaiah said, “Ah, how beautiful the feet of those who declare the good news of victory, of peace and liberation.

Logs, Boats and Helicopters

Once upon a time...

There was a man who lived beside a river.  One dark afternoon the rains began, and as the next morning rolled around, the river began to creep closer and closer to his house.  By the time the sun was setting again, the waters were on his porch.  He began to pray, "God, please save me from this flood."  All through the night the waters rose, and by the next sunrise, the man was on his roof.  He pleaded with God, "Father, oh please, I know you are all powerful.  I know you will save me from this flood!"

A little while later another man, sitting on a large log, floated close to the house, and he called up, "HEY!  This log can hold two.  Climb down and lets float to safety."  The first gentleman looked a the precarious log and called back, "Thanks, but God is going to save me!"  So off the log went.

The waters rose a little higher, and a guy in a row boat came along.  "Hey!" the guy called out, "Climb down and get in my boat.  We can row to safety together."  The man on the roof thought about how hard it would be to row that boat through the debris filled flood waters and called back, "Thanks, but I prayed, and I know God is going to save me."  And the waters continued to rise.  The man was a little scared, but he had faith.

So when the helicopter pilot spotted him and hovered over his house, shouting through the megaphone, "Sir, we're going to lower this rope.  Grab hold and we'll carry you to safety,"  the man on the roof bravely called back, "My God is all powerful, he calmed the storm and walked on water.  I believe that He alone will save me!"  And the waters rose higher still.

Finally, as the man clung desperately to the very top of his chimney and felt his grip becoming looser and looser, he cried out one last time, "Oh God.  You alone are the creator of the river and the rain!  I prayed to you and with all my heart I believed you would save me.  Why have you forsaken me?!"  And God called back, "I sent you a log, a boat and a helicopter....what more do you want?!"

In June of 2012 we made the decision to put our house on the market and prepare to move into a campus ministry house for international students.  We prayed, "Oh God, we know you will sell our house."  In August 2012, we took a step of faith and moved out of our beautiful home and into ISCA house.  We prayed, "Oh God, you have clearly worked in all of our real estate dealings.  We know you will sell our house."

In January 2013 we looked at our dwindling savings account and we decided to contact a property management company to lease our house.  We prayed, "Oh God, you must not want us to sell the house, so we'll get someone else to help us."  Ten days later, the company cancelled our contract because we wouldn't pay for the incredibly expensive insurance they required.  We were angry and hurt, but we prayed, "Okay God, you obviously want us to be patient so you can sell the house without a realtor and save us some money," so we listed For-Sale-By-Owner.

In mid February we were contacted by another ministry interested in trading ISCA house for our house.  We prayed, "Thank you God!  We knew you would sell our house!  We have strength to hold on a little longer."

 In March we were contacted by someone interested in leasing the house, but we said, "Thanks, but God is going to sell our house."  In May a couple looked at the house and then offered to lease it.  We of course replied, "Thanks, but our God is all powerful, and he wants to free us from this house."

On June 3 the ministry said, "Sorry...we can't trade houses.  The numbers just don't work."  We prayed, "Father, you created all things and you own the camels on a thousand hills.  You can save us from drowning under the weight of this mortgage."

On Wednesday, June 5, I received a phone call from a man interested in our house.  "I was given your number by (the property management company that made us so mad in January).  We have rented from them for years, but the house is no longer structurally sound, and we have to move out.  They thought you might be willing to lease to us long term."  And we prayed, "Thank you, God, for the helicopter!!!!!"

As is usually the case, I had a plan.  I expected God to do what I wanted him to do.  I was ready to say, "Well done, good and faithful God!" as he fulfilled my expectations.

He had other plans.  Plans that I don't think I fully understand.  Plans that I know are bigger than what I see on the surface.  Plans that bring Him glory and will fill me with awe and wonder.  As I hang onto the rope and the helicopter lifts me away from the stress of the tens of thousands of dollars we've paid for that house to sit empty, I am so very thankful for his continued faithfulness.  I am excited about what the future holds.  I'm enjoying the view from God's helicopter : )

I'm Married to a Grown Up

Today is a big day.  Today a very important person hits the half-a-century point in his existence.  My devastatingly handsome husband is the Big 5-0.

I could sit here and type the usual, "How did we get here so fast?" cliches.  The truth is, the Bible makes it abundantly clear just how short our puny, little lives are. 

Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. Ps 103:15

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone. James 4:14

How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble!  Job 14:1

Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence!  Ps 89:47

It is no surprise that we blink and suddenly a saggy stranger is staring back at us in the mirror.  (What a happy, cheerful birthday post!  You can practically hear the zippity-doo-da playing in the background!)  

However, let me tell you what I see when I look at the man who has occupied my heart for 24 of his 50 years.  

When we met, he had a 5, 10, 15 year plan.  He knew how much money he wanted to make by specific ages.  Today, he has a plan for right now..."Love Jesus, Love others."  

Twenty four years ago he had a check list for what he needed to do to be a good Christian.  Today he lives in a constant state of "yes" to Jesus and lets Christ dictate what that looks like.  

Way back in the day, his bucket list included many material things and financial dreams.  Today, he is blessed to be a blessing and no longer wants to spend his retirement managing his blessings but wants to serve his God and to help take Jesus' glory to the nations.

My husband is a grown up Global Christian, and I have been incredibly privileged to be along for the ride.  So when I read those scary verses about how fleeting our brief time on this planet is, I am so, so, SO happy to know that my True Love is truly living his life to the fullest.  

But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.  Romans 6:22-23

I LOVE YOU!!!!