The Other Room

OK, I hate to admit it.  This is the second bedroom months (October) after I moved in.  The room just overwhelmed me.  I did not know how I was going to get through all this stuff.  I wanted to keep it all and I had NOWHERE in this house to put it.  I wanted this room to be a bedroom for baby Gray and anyone else that came to visit and a studio for me.  Like I said...overwhelming.

After a little work the boxes dwindled but I still had a long way to go.

Here are more photos of even more days of work and several months later.  Boxes were disappearing still.  It's a bit like the clowns that keep piling out of a VW.  They just keep coming and coming.  Where do they all come from and where do they all go!

A few weeks ago I bought two of the smaller 36" shelves.  After working to get the first one "filled" I knew another small one was not going to be enough.  So yesterday I went and bought the larger, 48" one.  This is the room today, six months and 16 days after I moved in.  While there is still a great deal of organizing, switching around, grouping etc., at least all the boxes are gone.  Every last one of them have been unpacked and disassembled.  Almost everything has a place.  Praise God!

This is the work table, my spot, my creative area.  It sits in front of the window so I can see out as I work.  My inspirations on the window sill include a little butterfly painting painted by my mother, a jeweled cross made by me in 2002 (one of the last ones I made but still have), a photo of my parents holding my very young daughter, and a sign "dream" to keep me dreaming and creating.

It's not finished yet.  The room still needs a day bed with a trundle which I'm still on the hunt for.  I'm hoping to find it soon.  I'll move a few more things around then to make it work and fit.  Perhaps some of the organizing will be finished by then.  Perhaps I will have started and or even finished my first project.  My thought about that first project will be a cross.  One created in my little house in the country that I love so much, symbolizing my gratitude for a wonderful life.

I'll keep you posted!

Psalm 105:1-6 It is good to give thanks to the Lord.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Our First Visitor

We are getting settled in, Ikey and I. We love the porch. Ikey spent numerous times yesterday and today lounging around out there with and without me. Last night we sat outside together until it got dark. The breeze was blowing just enough to make it cool. No really, mid August and the night air in south central Texas was cool. I think I could have slept out there. We were reclining in the double rocker, which I love. Oh, so nice.

This morning I woke up around 6:30am. I was watching for the sunrise that comes right in my window. Guess I dozed off as it seemed a bit overcast. As it was, I did not see the sun rise but we got up about 7. I made some tea and took that, my smoothie and a left over wheat roll out onto the porch to enjoy the morning. It was absolutely fabulous. The breeze came up shortly after we sat down. I had a hard time wanting to go back inside to unpack. As we sat there I thought about the fact that of all the time we had been outside in the last 4 days I had seen no wildlife, only birds and bugs. There are these huge grasshopper things that I just have to smash as they will destroy my plants. Ikey stalks them and finds them and I swat them with the flyswatter. There are also big yellow and black spiders that I don't kill, just mess up their webs and knock them down off the porch. I don't think they even bite, they just attach to everything. 

So anyway, this morning we were sitting there all peaceful like, really enjoying our morning when I see this little flash go by toward the house. I look over the ledge. Unfortunately, the first visitor to our new home is a RAT! Yikes, eeeeekkkk!!!
                                         

Genesis 1:24
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.

He's checking things out around the porch. I stand on the porch as I swat at him with the fly swatter to no avail. I'm not planning to get too close. He runs to the other side of the porch. I swat some more and he comes back to the original side. He crawls under one of my pots. I'm thinking “you cannot stay here...no way”. I look for a stick or a broom handle or a shovel or something, but find nothing. So I go inside and get my watering can full of water. I pour water under the pot so he gets on him and he runs out again, all crazy and I water him as much as I can with him running wildly about but instead of running back where he came from he runs back under the pot. I go inside and get more water. Rats HATE water I found out. I wish I'd hat the water hose. With more watering he finally runs back out into the yard. I run in the house to get my rat shot pistol, but when I return, he has run off into the yard thank goodness. I was grateful of that as all that was in the gun was 22 bullets, no rat shot. This time he was saved. Rat shot shells are on my Walmart list. If he or any of his buddies return I will not hesitate to shoot. I will shoot any vermin that will tear up, get into things, smell bad, or bring lice, ticks and fleas in here. It's either me or them, and let me tell you, it's not going to be me.  There'll be no sissies living out here in the country; gotta cowgirl up; gotta be brave and courageous!

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

I have spent two days unpacking boxes. So far there are 31 boxes broken down on the front porch and three huge bags of wadded up newsprint. I have no idea how many total boxes were packed, but it was a bunch. I'm still missing a few things in the kitchen so there must be at least one more box some place. I got most of the buffet and dining room done, although there may be a box missing there too. I got my TV set up so I can play DVDs on it since I still do not have Internet or Satellite TV.  I'm beginning to like days without TV but I don't think I'm tough enough to go without forever!

So tonight Ikey and I sat back on the porch. My gosh it is so peaceful and quiet. The landowner's cattle were grazing in the front pasture. My guard dog was keeping a high alert to be sure they did not come near his home. I think the stars are going to be awesome out here.

Well, there's lots to report about the move including move out day, move in day, cemetery day, and lots of photos to share. So I'll get to those as the days go by, but likely they'll be out of order. So stay tuned as we chronicle the “days of our lives”.

Encourage One Another...continuing the journey on fresh paths.

(PS) This is posted from our new WiFi hang out...McDonalds in Gonzales!  Thanks Micky D

Wow, Talk About Perfect Timing

My daughter writes a blog.  This scripture was included this week.  While she did not include it for me, it was truly meant for me.  The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

1 John 2:15-17

In preparation for my move back down south, closer to my daughter, grandson and son in law, I have been going through everything I own in order to "purge, case off, chuck, deep-six, ditch, dump, 86, exorcise, fling, pitch, purge, reject, scrap, shed, suck off, throw way, throw out, toss, unload, jettison, junk, lose and dispose" of everything I possibly can so as not to overflow the house I am moving into.  And it has been hard!  I've been through every box I brought out here over 5 years ago, some I've been through before, some not.  I've been through every picture/photo envelop and photo album I've owned since about Junior high.  I've been through every card I ever kept and every card and letter my mother EVER received.  I lived each event, happy or sad, over again.  I've been through newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, file cabinets, cedar chests and storage units.  I've gone down to the bones.  And I've thrown out tons of stuff.  Boxes and bags of stuff have gone to the dumpster.  Boxes and racks of stuff have gone to the resale shop.  I've wrapped things back up and put them in the "too go" box zillions of times even though I really wanted to keep it.  It's stuff I've gathered, loved and owned for a little while or a long time.  It's been my grandmother's, my mother's, my daughter's, my daughter's grandmother's, my friend's, and my own.  Some treasures, some not so much.  I learned a few years ago when my father died and we were able to acquire VERY little of what belonged to him from his wife at the time, that "stuff is just stuff".  What really matters is the love and the memories that go with those things.

^{Matthew 6:19} “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy,and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So this is just another lesson along that same realm.  In the big picture, all of that stuff, what I've kept and what I've thrown out or gotten rid of, really doesn't matter.  What does matter is that I have all the memories that go with those things.  And what matters even more is the memories I'm going to make with my daughter, my grandson (who you know I adore), my son in law and the rest of my family, my sister, my brother in law, my nieces, my loved ones and my friends in the rest of my life.  After all, remember I am "continuing the journey...on fresh paths".  I'm going to be "refreshing" things, getting some new things, starting with some other things, and making some new memories.

So here's to leaving the past behind, the "starting over" of sorts, only it's more like starting fresh, like after a rain when everything is cool and glistening, shiny and clean.  I'm following you God.  Your in my lead.  Bring it on.  Once again, I'm stepping out of the boat!

^{Matthew 14:25} Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said,“why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”


Encourage ONe Another

"You Know What the Scripture Says?"

OK, moving is NOT my thing...no really, seriously, I hate moving.  I don't like to pack to go on vacation.  I don't like to pack for the weekend.  I don't like packing or moving.  Got it?  So you can imagine that when I think about moving a whole house, my house, anxiety and worry start creeping in.  I don't even know where to start, but I am not a person to put something off until the last minute.

In an attempt, however, to start somewhere I decided to start with purging first, trying to get rid of any and everything I did not plan to take with me, stuff I've accumulated after I moved here basically.  So the purging started and in one room and several closets turned into a couple of car loads to the resale shop.  No seriously, in only a small area I came up with a couple of car loads.  So you can imagine what I'm thinking.  If I came up with all this in only a couple of days, how much am I going to come up with that needs to go out of my house before I can even start packing.  I had two days that I could drop off stuff at the resale shop.  One was last Friday and the other is July 30th.  What in the WORLD am I going to do with all that stuff I come up with between now and July 30th!!!

Well, I loaded my car and dropped off the first load, stating "I'll be back with rest".  After hauling in the second load I looked at my friend Beverly, who owns the resale shop, with some tears in my eyes and said, "I am overwhelmed.  I don't know where to start or what to do.  I have so much stuff I need to get rid of before I can even start to pack.  The house I'm moving to just isn't as big.  Much of my stuff can't go.  What am I going to do".  Bev is an older gal than me.  Sweet and has a huge heart.  She is kind and reassuring about most things.  In the last 5 years since i have been here we have become friends.  She said "Robin, you know what the Bible says?"  I said "I know a lot of what it says".  She said "it says 'by worrying, you don't get any taller'!"  I thought to myself, well, no it doesn't quite say that, but that certainly is true.  Regardless it made me laugh out loud and I said, "well, then there is just absolutely no need for me to worry".  She referred me to a small mover who will load your stuff here and take it to your new home and unload it there.  She said "he is really good and will take care of you and your things".  The whole interchange lightened my mental load and I left there browsing my phone book and making a call to "Marlin Movers".  He told me he would work out a quote and give me a call back.  He also gave me some great suggestions about packing.  Buy some packing paper, some tape and some boxes, all uniform sizes at Home Depot or Lowes so they'll be easier to stack.  He said in a two bedroom house I"ll probably have about 100 boxes.  He said "if you pack 5 boxes a day you can be packed in 20 days....you have plenty of time Robin if you are not moving until August 10th".  He was very helpful and very kind.  He also calmed me down and gave me a plan.  I did exactly what he said...went to Lowes and made those purchases.  I'll also be calling a couple of local movers to see about the cost of having someone doing the loading, trucking and unloading for me.

In the meantime I called my daughter to tell her about the exchange with Bev and the scripture. We laughed about it again. I actually remembered the scripture as saying something like "worrying doesn't add a day to your life" but as it turns out the following are the scriptures in the Bible regarding worry..

1 Samuel 9:5
When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and startworrying about us.”
1 Samuel 9:4-6 (in Context) 1 Samuel 9 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

1 Samuel 9:20
As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”
1 Samuel 9:19-21 (in Context) 1 Samuel 9 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Matthew 6:25
[ Do Not Worry ] “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Matthew 6:24-26 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Matthew 6:27
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?
Matthew 6:26-28 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Matthew 6:28
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
Matthew 6:27-29 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Matthew 6:31
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
Matthew 6:30-32 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:33-34 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Matthew 10:19
But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,
Matthew 10:18-20 (in Context) Matthew 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Mark 13:11
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
Mark 13:10-12 (in Context) Mark 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Luke 12:11
“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worryabout how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,
Luke 12:10-12 (in Context) Luke 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Luke 12:22
[ Do Not Worry ] Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worryabout your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
Luke 12:21-23 (in Context) Luke 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Luke 12:25
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life ?
Luke 12:24-26 (in Context) Luke 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Luke 12:26
Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Luke 12:25-27 (in Context) Luke 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Luke 12:29
And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
Luke 12:28-30 (in Context) Luke 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Luke 21:14
But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.

So although there is nothing in the scripture regarding "worrying not making you any taller" I know that that will now become one of my sayings..."worrying doesn't make you any taller" to anyone who is worrying (including me).  It's like my family's other saying "there's must be a picnic table in the road" in reference to things that keep happening to delay us from doing something or getting on the road to leave for someplace until we finally get the go ahead to leave (that the picnic table is cleared out of the road).

So, to all of us...don't worry!

Continuing my journey...but with fresh paths.
Encourage one another.