Two Years at Home.

It's a little hard to believe, but as of yesterday, we have lived in our home for two years.  Time moves slowly while you meander through it and many times this 'settling in' process has felt like walking upstream.  There's so many little paint jobs left, little things that have broken before the newness even wore off….and yet memories are being made, the walls are filling up, and the joy having a warm place to watch the evergreens toss in the wind and rain is nothing short of wonderful.  I really love it here….creaks and faulty doorknobs, mail slots and laundry shoots and all….

I've been thinking a lot lately about beauty. Not physical-human-beauty so much as the experience of wonder we daily encounter with a good meal, a budding tree, a kind word, a view of the ocean, a song that continually brings me to tears (or….a clean, decorated home:).  I'm reading a book right now called "Eyes Wide Open" by Steven DeWitt about God's purpose for stirring our hearts so often in these ways…..and it has been so marvelous to think of God's great kindness to draw us to Himself in these ways. Not only are these all ways to enter into worship, but they are also meant to stir us to imitate & create.

It's almost too much.  

Of course, the standard for all beauty is God and ultimate beauty is found in Christ Himself, who laid down His life for us.  To think that the very nature of spending eternity with the One who made us will be exponentially greater than our mini-wonder-experiences here….

Again, almost too much.

I have more thoughts on the subject, but before I get too windy on a house post….I'll just share some pictures:).

I will say that owning this home and having any resources available to put time, energy, and money here has been in and of itself like a walking alongside the goodness of God….not so much because of the resources (they are quite finite and could disappear in an instant), but because He gives at all.

A few before + afters:):

  

For a more complete (but older) tour, you can click here.