After it had been decided that our family was going to live with Grandma and Grandpa we spent a couple of Saturdays looking at houses together. It was exhausting. There were a few houses that my mom and I liked but my husband hated and my dad despised. There were so many things for us to consider. We needed enough space for all of us. We needed a large bedroom and bathroom on the main floor because my dad needed to be done with stairs. We needed close proximity to school and work. After looking at just a couple houses, I started to realize that finding a house that fit our criteria and that all four adults in the process liked was going to be a miracle.
We found several houses that would almost work. A few that might require some significant renovation... but we could do it. Then we found our house. A larger house at the end of a quiet street. a big yard with a little creek running through the front. Only a couple steps up the porch. A really beautiful master suite with a master bathroom on the main floor and then upstairs and at the other end of the house there were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room. It almost felt like it had been built for us.
The problem was that it was a little "too grand" for us. Almost everything in the house is really high end, there are decorative pillars all over the place. We are more down-to-earth kind of people. Not really pillars and super-high end everything people. But we had looked at hundreds of houses online and walked though quite a few houses and this was the first house we found that had everything we needed with no major renovations needed. Because we were a little bit out of town we got more house and it was in our price range.
I'll be honest. It's still hard for me sometimes. The house, and its grandness doesn't really reflect who we are. It's the people inside that reflect what we value. We are choosing to live together, to care for each other and to help each other out. We are walking into a hard season and we are drawing each other close and walking through it together. That is why we are here. Not everybody is going to be able to see that. But sometimes I need to care a lot less about what I think other people might see.
Recently I bought my 3 year old a new bike. It was $6.99 at Goodwill, and it came with a working bell, AND a flashing red light. Can you believe it? Right! He couldn't either. He was soooo excited. I love to give gifts to my kids and watch their excitement.
Our house is a gift from God, and I am thankful for this gift, but I'm more thankful for the less tangible gift of what this house represents. This is a place where we can be together. My kids can enjoy their grandparents and my parents can enjoy their grand kids and we have enough space to make this season a joy and a blessing and not a constant hardship. I will not overlook that gift.
We found several houses that would almost work. A few that might require some significant renovation... but we could do it. Then we found our house. A larger house at the end of a quiet street. a big yard with a little creek running through the front. Only a couple steps up the porch. A really beautiful master suite with a master bathroom on the main floor and then upstairs and at the other end of the house there were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room. It almost felt like it had been built for us.
The problem was that it was a little "too grand" for us. Almost everything in the house is really high end, there are decorative pillars all over the place. We are more down-to-earth kind of people. Not really pillars and super-high end everything people. But we had looked at hundreds of houses online and walked though quite a few houses and this was the first house we found that had everything we needed with no major renovations needed. Because we were a little bit out of town we got more house and it was in our price range.
I'll be honest. It's still hard for me sometimes. The house, and its grandness doesn't really reflect who we are. It's the people inside that reflect what we value. We are choosing to live together, to care for each other and to help each other out. We are walking into a hard season and we are drawing each other close and walking through it together. That is why we are here. Not everybody is going to be able to see that. But sometimes I need to care a lot less about what I think other people might see.
Recently I bought my 3 year old a new bike. It was $6.99 at Goodwill, and it came with a working bell, AND a flashing red light. Can you believe it? Right! He couldn't either. He was soooo excited. I love to give gifts to my kids and watch their excitement.
Our house is a gift from God, and I am thankful for this gift, but I'm more thankful for the less tangible gift of what this house represents. This is a place where we can be together. My kids can enjoy their grandparents and my parents can enjoy their grand kids and we have enough space to make this season a joy and a blessing and not a constant hardship. I will not overlook that gift.
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