Do You Need A Better Plan?

Maybe I should just say, I need a better plan.

Okay, okay. I just need a plan. A plan for the morning. I don’t have one. Well - wait – unless you count the one about boiling the water for my morning French-pressed wake up elixir. Straight up. Black. Strong.

Yeah, I should have more of a plan than -

1. Get up.
2. Boil water.
3. Make coffee.
4. Drink coffee.
5. Don't burn mouth.

After I get the coffee down, it’s pretty much haphazard. What does haphazard actually mean, anyway?

Haphazard:

happening or done in a way that has not been planned

synonyms include: random, hit-or-miss, slapdash, jumbled, careless, irregular,

all over the place (haha – very funny)

Ouch. Guilty as charged. And sorry I asked.

You know, I used to be an organized person. When the kiddos were young and still at home, it seems I accomplished so much more. And I know I had a plan for each and every day. What happened?

When It's Hard to Not Look Back

Does so much of the past year beg to be forgotten? Never to be thought of again? 

Swept under the rug. Thrown out with the garbage. Burned. Buried.

...in someone else’s yard.

 ...in a land far, far away.

But, it can’t be truly forgotten. To be truly forgotten would be as if it never happened. However, it cannot be treated as if it never happened, because it has shaped us for the rest of our lives. The hurt, the sadness, the loss, the grief, the anger – no – rage, the loneliness, the emptiness. And the scariest of them all, hopelessness.

I don’t know about you, but it was the hopelessness that threatened to pull me under more than any of the other emotions.

What the past year can be is:
• forgiven
• learned from
• redeemed

I was blown away by a quick look online for the definition of redeem. Want to see it?

Of Playing Dress Up and Forgetting Not to Blink

There have been so many years of watching my four girls play dress up. Daughters transformed into princesses simply by putting on a discarded lacy slip or a costume. Tangled hair yanked into submission under the authority of a sparkling headband. A little bit of blush. A touch of lip gloss and let the twirling begin.

It didn't matter there was neither music nor prince. The girls would primp and dance and giggle all for the joy of simply being what they were – little girls playing dress up.

Tonight brought a different kind of dress up. This one was not pretend. One sister a bride.

Wanted: More Grace, More Peace

This post has been unwritten in my brain for weeks - no - months. And it's part of the reason why I haven't written much this winter.

You know how when you are supposed to say something, but you don't, then the thing you're trying not to talk about won't ever leave your mind?

Why haven't I written about it? Because it's my sadness and my emotion and my struggle. It's too much about my life, too personal, and I have trouble talking about those things.

However, I realize it's not so much my sadness I need to tell you, but rather God's word and comfort to me. To you. So....,

What To Do When the Thing You Didn't Want to Happen Happens 

(probably the longest title ever for a devotion )

When our oldest daughter and her husband excitedly told us they wanted to move to another state, another city three hours away AND take our grandchildren with them I was less that pleased. Honestly, I was speechless and hurt. We are a close family, get along better than most, and our lives are happily entwined. Why would they want to leave?

However, they felt the call of God and made the necessary preparations. A job was found in the new city that "just so happened" to have a branch in our area, so Patrick could transfer whenever they sold their house. The house went on the market, was sold after several months, then they found a lovely house close to his work. For the most part, things just fell into place. It's hard to argue with the call and provision of God on someone else's life...no matter how it might make you feel.

When their house sold days before Thanksgiving last year, it was a done deal. They were definitely moving away.

Facing the inevitable, my heart was broken. I had to ask God, "Okay, how am I supposed to be? How can I do this? I need to - I want to - help, but the thought of them all moving away makes me incredibly sad to the point of feeling sick."

My kind, heavenly Father's word back to me was, "Be like David." That's all. Just be like David.

Be like David? Be like David? My mind rapidly scanned countless Old Testament stories of King David and stopped at this one - when what he didn't want to happen happened.

His little son was sick. Very, very sick. David prayed. He cried out to God. He fasted. Continually night and day for a week. His servants were worried for his own health, but he sent them away. After a time, the report came. His son was dead.

Baffling everyone, David got up, washed, changed his clothes, went to the tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. Returning home, he asked for food and ate. When questioned about his actions he replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:22-23 NLT)

Basically, David simply made the effort to move on even though the very thing he asked God to prevent from happening happened.

This realization filled me with a level of peace in our situation that I hadn't known before. David moved on. I needed to move on and stop thinking about myself. God's grace enabled me to put a smile on my face, listen to their excitement, and not burst into tears. It was settled, the house was sold, and they were going to leave town. I was still sad to see them go, but no longer crippled with depression. I was able to face my daughter and son-in-law with a glad heart and willingness to help them accomplish their goal.

Part of helping them accomplish their goal meant they lived with us while they were between houses. Yes, their house here in town was sold, but they didn't have a house to move to! Oh, and did I forget to mention, their baby was due three weeks after the first of the year?

To make a long story short:

• They closed on their house here in town two days after Christmas and moved in with us a few days later.
• They closed on their new house on the baby's due date, January 18.
• Baby was born one week later (a thrilling home water birth!), January 26.
• The next weekend, my mom and I went to their new house to paint and clean.
• We helped them move to their new home two weeks after the baby was born. They had lived with us six weeks.

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. 

My power works best in weakness.” 

So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, 

so that the power of Christ can work through me. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

God is faithful. When I chose His way rather than despair, I received more grace to do what needed to be done. When I admitted my complete inability to handle the situation, God gave me the strength to not only help my kids, but be an example for others.

May God give you more and more grace and peace 

as you grow in your knowledge of 

God and Jesus our Lord. 

2 Peter 1:2 NLT

Yes, thank you, I will take it. How about you? Could you use more and more of God's grace and peace in your life? When have you experienced His help in a difficult situation?

December In A Nutshell

I had such aspirations for December....

Oh well, let's not dwell on it, okay? Here's a few little updates.

Early in the month I visited my mom and we found ourselves in Warsaw, MO. Ohhhh - the shops, the food, the small town sights, the sunset! Lovely!

Isn't this a stunning painted lady?

I have a faint memory of driving over this swinging bridge while on a family trip to the Ozarks when I was a little girl.

This side table begged to come home with me. At only six bucks,  how could I say no? It just needs a bit of love!

This was the view Mom and I enjoyed at the end of our visit to Warsaw....

Sometimes -
no 
words 
are 
needed....

Here's my first try at chalkboard art on my newly installed magnetic chalkboard in the kitchen. I figured I better get a picture of it quick before I erase it for a New Year's message.












The sunroom has carpet!! Yea - it's like a real room now! 

Not only that, but the first snow of the season came the same day!

Christmas was family-full and happy.

 Best wishes to you and yours!

Wake Up, Sleepyhead!

31 Days of Order - Day 10

I knew it would come up sooner or later. Guess today's the day.

Source

I was minding my own business, catching up on other blogs and BOOM. There it was. Becoming More Productive by Reengineering Your Morning Ritual by Michael Hyatt. Listen to it. It's good.

My morning ritual. Oh, I have a ritual, all right. It's easy and cozy. It's mine. Wake up when I do. Start the water for my coffee press. Feed the cats. Start the computer. Drink my coffee in front of the computer. Start school with Silas after he gets up and has breakfast. My morning ritual is extremely relaxed and just plain lazy. Consequently, it sets the tone for the rest of my day.

Gone are the days when the kiddos wake me at the crack of dawn to make them breakfast. Everyone who lives in the house right now is self-sufficient. I am privileged to enjoy freedom in my schedule I have longed for and only dreamed of 10 - 20 years ago.

The blog title grabbed my attention. "Becoming More Productive...." I want - need - a higher level of productivity and know my morning routine is feeding the opposite.

Listening intently to Mr. Hyatt's podcast, his instruction and example resonated with my desire to bring more order to my life.

Let the reengineering of my morning ritual begin. This is going to be fun!

What does your morning routine look like? Are you happy with it or is there room for improvement? 

* * * * * * * * * * *

Quick project updates....the kitchen corner clutter is being tamed and the cat re-training has begun. So far, so good.

* * * * * * * * * * *

This post is part of my 31 Days of Order series. See the rest of the posts here. 

To find other bloggers also writing for 31 Days this month on a variety of topics, click here.

Linking to....

Happy 1st Blog-iversary to Me!

31 Days of Order - Day 4

Source

Has it really been one year already? One year ago today we signed the contract on our house and one year ago today I took a deep breath and clicked "Publish" on my first official post. I had to laugh, though, when I realized it wasn't my first actual post. (There is a difference in official and actual.) 

The very first was October 2, 2011, in which you will find me begging - ahem - politely asking all my Facebook friends to please, please, please follow my new blog. I was both thrilled and terrified.

This has been a year of hard work, blessing, frustration, great joy, sorrow, and humility. We have seen the faithfulness and goodness of God over and over again. Here's a list: 

• October, 2011 - closed on the house, worked on the house
• November, 2011 - worked on the house some more, found out we were going to be grandparents again, planted my grandma's peonies, brought home our outdoor kitties, celebrated Thanksgiving with the family
• December, 2011 - worked furiously on the house, were told our unborn grandchild wasn't alive - BUT GOD...., moved in the 17th, celebrated Christmas, took a little break.
• January, 2012 - put up my bookcases, cried as God closed the door on the arts organization I worked with, cried as my family grieved the death of one of my brothers, cried and prayed some more upon learning my step-mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. If you prayed for us during this month, I am grateful to you.
• February, 2012 - worked on the old house, put it on the market.
• March and April, 2012 - no house projects to speak of during these months. The previous 5 months were so packed I couldn't bring myself to start anything new. However, it was my privilege to direct our church's Easter play. I really needed that.
• May, 2012 - worked on the old house for our buyer(!), sold the old house, worked on the kitchen, Brian started assembling the sunroom, and we graduated our daughters from high school.
• June, 2012 - celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary, got new blacktop, worked more on the sunroom, updated the downstairs bathroom.
• July, 2012 - helped my daughter decorate her baby's nursery, our 6th grandchild was born, stage managed a show, my step-mom finished cancer treatments (she is cancer free - Praise the Lord!)
• August, 2012 - I think I didn't do much of anything. :-) Oh, wait, I remember - we got ready for and started school.
• September, 2012 - I continued my break from projects, Brian worked more on the sunroom. I need to take some pictures. It's almost finished!!!

Which brings us 'round to October again. My head is reeling after going back through my posts and summarizing our year. I know the Lord has been leading us and providing for our every need. It has been a year of trusting, seeking, and following God's plan. He is Faithful and True.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; 

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

Source

If you can stand one more paragraph of stats, I want to mention the sites that have referred the most readers to my blog. First on the list is Facebook, which means so many personal friends are clicking through to my blog and sharing the link when you see I have posted something new. I am humbly grateful to you for your support.

Next are a handful of blogs where I have linked articles and other readers have come over from their sites. They are Nesting Place, A Holy Experience, Homestories A to Z, FiveDees, BlogHer, and Remodelaholic.

Thank you for the traffic, Friends!

How have you experienced the faithfulness of God in your life in the last year? 
Have you been reading my blog, but never commenting? Will you take a minute and say "Hello" today? I would enjoy hearing from you. If you are reading from your inbox or a reader simply click the title of this post to come over to the blog and join the conversation. Thanks!

* * * * * * * * * * *

This post is part of my 31 Days of Order series. See the rest of the posts here. 

To find other bloggers also writing for 31 Days this month on a variety of topics, click here.

31 Days of Order

Thank you for looking in on me during 
31 Days 2012.

Click the links to read entries for various days! 

Day 1 - Monday: Where It's Morning All Day Long

Day 2 - A Space of My Own

Day 3 - Order Up! A Kitchen Project

Day 4 - Happy 1st Blog-iversary to Me!

Day 5 - That Darned Litter Box
Day 6 - Order in the Cabinets
Day 7 - Watching My Step
Day 8 - Finding the Marvelous in the Mundane
Day 9 - Procrastination is a Four-Letter Word
Day 10 - Wake Up, Sleepyhead
Day 11 - In Order - One Right After Another
Day 12 - Why Am I Running?
Day 13 - Just for the Fun of It
Day 14 - Wise Words for Today
Day 15 - When Things Get Out of Order
Day 16 - Made for Order
Day 17 - Kitchen Corner Update
Day 18 - Friends Keep Me in Line
Day 19 - Think I'll Just Sit A Spell
Day 20 - Planning and Trusting
Day 21 - Doing the Hard Thing
Day 22 - Kitchen Corner Reveal
Day 23 - Just Say "No!"
Day 24 - Old Cat, New Trick?
Day 25 - Do the Next Thing
Day 26 - Painted Nightstand
Day 27 - Finishing
Day 28 - One Formula Doesn't Fit All
Day 29 - Did You See the Moon?
Day 30 - 
Day 31 - Get Out of Your Pit!

Starting Monday, October 1, 

I will join hundreds of bloggers 

who are writing every day. 

The amazing hostess of this event is

The Nester.

I hope you will check out her blog if you aren't already familiar with her.

Everyone has chosen a topic.

Mine? Order.

You know, order as opposed to, say,

disorder.

Understand this - I don't claim to be an expert, but I have a craving. 

Do you ever get to a point where you just can't do anything else until you straighten up your surroundings? Yeah, that's me right about now. I need order in the house, in the yard, in my calendar, my diet, my routine. I have projects I'd like to start and/or finish, but I can't do it until I have some order! Can I get an amen? (My hubby will probably comment on the blog for the first time ever over this topic. Love you, Honey!)

During the next 31 days at A House and Yard I will begin my quest for order and (hopefully) you will read along and (ideally) be inspired to take action with me. See you Monday!

--Calista

p.s. I'm kind of nervous about this project and am forcing myself to post my intention so I don't chicken out. I even made my own little button up there. Isn't it cute?

Starting Ugly

Writing challenge: Day 7 - Great Writers Start Ugly

Ack! Is there any doubt? That's why I hate starting, because it's ugly. The process is brutal and puts one on a whole new level of vulnerability.

Hello! This is me starting something new. 

Please pardon my mess whilst I figure out exactly what it is I am doing.

• Writing projects are messy. Page after page of handwritten notes get scribbled through and rewritten.
• Remodeling projects are messy. Deconstruction must happen before reconstruction.
• Personal projects are messy. Day-to-day gets backed up while making way for change.

I have seen the painful labor and exertion and miserable business which God has given 

to the sons of men with which to exercise and busy themselves. 

Ecclesiastes 3:10 AMP

Why, oh why, do I put myself through it? Because I can't help it. I have to start. We are made to start. Our Creator God made us creative, gives us ideas, and compels us to start. I don't know about you, but I'm most  unsatisfied when I'm not starting something I've been told to start. (Sorry - I've just said start a ridiculous number of times in one very small paragraph. See? Ugly, right?)

But God...

He has made everything beautiful in its time. 

He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds 

[a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages 

which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], 

yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 AMP

I am eternally grateful that God, Who tells me to get moving, also sees me through each and every step. It gets beautiful over time. He is faithful to His promises and He will do it.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to be glad 

and to get and do good as long as they live.

Ecclesiastes 3:12 AMP

Kind of makes the ugly part of starting seem beautiful, doesn't it?

Well, almost.


Linking to Word Filled Wednesdays and

 

The One Scary Thing

There has been a recurring theme for me lately. Do the scary thing! 

Look that scary thing smack in the face and conquer it by getting it over with. 

The one scary thing for me is to form (or perhaps more accurately, form again) the habit of writing every day. I used to write every day, but haven't for some time now. No excuses, just got out of the habit. So, why is it scary to start again?


As a kid I was on the swim team at our YMCA, but I can remember some mornings sitting in the parking lot with my mom waiting for me to hop out of the car because I was scared to go in. Or, there was the time I was invited to go play at a friend's, but was scared to walk there because between me and her house was a backhoe working in another yard along the way. Speaking in front of a group of people was terrifying , but I had to do it in school.


All of these situations have something in common. Once I got there I was okay. I loved swimming with the team. My friend and I had a great time playing together. I actually found that I was pretty good at public speaking and began to enjoy it. There are so many more examples.


So, what exactly is so scary to me about writing every day? What is the fear? This list is probably going to be pretty lame, but here goes.

1. I don't know what to write about.
2. My husband's going to complain I'm spending too much time at the computer.
3. People won't like what I have to say - or worse yet, they won't even care.
4. I'm not any good.
5. It's going to take too much time and I'll get behind on my "real work." (Whatever that is!)
6. Why am I doing this, anyway?
7. ......Okay, enough of this. It IS pretty lame, isn't it?

I have answers to all of these.

1. Write about anything that comes to mind.
2. Actually talk to my husband about why I am doing this. He'll understand. Surely. :-)
3. Who cares?
4. Oh, I'm alright.
5. There are probably a few things I could cut from my schedule to make room for writing.
6. Because I am a writer.

Here is the plan. I will write every day. The challenge is to get up earlier and write in the morning. To be honest, I've never tried that before. Nighttime has always been my preference, but there are so many excellent reports from people who claim morning is the best time, I'm going to give it a try. There may not be a blog post every day, but you can be sure there will be more posts if I'm writing every day. This will be incentive for me to get those projects rolling so I'll have some things to show you.

I started this blog because I wanted a reason to write again. The new house and yard gave me the desire to write again. Am I really a DIY'er? I wasn't before, but I am becoming one. Thanks to so many other great blogs I've been reading, I have a list of ideas a mile long. 

There are still projects to start; some that need to be finished. 

There is life to be lived and good to be done. 

There are words to write and people to encourage.

I am grateful for the challenge.

I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:4 NASB

I am linking with:

Next Step: House For Sale

Once the dust settled after moving, Brian began working on the old house getting it ready to sell. It went on the market last Thursday.


Earlier that week I spent some time putting the finishing touches on a few things and meeting with our realtor (and friend) for pictures and necessary paperwork.


Throughout this whole process I've had friends ask me, is it sad to leave your house? The house that you guys built? The house that you brought home three out of five babies to? The house that you lived in for over twenty-one years? The house where you have good friends and playmates in the neighborhood? Not to mention the best mechanic ever right across the street!


So many people asked me these questions, I was starting to wonder if something was wrong with me because I wasn't sad. Obviously, there is a bittersweet part to it all, but sad - no. However....


To everyone who asked me, I want to let you know I finally had my emotional moment.  Isn't it funny how these things will sneak up on you unawares at times? My moment came as I watched my realtor friend pierce the soil with the for sale sign. Suddenly, I found myself choking on lungs that had jumped up into my throat. I blinked back tears as I realized this was it. We are giving someone else permission to buy our home. Strangers will let themselves in, walk through, and scrutinize. The home we built. The home where we raised our kids.


Just to put this into perspective, my moment only lasted about five seconds and I didn't command my friend to remove the sign from our yard. It's good to know that we are in a new season and to acknowledge that God has provided and guided us to where we are now. The home we are leaving will be a blessing to somebody else as it was a blessing to us.


And now, as a pictorial tribute, here are few of my favorite things about the home we are leaving behind....

We're leaving behind our mark in the driveway. (Only had two kids in June, 1990.)

These two rocks came out of the hole we dug for the basement.
Our friend used the backhoe to move and stack them in the front.

The weeping mulberry tree came from my friend's house. She hated it and was going to get rid of it.
I loved it, so our husbands dug it up and replanted it for me in the front next to the rocks.
It was only about 4 feet tall at the time. It now stands a proud 12 feet high!

Every year we had two pair of cardinals nest in the weeping tree.
In fact, we saw the males when we were there a couple days ago.
They must have been nesting, because they sure did complain while we
were standing the front yard.

I'll miss the custom cabinetry that was made by our friend's dad. I stained and polyed every piece of wood in that house. 
But, not so much the peach countertops - what can I say?
It was 1990 and we didn't have a ton of money. :-)

Now that he doesn't have to spend so much time back at the other house, 

Brian started messing around in the yard last weekend.

We're now ready for a nice, safe bonfire.

Silas and his friend, Cameron, drove the mower & trailer around the yard gathering rocks for the border.

There's lots of wood left for this.....

Source

Isn't that cool? We need a path from the front to the back of the shed and 

I'm thinkin' this might just do the trick.

Bookcases and Other Stuff

This post could easily be titled "Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, Part 2," but decided against it.  


Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted in a couple weeks.  I had every intention of doing so last week, because I have been working on my bookshelves and am excited to show them to you.  Here they are just after arranging and painting the backs.  I have added some simple decorative trim and filled them up!  More on that in the next day or two.

However, we received some difficult news last week that required travel, lots of family time, and time for me to process.  I wasn't sure if I would talk about it in this space or not.  I mean, I know I can write about whatever I want, but I just wasn't sure how personal I wanted to get on this blog.  


Let me just say that during this extremely trying time, the Lord has been evident.  Things that needed to be taken care of were accomplished with relative ease and we were guided by some very understanding and helpful people wherever we went.  Our family is comforted and we are making adjustments.  The Lord is near.

If you are a pray-er, we welcome your prayers.  And thank you in advance.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes....

The last week flew by in a flurry of activity.  

Isn't it funny how life's rhythm beats chaotically at times,

 carrying us along almost against our will.  

The "must do's" overtaking the "want to do's."  

Last week I had to do something difficult.  For the last decade, I have been involved with an arts organization as an actress, singer, stage manager, assistant director, writer and office manager.  It was my privilege to work with and be taught by some extremely talented people in the process.  We performed in churches, on streets, in homeless shelters, libraries, nursing homes, schools and a couple show seasons in an historic movie theatre.

Last week, we had to close.  The board of the organization decided to shut it down.  It was a shock -- but not.  Finances were tough.  Worse than tough.  Years of accumulation had to be packed and moved, or displayed to be sold.  

For those of us deeply involved in this organization it was an extremely emotional task.  How do you just stop doing something all of a sudden and move on when you've been doing it for so long?

My friend, mentor, and our fearless leader said that it feels like she'll never do theatre again.  My response was that "never" is a very long time.  

I know that many people the last several years have been faced with losing a job, having to change careers, or been forced into a life-change for one reason or another.  Questions about the future dominate the thoughts.  It appears dark.

While considering these things, my reading last night took me to Psalm 112.  Verse four reads, in part:

Light arises in the darkness for the upright....

Light arises.  The dawn comes.  His mercies are new.  The Light.  Jesus.  God's Word.

There is hope.  We are not alone in this journey.

For this fact I am truly grateful.

How have you been encouraged to carry on when the future seems dark?