Full of Friends

I love our house. God has blessed us with a great home in a good neighborhood. We have a big backyard (that still needs a lot of work) and some great extra space in our garage.

Sometimes I am not sure why I love our house so much. TO be honest, it's nothing grand to look at. It's a yucky brown color on the outside that we keep saying someday we will re-paint. It's only 3 bedrooms with 1 bathroom (that will be fun when the kids get older) and it's wood floors need a really good "re-do". The roof is old, and some of the fixtures are outdated and sometimes it's "smallness" makes feel claustrophobic. Plus, the fact that we are on a "busier" street drives me bonkers when it's 95 degrees outside, the windows are wide open and the cars with BIG motors stop and turn down the street all the while I am trying to listen to my important tv show.

But I still love it. And here is why.....

Last night, as i was once again laying fetal on my bed, our good friends that our extremely generous, delivered a beautiful new couch to our home. Now, when I say new, I mean "new to us" but it looks almost brand new to me. It's a kind of couch we have been desiring since we moved into our house, but since our trust fund isn't plush, it' s not high on the priorities list. My dear friend had just gotten a new couch and asked us if we wanted theirs. My heart leaped. I LOVED their couch but never in a million years (or at least until our kids were college age) thought we could purchase such a beautiful couch. Of course I said yes. and last night they brought it over. I was so happy when they came over. Happy for the new couch, but also happy because of the squeal of delight from my children when they saw their kids. The squeal screamed "REAL PLAYMATES cuz mommy's boring right now!" and they ran off to play Coconut Coconut in the backyard. But after they helped us configure the couch and left to go home, Paul and I sat on our new couches in a revered silence. I was looking around and noticing why I love our house so much.

Paul put it into words a few moments later.

Almost everything in our house has been given to us. We went from room to room and named each piece and the wonderful friends or family it came from. I even thought of our remodeled bathroom and garage and how that was given to us in time and sweat. I think there might be 3 pieces of furniture that we have purchased and the rest have been a gift. Our house is full of "love and generosity" and it's such a warm wonderful feeling. As I walk through my home on a daily basis, I am reminded of those I love as I use the precious gift that has been given. I thank God for them and say a prayer for them as I sit, sleep, watch TV, jump, take a shower, organize, or put laundry away. All these things remind me of how much i love them, and how much they love me. It reminds me of God's goodness and provision in my life. It reminds to give freely and expect nothing in return.

That's why I love my home. It may not be decorated with the newest and most updated electronics or furniture, but it's filled with something far better.........