Ed has been helping me out with my technical issues and today we seem to be back in business. I’m getting used to my new Chromebook. My old one couldn’t even be updated for the past three years, and it was getting ridiculous. Some things weren’t working at all anymore, some things required $ to fix. It was looking pretty grim for my dear old device.
He found a cheap new one for me. It’s more than adequate. I’m thankful.
Our basement, which is old, and very wet, has been a source of garbage too. All the wood in the basement had rotted, and now it is all being replaced with tile and metal reinforcements.
The waterproofing people had delivered a dumpster and we worked to get all the moldy old stuff into it late one night.
More issues were found with the house, so the professionals will be back next spring to continue their work. After that I hope to get a tile floor (problem free!) laid and finish whatever walls I can to make a space (dry!) for Ed to work his new job from home.
This whole project will have taken almost a year and a half to complete. We will see. New septic plumbing from house to tanks, (major digging outside!–and inside) new bathroom downstairs, new drain in the basement floor, new water softening system, waterproofing. Finishing work. All this from water.
Mold and mildew banishment. Sump pump installed. Foundation reinforcement.
It has been epic.
But the garbage must be thrown out. We need to live in a safe place. Old places need updating!
Even on the days when I am most discouraged I can look out at the beautiful fields around me, here on the old family farm, and praise God. I am so blessed to have such beauty surrounding me.
I am blessed to have my mom nearby, Cherie here (and happy at the University, too!), Ed close enough to work here at Corgi Hollows on occasion.
My house guests have been extremely tolerant this past year of upheaval. Everything from that downstairs library was moved upstairs. We have navigated our lives around thousands of books.
As a teacher, who studied children’s literature in college, I have had the blessing of collecting old classic books for children, over the decades of teaching, at used book sales or even sometimes online to complete a collection. I’m probably going to sell the most valuable ones sometime soon.
I love to give classic books to kids at the school where I substitute. I have found them for less than a dollar at thrift stores and I just wish kids would read them instead of vampire lit or the current popular garbage turned out for school libraries. The fiction almost always deals with dark themes.
Downtime at school, when kids say they have finished all their work but the class time is still designated for a specific assignment, can be an issue for a difficult student. I love having a book to GIVE in my bag. They will often say “I don’t have a book.” So Mrs. G snatches one out of the air—“This is the BEST book! You’ll love it! It’s about…”
It’s so rewarding when a student finds me later and tells me how much they loved the book!
Garbage out, good stuff in.
Life has been hard lately, but I’ve seen some incredible blessings. My married daughter has a new family member. It’s a story, (not mine) and it’s wonderful, and we can be excited about it.
Reconciliation continues in key relationships in my life. It’s a process. God is working things out for good.
That does not dismiss the pain and the loss. Not everything has been “fixed,” and some things never will be able to be fixed. They are past. Reconciling with what has been lost forever is a daunting undertaking. This can spark my deep sadness and bouts with depression.
But God.
I see His provision, His direction, His hope. I see His love and His care. I see His husbandry in my widowed state. He does care.
There are days when I still feel punished by God, and I cry out for mercy. Arguments against this perception are moot. I feel it.
We all know emotions are untrustworthy. They simply exist, though. God made them in us. The Bible infers that God has them too. Not arguing that point here, but it is interesting.
There are days I feel punished.
As a believer I am required to go to the Holy Spirit and confess my sin–daily–and ask God to create in me a pure heart. Jesus took the punishment for my sin. Yet there is still garbage in my life.
Accusations, mistakes, meanness, poor decisions, annoyances, irritations, being taken advantage of, loss—all of these are part of my daily life. Some days just feel like punishment.
Those are the days I want to “fortress” the most. RETREAT!!!!
But I have hope in a day coming, the Harpazo, (Greek) and know that this hard and lonely life will be over here for me. The punishment ends.
I worked at the hotel last night (on Thanksgiving) and I observed grateful people and punished people. I work again tonight, and will observe the same…
The decision to be grateful lies within myself. I can choose to be grateful to God for EVERYTHING, including the punishments.
It’s garbage day today. What mental garbage can I pitch? The devil’s false accusations, for starters. That’s always a great place to begin.
Looking for Jesus.
And a belated Happy Thanksgiving to all my dear readers! May this onset of ADVENT be a blessing to you this 2024, and may we welcome 2025 with happy hearts.
If the rapture doesn’t happen I should be back writing through this special season.
MARANATHA!