Creating a Home

               Within the last year our family of 4 made the leap and bought a home. A fixer upper if you will. It has been a journey in a half and I'm finally seeing a light at the end of this year long tunnel. We did all the demo our selves, took out a closet, a wall or two, and stripped the bathrooms clean to start a new. Mine and my husbands clothes haven't been in a closet or designated place in count them 16 months. That's 16 months of chaos. I would fold and put all the fresh laundry away to later find it all rummaged through. That my friends has been the most difficult of all my task.

                Other things remodeling has taught me. Kids are not the only thing that makes a house messy. Projects make everything in disarray for months on in. Having extra hands on deck for most projects meant an extra mess maker. Did I mention the 2 extra kiddos I help keep during the week so their mommas can work and not worry.

                 So after these lovely 16 months of chaos, I am officially in clean up mode. I did not have any clue how much junk we own. We have been married a short 11 years, I mean how much stuff could we really own. It is time for a massive "please buy our junk so it can become your junk" yard sale. We have not one, but two storage units full, not including the random stuff that has collected in my parents basement. We have very loving family, or my basement junk would of been yard sale material long ago. It's mostly furniture pieces we have been gifted that until now wouldn't fit in a 3 bedroom trailer, or a 2 bedroom townhouse.

                Now in clean up mode, I am making room or homes as I call it for all of our treasures, aka: junk. Everyone has those items that you think, "Did I really need this?". I feel like we have become the King and Queen of this in our short 11 years. How do we break the cycle of "buy all the things," I'm not completely sure, but I am almost sure it starts with, I can't eat this, it isn't going to provide shelter, and I have  enough clothes already. This mind set is not in check with western culture that says I need more to be more. Things are never going to make me happy.

                 Things never made the wisest man on earth happy. King Solomon did all the things, built all the stuff, and had all the wives. None of this made him happy or completed his life in some way. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon addresses our fleshly desire to go after folly, or toils. In chapter one He talks about how it has all been in vain.

                                             Ecclesiastes 1:16-17
                         "I said to myself, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge." And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after the wind.


                  The wisest man on earth thinks all the stuff he chased while on this earth was like chasing after the wind. Why chase after the wind, you nor I will ever catch it. We all fall prey to the if I have the next iPhone, or latest flat screen, newest car off the lot. I'll be happy, I'll be accepted. Who are we seeking acceptance from, the world? Where do we find our value from? Solomon ends the book of Ecclesiastes with a simple reminder that our CREATOR, our GOD is who matters in the end.

                                           Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
                            The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear GOD, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

                   Nothing matters if you are not a new creation in Jesus Christ. So I leave you with one question, "Who are you in Jesus?" For this is what matters. I don't have to be the lady with the husband and perfect kids living our perfect little life in our perfect house. I just need to be who I am called to be in Christ. For me this looks like: HELPMEET to my spouse, Mom to my kids, Teacher to my kids, and Babysitter for two other adorable kiddos I get to spend time with for the kingdom. Not any of this matters if I didn't have Jesus in my life to guide me first. I am not perfect, I have to check in with God daily and read his road map for my life (God's Word).