Home Sweet Home

"Never be ashamed of your home. 

 And never let your circumstances stop you from offering hospitality." 

 Author Unknown

I read this on a blog tonight and must admit it hit home.  I have not been too hospitable lately.  Between being consumed with foster care visits, then a huge downsizing and messy house, and now a small apartment (still messy).  I have not had too many people over.

Last week, we sold our couches and last night we sold our table and chairs...we needed to borrow a folding table and chairs from the church so we could eat dinner tonight.  I have gotten rid of most of my glass dishes...so now we use paper of plastic dishes.

Of course, noone wanted their picture taken...

I must admit...it is a little tough for me.  Serving my family dinner on a dirty looking table...after fixing dinner in a way too small kitchen.  Our kitchen was designed for two roommates who barely cook...not a family.

But here we are...3 weeks away from putting our stuff in storage...and living out of suitcases.  I feel like I need to pack...but really can't pack anything else yet.  Here is our bare living room...well, bare of furniture.  We have one office chair that we fight over to sit.  We really just hang out in our bedrooms now.  It is more comfortable.  I didn't have a couch or table to fold laundry on today and last night, so yep, it is stacked here on the boxes.

Honestly, I am ready to live with people for a little while. To have a couch to relax on.  A yard for my kids and dog to run in. To spend time with our friends and family before we leave.  I'm ready.

Oh, and I opted out of getting our apartment exterminated because of a million and one reasons...so, all the bugs from the whole building are running to our apartment!!!  Just more preparation for the mission field, right?

This week I am picking up a friends baby after preschool and will watch her for a little while.  Good reason to clean tomorrow.  A friend came and used the kids bathroom on Saturday when I was gone...oh, so embarassing.  I clean it every Monday....but it just gets so dirty.  I really miss our little vanity bathroom downstairs in the house...it stayed fairly clean.

I think sometimes we go through things...and then we begin to appreciate what we had.  I am not saying I am stuck in the past.  I was thankful for my house.  I really was.  I loved it.  It was my dream house.  And I tried to take very good care of it.  But now that I am in the apartment, I really appreciate it more.  I am looking forward to our home in Belize.  Specificly the one we already found.  I look forward to people living with us.  That is nothing new.  We have had people live with us over the years.  I look forward to it being a place that students come and find Christ.  I look forward to our friends and families coming to visit us.

This journey has been like nothing I have ever been on before.

But I think it is preparation.  Preparing me to use our home in Belize as a place of hospitality.  That I may not be able to offer all the things I could in America, but that I can make it a place of peace.

This morning, we visited one of our supporting churches.  It was very enjoyable.  The pastor shared about miracles on Missions trips.  And why that doesn't happen like that here in America.  Because when you live in a shack and have no money to feed your children, you turn to God a little more...and when you can't run to the doctor or hospital all the time...you see healings more.  It is true.  I am looking forward to that in Belize.  I look forward to sharing amazing stories here on this blog of what God does.

Have a good night...and enjoy relaxing on your couch...for me:)