This House of Ours

a view from my chair

I sit in the house, our house, one that we have lived in for 13 years and 4 months.  The lights are off and I am sitting in the great room, where just a short time ago, was full of my siblings, and conversation.  And now my brother and sister in law are upstairs asleep, and my sweet man is downstairs.  I got the crepe batter ready to make crepes in the morning, and the white sauce made for the crepes.  Tomorrow we will begin making them for when our kids come.  

Tomorrow, Boxing Day is when we celebrate our Christmas this year.  We used to alternate when the guys were firefighting, so now we still do, And when Josh and Leah are at her parents, then that is when Ashley's kids are at their dads.  So tomorrow we look forward to being together to open gifts and just enjoy the family being together.

We are thinking that this will be the last Christmas in this house.  This time last year, the grandkids did not know that we would be selling, so they were apparently glad to have one more Christmas here.  For sure there will be pictures. Our house has not sold yet, and we took it off the market on Dec 1, and will relist in maybe Feb.  SO we can enjoy our house, and we really have been enjoying it.  

I am thinking of the house, and what it has seen in the last 13 and 1/3 years that we have lived here.  This ole house has:

• been Granny and Poppa's home for all of their lives.  This is what they have known and have jumped on the bed, thrown things from the bridge, and run races around the island.  My grandchildren have loved this space
• welcomed people we did not know when they came, and yet they left as friends
• heard the cries of our hearts
• also heard the symphony of praise that has come from our hearts and voices
• hosted many retreaters for sleepovers, but it has also hosted our grandchildren on overnights.  I will never forget the time that someone found Maverick's tippy cup tucked in between a couple pillows
• been full of hugs and kisses.  We have sung our grandbabies to sleep, kissed ow-ies and told stories
• the hot tub has been a great place to spend with our grandchildren, playing in the water, but also watching for shooting stars and satellites
• been a space for drinking coffee with our kids over good conversation.  I have loved the times when there are some unexpected coffee visits
• been a space where dreams are shared and plans are made
• also unfortunately been a space where shattered dreams have been shared
• been a refuge in many ways
• been infused with Holy Spirits presence and tangibly felt
• been covered with prayer from the start, and is still covered with prayer
• heard secrets shared and kept
• entertained our family over breakfast's, lunches and suppers too numerous to count
• entertained angels unaware as well
• hosted life groups and a very close "Sisters Loved By God" group, and continues to this day
• heard prayers offered on behalf of friends
• been so quiet as my QUIET TIME with Holy Spirit has happened daily
• been cleaned by a young woman who has become a sweet treasured friend
• seen us celebrate birthdays with our family as well as Christmas, New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving and well just LIFE together
• and even more .....

You see this house of ours has become a testament to the goodness of God to us and our family. We have gone through some hard things in our lives together, but one thing we know is that God is so faithful and even in the hardest of times, God is there with us. This house was built with the love of family. And it is with love that we are able to continue to meet for another Christmas, to share, and talk, and eat together, open gifts, share the WORD together, along with perhaps a mid aft snooze. 

We are glad that we were able to spend today with our siblings except for one brother.  We are glad that Tim and Jody could come from Kelowna and stay one last time here as this has been their home base since they moved.  We are glad that the laughter will permeate these walls.  

If these walls could talk, I believe they would talk about great joy, some sorrow, and a whole lot of love.

I wonder, once we have moved, and when the new person will one Christmas sit here in the silence, if they will be able to hear what has happened over the years.  

If I am quiet, and the sounds in my head cease ... I can imagine it.

And until the day that we are leaving, I will be thankful for all this house holds in love and memories.

Not everyone has those and so I am not taking them for granted.

Guess I should get downstairs now, as crepe making time will come soon enough.

Night John Boy (some of you may not know that reference lol)

I can almost see that ole house with the lights being turned off.

Guess mine needs to go off now too ~ Night.

with love

J