Thursday, July 14, 2016

Still Accepting. (Hey, These Things Take Time.)

"Keep your life free ...  be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”   ... Hebrews 13:5


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Many things got me through that mini mid-life crisis thing.

Whining and complaining did not help.  :)

In the quiet times of 'accepting acceptance', I worked on my sweet little bedroom upstairs, probably the best-loved room I've ever decorated/owned (which taught me much about myself and what I love).



I spray-painted the clothes hook thing, blue. Can you believe that's the only place I have for actually hanging my clothes? Not many women would stand for that and Tom should consider himself one fortunate husband, indeed. heh. 

I also painted the formerly-brown butterfly hook(above), white. (I do especially love the happy colors of that top shelf of books.)




Then, duh. After months of wishing for more book space, I finally thought to turn some blue shoe boxes the other way, creating space for double rows of books, one behind the other. Gee, was I excited about that (though, yes, a bit frustrated that it took me so long to think of it. I'm still processing, accepting, this ideas-coming-way-more-slowly-as-I-grow-older thing. Oh, how I used to be one quick, sharp, creative cooky--but no more).

But anyway--now that I've extra room, I can buy more books! 



Pro-activity. It helped me through what I needed to walk through.

Yet even with this room I adore, I still toy with moving someday. "I could always redecorate another room exactly the same," I reason. "One a bit bigger and with an actual window(!)" But it's looking like we're not meant to move. Details, details--I'll spare you. 

And of course, I could choose being bummed-out because, next month, we'll have lived at Hobbit Cottage for 5 years (can you believe that?) and this was meant only as a temporary place and Naomi is here which was never part of the tiny-house-plan and both Tom and I doubt (more highly than we dare admit) that we have the physical strength to ever move again and do we really wish to dip into our hard-earned savings, anyway, or start making house payments again?

--Or--

I could keep making the conscious choice to do this, below, another passage taken from Bubbly On Your Budget: How to Live Luxuriously With What You Have:


 It's very easy to settle back and say you can't afford whatever it is that's on your mind, thereby giving yourself an excuse for being thoroughly miserable. But however much you may enjoy this state, it's pretty tiresome to everybody else and never gets you anywhere. You'll come out much better in the end if you study ways and means, and throw in a little imagination."


Yes, and throw in acceptance and contentment, as well. How much better when we choose those, to swim to their deeper levels. And then, down the road, wake up, gaze around, and behold the imaginative, colorful place which, otherwise, would never have existed. Except for us--and acceptance.

That, also, is cool.











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“It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” 
― Dale CarnegieHow to Win Friends and Influence People



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Now, this was spiffy. Remember Mike Wolfe of American Pickers? Here's a link to photos of the home he shares with his wife and daughter. I'm usually not a fan of so much white, but it totally works at their house. Love, love the old-fashioned phone booth!


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4 comments:

Judy said...

Oh Debra! I SOOO understand about turning the shoe boxes sideways. I miss things like that all the time now.
I once asked a friend where she got the giant bowl her potato salad was in. She answered: It's just the Tupperware cake-taker turned upside down.
The.
Tupperware.
Cake-taker.
Turned.
Upside.
Down.

Betsy said...

I want so much to move to a smaller house, but want to stay in our neighborhood. Each time a house comes up for sale, it's gone in 1-2 days. And I agree, just the thought of packing up and moving sets me into a "dither". So. Much. Stuff. I want my own little space. I think that's why I like the camper so well. It's tiny and it's decorated just how I like it.
Blessings,
Betsy

Pam said...

It's so interesting that many of us who are nearing retirement age, are thinking along the same lines: building, downsizing, moving, upgrading or downgrading our homes. Our homes are such important places--and as we age, we spend more and more of our hours at home. I want to encourage you, Debra, and your readers, that we need to keep on dreaming and planning for our future. If it's meant for us to make changes, the Lord will supply the resources we need. BTW, I still love your charming little room, Debra!

Debra said...

Judy--thanks for letting me know you go through the same things--and thanks for making me laugh and feel great! :)

Betsy--how fun to have a camper, too! I'd enjoy decorating one of those. I so know what you mean about so much stuff. Oh my. Us, too. :)

Pam--I'm glad you like my little room! I'm so in love with it, actually, and it's greatly helped me be more content here. For now I'm just looking at houses online for ideas for my own home. It just hasn't felt right looking to buy. Maybe someday, though, when its God's timing, not just mine. :)

Thanks so much, Ladies! Blessings, Debra