"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." ... James 1:17
*****
Tom's back home from his trip! He spent an enjoyable time with his mother and his sister's family, but didn't enjoy either stop at JFK airport (he never does) nor all the small planes he had to take or the way the sound was broken on the only two tv's on one plane whose screens he couldn't even see(of course he made comparisons to the individual tv screens on the backs of seats during his cushy international trips). The fajitas on one flight back were a pleasant surprise, though.
I tried not to roll my eyes through all of this.
But that proved especially hard when, before unlocking the car so to go to a doctor appointment this afternoon, he commented about our oh-so-glorious 68 degrees then said, "You know? We should go on vacation."
Vacation? Two weeks ago the man returned from seven weeks and a million hour (well...) flight from South Africa, then got home last night at 1:00 am from a quickie trip and 6 different planes across the continent to California. I just shook my head and told him, "Even after 35 years, I still don't understand you."
Isn't it remarkable how God enables us to love
*******
So here are my Happy Accident Shelves:
How great to find room for little things you'd considered hiding away in boxes. (And how great to order something you didn't even know you needed. heh.)
Which (oddly) reminds me: I listed 24 whole ways that Hobbit Cottage is better than our other suburb house, a.k.a. Autumn Cottage. Twenty-four ways! And Hobbit Cottage is even 700 square feet (approximately) smaller and in a---let's just say it--sadder-appearing neighborhood. But counting your blessings will always lead to surprises. I highly recommend it, especially when discontentment rears its pathetic head.
Now, I wasn't going to list the ways that Autumn Cottage was nicer, but you know? Yes, I'm going to do that. Why? So that I'll be challenged to creatively make here what we had there. That's always been a favorite sport of mine, keeps my imagination sharp and keeps me off the streets, as well. :)
*******
.... Uh-oh! For the sake of clarity (according to some comments I'm getting) a train vacation (the type we want) would be very complicated to take right about now because 1.) Tom doesn't yet know when his next trip to South Africa is--maybe October? November? December? Parts of all 3?, 2.) He'll need the weeks before the trip to prepare his lessons, etc. for it 3.) He used up lots of his vacation time to take this trip to California, not to mention 4.) Sammy still isn't eating the way he should, though he's doing better, but I couldn't leave him right now.
So this is definitely one of those 'one day at a time' type of things. A shorter trip could be do-able, but we really should go visit my mom in CA and--again--we want to go by train which requires some major time off. Driving vacations are out--the traffic back here makes me a bundle of nerves. Alas.
See? Complicated. Fortunately, day trips are still fun and do-able. :)
*****
Debra, I can't believe that you and I are having similar dilemmas. My hubby wants me to go along on a brief business trip and I'm thinking I'd rather stay at home. I really enjoy being home, and sometimes going away seems more of a bother than what it's worth. I'm going to pray about it, though. BTW, I'm catching up on your blog and the post before this one was a wake-up call for me. Thank you so very much!!
ReplyDeleteI love the shelves! Glad Tom is back home safe, I do not understand him wanting to go on vacation after all his traveling! 68 degrees sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteOh I think it's so wonderful that he thought of you and wants to take YOU. you should go. a vacation with you would not be like the other trips. I think you should go. LOL but I understand if you don't. I'm a home body too but a vacation with my hubby would sure be nice. and You could just drive. no planes LOL
ReplyDeletewhat airline did he fly? took me 4 planes to get from Pittsburgh to Tennessee on United. I was scared to death to do it all on my own but oh so glad I did. proved to myself that I could. Ann from facebook!
So happy that Tom is home safely once again! On the vacation subject, I think you should go!! You two could have a ball. It's fun to see different scenes from time to time... but I do understand the love of being HOME! I love to go on trips, but coming back is always sweeter! :-)
ReplyDeleteI would be soooo glad to be home and done with that "change a plane" trip!
ReplyDeleteYears back I thought about each home of a relative etc that I have felt so happy in. Why? What did it have I loved? Why did it make me feel so comfy and happy? Could I duplicate that in our current home? Should I try? {{ It also lead me to thinking about the special personalities of those relatives and how They themselves were the real magnet the real prize in their homes}} I listed several things I absolutely loved and worked to duplicate that small thing into this home. It completed the place for me I feel wrapped and hugged by remembrance of those dear people and that I too loved this 'look" Or this way of doing this or that in my home. I still have a few tweaks to do but when the time is right and God wills it they too will be added. No room additions or any building. Just the little touches that mean so much to me. I will forever be tweaking and changing this or that but these touches will remain as they are too good to change. Sarah