If I'll Just Keep Fixing Instead of Complaining ...

"The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied."   ... Proverbs 13:4

So this Hobbit Cottage of ours was meant to be temporary. 

Our 'farm window' was hurtling down grace-wise (toward the end, I gazed out over our acre of lawn and uh-oh! Nearly had a panic attack when I imagined mowing it forever). So we needed something smaller, quick; a stop-over place on our way to grander digs with a sane yard.

Well. Seven years later here we still are and oh, that Debra! She's embarrassed by how much she's complained.

"Man, this house has no storage. No built-ins."
"Where are we supposed to put our shoes when we step inside? The back entryway has not one spare inch."
"If only we had a coat closet!"
"We need a fireplace. It could be a focal point, a place to burn candles as well as keep us warm in emergencies."
"I need a bedroom door. I just do. This open loft doesn't keep the cats out when I want to be alone."
"There's absolutely no wallpaper hanging in this entire house."

On and on I whined. 

And then? I noticed something: nothing improved (including my attitude) and I only felt more defeated by this house, by its lack of practical (and fun) stuff.

Eventually, after detesting my lousy attitude, I made decisions: 

I'd try to stop whining about what I didn't have.
I'd ask God for determination. And creative ideas.
I'd begin fixing things.
I'd do only what I could manage, myself (weirdly, hiring professionals to help wasn't working)
I'd make this my Happy Place. 

So I began. And that's the hardest part: it's like you must first bust through a concrete wall.

But online I bought a 'gel fireplace', had it delivered and put half of it together myself (Tom helped. He didn't mind.) Loaded the mantle with antique white dishes and now burn candles in it each winter.

For our coats I bought two decorative cast-iron wall hooks/hangers.

After emptying a large kitchen drawer, we began placing our just-came-from-outside shoes in there.

I'd longed for small half-shelves for beside our kitchen sink to display knick-knacks so I bought some online and hung them up (see photo, above). For our office I bought similar, though larger ones for the wall above my computer.

I bought lots of white bookshelves cheaply from Walmart(Gee, I've learned much about assembling furniture here) then inserted them beneath our sloping walls upstairs to resemble built-ins.

Upstairs I created a tiny sleeping room from the closet which has one of our only 3 interior doors. (And it became my most-loved room decor-wise that I've tackled in 40 years.)

I hung bits of wallpaper in 4 rooms. 

I painted 4 walls. Hung lots of curtains, created beds and slipped shallow pull-out storage bins beneath the guest beds.

And more.

Now, has this taken money? Yes, it has--but less than you'd think. Also:

It's been spread out over 7 years. 
I've asked for gift cards for birthdays and Christmas and used those often.
Sometimes I've used my 'monthly allowance.' 
I use credit card rewards, also, especially to purchase hundreds of votive candles each winter.

Today's point? Complaining and self-pity, both, dry up our creative juices. With knots they tie us up and nothing changes. Nothing improves or gets completed or makes us more content in the doing and the beholding afterward.

Complaining (and please know I'm not just speaking of fixing a house here) isn't pleasing to the God who designed us to be oh-so-creative and always moving forward in a hope-infused, joyful obedience.

And that joy is available, but only if we refuse to whine--and instead--accept the creative challenge, first. And then start fixing what can be fixed...

... which isn't everything, of course. But which can still be much.

"I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]"   ... Philippians 4:13




“Start today creating a vision for yourself, your life, and your career. Bounce back from adversity and create what you want, rebuild and rebrand. Tell yourself it's possible along the way, have patience, and maintain peace with yourself during the process.” 
― Germany Kent



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I step beneath this tree on my way to the coffee shop and you know? Daily it has glowed, even on our many (many!) dark, cloudy mornings here lately.

And that's become my new goal. To glow even throughout the dark times.



"Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life..."   ... Philippians 2:14,15



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"Walk ... with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love." ... Ephesians 4:2


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