Spring Updates: House

Okay, I am lousey in the 'blog' department. My apologies for my faithful readers out there. Last time I posted was on February 4th and now it is March 19th. Lousey, I say, lousey! I have no excuse because there has plenty to write about. I'll attempt to catch you up on the McCall family events (with more to come, I promise).

Seeing how I don't have children to fill with my blog site, I will tell you about the one I am nurturing, growing and pouring myself into :) ...

My House:
Artie and I have officially began to focus our attention on our yard. We haven't done a thing up until this point. I believe the last freeze is behind us, so I took the plunge (or should I say PAID the price - yard stuff ain't cheap!) and began the art and task of landscaping. I am a southern classic, a girl who loves flowers and vine-like plants. So, that was my goal. Get some color in this yard. We tackled our planting and such towards the end of February. As I finished my last potted plant and Artie plopped down after blowing the dirt off the yard, he told me that he was shocked I hadn't taken a single picture all weekend. So, yes - I totally forgot to take before and after pictures ... sorry. I'll dig into the photos of when we bought the house (though the people that used to live here had the time to stand in the yard with a hose and water the lawn, apparently I don't because most of the grass is dead now). I love the colors and also the birds and butterflies that they have drawn. For my birthday we added some outdoor seating (lounge chairs ... I love to lounge) in the back. You'll have to come visit to see! When we come home from work, we just sit in the yard and enjoy the beautiful weather that Florida is famous for this time of year.

Another house project ... we got rid of the Pelican window!!!! That hidious stained-glass. Everytime I drove up into my driveway, I always felt like I was pulling into the wrong house. But - Artie to the rescue, and presto, the bird is burried (literally - we sandwiched the window between a beautiful, custom made china rack made by Artie and painted stucco on the outside). It's fabulous! I love my dining room, more and more.

On that note - we got new dining room chairs. See, it gets even better because I didn't pay a single penny for them. I was talking with this lady that owns an antique store that I go to quite a bit and she offered to do a swap with me and call it even. So, I gave her my six hand-me-down chairs and she gave me her six that match my dining room table almost perfectly! It was a wonderful thing to come home from an antique store with six new dining room chairs and your husband say, "How much were they, Honey?" and I get to say, "Nothin'!" We were so excited. I plan to recover the seats with a colorful fabric - one day.

Artie and I LOVE the work of our hands.

I have been doing some thinking about that statement lately. Especially when I sit outside and enjoy the product of my aching back, dirty hands, and slimmed monthly budget. There is something about the product that your own hard work produces. My Bible study that I'm doing took me to the place that my heart was trying to go when the author reminded us of who God is. He is Creator God, Unique, Powerful, Imaginative, Intellegent, and One Marvolous Craftsman. He created us (create in the original language means "to make something from nothing"). And the secret to our amazing beings ... we are made by Him, in His image = a reflection of who He is. We are not like God, only simply made in His image. See, I didn't create anything I've done to this house/yard/whatever. I only formed them (form in the original language means "to shape, mold, change something from something"). I am creative, but only with what I was already given. Put that perspective on this verse: "Create in me, a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 Even our very hearts, clean before Him - are created by Him. He is a magnificent God, a glorious Creator, a powerful Savior, and one amazing Gardner (see John 15).

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made..."

~Romans 1:20~

"He {Jesus} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."

~Colossians 1:15~

(More to come ... my 24th birthday, our 2nd Anniversary, Maggie's baby shower, McCall family in town...)