Our Little House

We got back this week from visiting Allan's sister's family in Arizona. We really enjoyed our time with them. They have a large home which we love because there is so much space to just hang out even with our family of six temporarily occupying it. Victoria can find quiet places to read without much interruption. Benjamin and Nicholas have plenty of room to play and wrestle with their cousin or uncle. Lizzie loves roaming up and down the stairs looking for the dog, two cats, and her siblings. Allan and I love spending time with his sister's family. They are great hosting us and just letting us relax while we are there. After visiting there, I remembered dreaming of a really large home. Before kids artwork cluttered our refrigerator, we used to put goals on our refrigerator of things we wanted. One of my dreams was to be a stay at home mom and the other was to own our own home. Not just any house, but a 7500 square foot home with all the amentities. I also dreamed of a housekeeper to keep that place clean. We did end up buying our own home right before our first born starting walking, but the square footage was quite smaller than the 7500 I once dreamt of. It is not wrong to dream or to have goals, but my dream was based on what I thought I needed to make me happy. Now that I'm a little older and I hope wiser, I've learned that it is not stuff that makes you truly happy. I have struggled with my desire to have more than I have..... a bigger home, more stuff, more clothes, more toys, etc. But God continues to humble me and to lay on my heart to be satisfied with what I have. One verse that I always refer to when I'm "wanting" something and not "needing" another something is...

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."     Matthew 6:19-20

Allan and I would love to buy a bigger home for our party of six who occupy a 3 bedroom 1 bathroom. The bathroom gets quite stuffy when all of us are trying to get ready at once. If you don't want someone to walk in on you, you'd better lock the door, but someone will usually find the key to unlock it or pound on it until it is opened.  I've learned to love our little house because we are able to grow closer together in it. I can hear what the kids are doing at all times and you know when it's quiet someone is up to something. I can see from the kitchen into the dining room, living room, the boys room and the backyard. I can smell if something is burning or if someone has gotten playdoh out of the cabinet. I can hear whispers, giggles, stomping feet, wrestling bodies, laughter from games won, and tears from hurt body parts. I am able to find each child quickly and gather them for dinner with a call "It's time to eat! Wash your hands!" We see each other every day. We pass each other in the hallway. We occupy the bathroom together. The kids share bedrooms. We eat together at the dining room table. We talk. We help each other with chores. We talk. We watch movies together. We talk. We laugh. We hug. We love. Love grows here in our little house.

Here's the lyrics to the country song "Little Houses" sung by Doug Stone which reminds me of my family.

A little white house, in the heart of town,
On a little sad street, just a little run down,
Became a home, for Bill and Sue,
Two newlyweds, who did the best that they could do.
And when they brush each other, passin' in the hall,
Sue would smile and say: "This place is pretty small.

But you know, love grows best in little houses,
With fewer walls to separate,
Where you eat and sleep so close together.
You can't help but communicate,
Oh, and if we had more room between us, think of all we'd miss.
Love grows best, in houses just like this.

Before too long, Sue and Bill,
Were makin' plans, for Jack and Jill.
Oh, happy day, when the news came in
But what to do, when they found out Sue was having twins.
When they could not pass each other in the hall,
Well, Sue would smile and say: "This place is really, really small.

But you know, love grows best in little houses,
With fewer walls to separate,
Where you eat and sleep so close together.
You can't help but communicate,
Oh, and if we had more room between us, think of all we'd miss.
Love grows best, in houses just like this.

That little white frame house still keeps them warm,
Though it's been thirty-two years, since the kids were born,
And when they look back now, they hold each other tight,
And whisper in each other's ears: "You know you were right.

Because love grows best in little houses,
With fewer walls to separate,
Where you eat and sleep so close together.
You can't help but communicate,
Oh, and if we had more room between us, think of all we'd miss.
Love grows best, in houses just like this.

A Dream Home

My Little House