Home Sanctuary

Little Crooked House

There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.
And they all lived together in a little crooked house

This was a fun little poem to recite when I was a small child.  But as an adult, I find that it mocks me.  I glance around my hovel and think that old guy would feel right at home here.  Yep, bring your crooked little cat, too, my decrepit friend. There isn't a straightened item in here to make you feel uncomfortable.

When I try and work around a disaster in every room, I get so depressed I start hunching up my shoulders and walking around like the old man in the poem.   Real crooked-like.

One thing that helps me get my head in the game is to take a few minutes to straighten things up around the house.  The best thing I ever discovered was Minimum Maintenance, a method designed by my housekeeping guru, Bonnie McCullough.

We can talk about Minimum Maintenance at length some other time.  For today, we'll do a shorter version of it and get the same amount of points as if we did the full-blown job.

Today's Small Thing is to give yourself 5 to 15 minutes, no more, and just see what a little bit of straightening can do.  You could grab a trash bag and dump old newspapers and paper plates with last night's nachos in for greater impact.  Tuck pillows and cushions where they belong, clear off the coffee table, toss the dirty socks into the laundry.  Work like you mean it for a few minutes!  You can even enlist the help of your little crooked kids, if you'd like.

I find that my general posture AND outlook improves when things are straight.  I can think about other, more pressing, things with a mental sharpness that is impressive...if not poetic.

POINTS: 40 for 5-15 minutes of walking the line by straightening things up

BONUS POINTS: 20 for getting someone to help you....but just for 5-15 minutes or they might balk the next time.  Try setting a timer if you think you might go overboard.

Confession is good for the soul: what's the oddest, oldest or messiest thing you straightened today?

Not How I Thought the Story Should Go

After spotting all week, my miscarriage finally ended early Sunday morning.  I woke up around 3 am with cramps and from there it took its course. 

All I can say is....it was awful. I would never wish it on anyone.

And it's finally over.

I just want to express how much your comments and emails have meant to me.  I knew it was a risk to share my excitement over finding out we were having a baby, when there was a good chance that it would end like this.  But, in my heart, I felt that whatever the outcome would be, I would need some hand-holding along the way.  And Tom and I truly believed that, in spite of the statistics, this baby was "meant to be."

It's just too raw to talk about yet. But we are trying to find comfort in knowing that a small soul was created, and then got a free pass to heaven.  To miss the pain and sorrow and sin of this world and go straight into an eternal home is a wonderful thought.  I will try and think about that when the sadness over what we are missing here on earth fills my mind.

And part of me wonders about how this chapter will end, because I still can't shake the feeling that there is more to be written.  That isn't for me to know or understand right now.  Perhaps the story is taking place beyond the bonds of this earth, I don't know.  I just don't get it yet.

But your thoughts and prayers have been so sweet through all of this, and we deeply appreciate them. Thank you again.

Love,

Rachel Anne

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
       the bitterness and the gall.

 I well remember them,
       and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
       and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
       for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
       great is your faithfulness.

 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
       therefore I will wait for him."

Lamentations 3:19-24

I will return tomorrow with the Small Things!  I have missed doing them with all of you.

Thank You So Much for your Prayers

Tom and I have been so very blessed and comforted by your prayers and encouragement.  I'm truly overwhelmed and grateful to each of you for taking the time to drop a comment or email.  I have felt your prayers in a way that I could not have imagined.

Our daughters swooped in on Monday and got me propped up with tea and pillows.  They fixed dinner and cried with us.  Our "Lagniappe" neighbor brought food as well.

Katherine drove the hour and twenty minute trip yesterday afternoon, and arrived with chocolate and hair products.  She knows that a little highlighting can go a long way toward cheering the spirits.  Sisters are great, aren't they?

Between my mom (who will come on Saturday), my mother in law, and ladies from church, we are being looked after and cared for. It is not easy for me to be on the receiving end of people's kindness...I hate to trouble anyone, you know.  But maybe through this difficult time the Lord is showing us the flip side of compassion: how much it means when someone goes out of their way to make soup or drop an email.  It's humbling and heart warming and wonderful in the midst of something awful.

I'm still waiting for the miscarriage to end and it's hard to not be anxious.  I have projects that are waiting but I'm having a hard time focusing on anything creative.  I'll make a couple of phone calls today to postpone what I can.

So thank you again.  I've read each comment and email and cherished your kind thoughts.  You've blessed me.

Much love,

Rachel Anne

Sad News

My Dear Sweet Company Girls,

I have some terrible news about my pregnancy. I had some spotting over the weekend and went to see the doctor yesterday.  He did a sonogram and could see the baby, but there was no heartbeat. 

I am so disappointed and broken hearted.  I had hoped that this would be our miracle baby.

We are going to try and let nature take its course since a miscarriage is already happening.  I know you'll understand if I take a little leave of absence from the daily Small Things while we deal with this.  I will try and return next week.

The doctor gave us a pretty good idea of what will happen next, and I dread it.  I would really appreciate your prayers for strength and grace during this time.

Much love to you all,

Rachel Anne, Tom and family

January's Verse - Psalm 90:17

I've had trouble with istock photo not being able to process a payment this weekend, so for now, the artwork will have the istock watermark in it.  I will upload a clean copy asap!

Psalm 90:17 is the Theme Verse of Home Sanctuary.  It's been a whole year since it was featured as the verse of the month, so I thought it would be a good time to bring it back to mind as we start another year. It's my hope that this would become a foundational prayer to each Small Thing we undertake together!

I love to meditate on the beauty of the Lord.  I often get lost in the Psalms as David tries to describe God: riding on the wings of the wind, sitting above the circle of the earth, a fountain of life, the maker of light, the good Shepherd. His majesty is seen in the mountains, His spirit is felt in the pastures, His righteousness in the law.  

What if we could catch a tiny glimpse of our God?  In my mind, I imagine light shooting forth from His being in a million prisms of liquid color.  The warmth of his glorious life would saturate every molecule of our selves, melting away our earthly stains and drawing us into a rushing stream of holiness and purity. 

But oh, His beauty seems so removed from my world of laundry and carpools and burnt dinners. It seems a far cry from my pathetic attempts at home decorating and child rearing.

And yet, if we believe that in Him we live and move and have our being, there is something in me that dares to hope that it might be possible to experience His beauty in our everyday life.  In the mundane. In this home filled with second-hand furniture and thrift store clothes.

Perhaps I've been looking for God's everyday beauty in the wrong places. It surely is not found in a Pottery Barn catalog or on HG TV. Instead, it is found here, in the sound of children's voices, the hum of a wash machine, and the turning of storybook pages at bedtime.  His glory is found in how we serve one another, in speaking kindly to each other, and in helping a child with his homework.  His majesty is in sleepy eyelashes resting on a soft cheek, hair sticking out of a ponytail and fingers learning to tie shoelaces. The toys and backpacks that never seem to get put away, and the dishes piled in the sink are testament to a life being lived, together, in all its colorful, beautiful chaos. 

And there is beauty in making something work, even when it's hard. There are times that we must turn to each other and decide to stick it out, no matter what.  There are days of uncertainty, dysfunction and imperfection that make us rely completely on His strength, or we could not bear it.  It is in those times that His beauty can find US, astound us, and rest upon us when we least expect it.  Like a soft cloud nestling in the deep valleys, His loveliness will settle on our hearts and cover the harsh edges with a blanket of grace.  

Will you make Psalm 90:17 your prayer this year?  Yes, I want the work of my hands to be established by Him.  And more than anything, I want His beauty to permeate my life and home with a sweetness that is palpable.  I want to see his glory in the small things and his greatness in the mundane.  I want to be aware of His presence as I love and serve the family that He has given me.  

POINTS: 50 for printing off January's verse and posting it somewhere.

Download January vers 

Where will you post Psalm 90:17?  Let us know in a comment, or better yet, take a picture of where it's posted, and put it on your blog (then invite us with a link so we can see!)

Soap Dish

I'm not feeling too great this morning, so I'm taking the liberty of reprising one of my favorite Small Things.

I got lured into watching Days of our Lives back in the Bo and Hope days, when they were Daytime's Hot Couple.  It was the early 80's and I had just had my first baby.  Desperately looking for a new hairstyle, Days' cast sported enough permed do's and bangs with impressive height to keep me glued to my TV.  Before I knew it, I was rooting for Bo and Hope to run off together for a weekend of love that they so deserved.  Hope had some seriously big hair, and I blame it for my lack of moral judgment.

Every soap has its sleazy evil characters.  They are constantly ruining people's lives by switching babies, poisoning people, pulling plugs on ventilators and spreading malicious rumors.  I suppose the stories wouldn't be nearly so interesting without characters you love to hate, but they certainly have their share of scum suckers.

You could say they are Soap Scum.

And speaking of soap scum, let's segueway into Today's Small Thing, which is indeed, very small.  I have four sinks and three tubs in my house.  (Trust me, it just SOUNDS luxurious.)  At each location is a soap dispenser or soap dish that often gets overlooked.  The hardworking pumps at the sink edges are manhandled and abused daily by a busy family, and the soap dishes by the tubs are pretty much ignored, except when we're showering.  But even a casual glance at them reveals a sticky situation.  There is a tendency for goo to collect and ooze down the dispensers onto the counter tops.  The tub dishes look a little um, scummy.

Today's Small Thing is to get rid of the villainous scum that lurks around the soaps at your house.  Put an end to the suspense and wipe it out for good.  (Well, the scum may return as an evil twin in a later episode, but for today you can enjoy a sweet, clean victory as the world turns.)

POINTS: 10 for each soap area cleaned

Check out your "pretty" soaps...the ones that came in a gift basket but never get used.  They tend to collect dust and bathroom goo.  They might could use some gentle cleaning.  Maybe you oughta break down and actually USE the pretty soap today!

Company Girl Coffee 1.09

I hope you've all had a great week!  I still cannot function without 1 (big) cup of coffee in the morning, so I'm already sipping mine and can bring it with me, just in case you're out.

Tom snapped a photo of the icy trees in the grocery store parking lot...we didn't get any pictures at our house.  Onemotherslove got some great "Narnia" photos...she lives in Texas, fairly near to me.  I'll try and find her link.

 

And the Christmas stuff got put away!  I just love the feeling of CLEAN when it's all gone!  Here's a photo of my "un"decorated living room:

Company Girl Coffee is an easy way to invite new friends to your blog!  I would love to see everyone get to know each other, not just through comments (keep uploading those pictures into profiles!) but also through visiting other blogs.  If you are not a blogger, you can share what's going on in your life within the comment section!

Company Girls Coffee Participants

1. Dani 2. Aimee 3. Becky 4. Camille 5. stephanie@{Olive Tree} 6. Claudia 7. Luanne 8. Melissa Holgate 9. Rachel 10. Grace (Urgent Prayer Request) 11. Alicia

12. Tricia 13. Melissa 14. Karen 15. Stacy 16. Susan S. 17. Erin @ Finding the Funny 18. Kara 19. Marie 20. carol 21. Cindy @ la casa de chen 22. Sasha

23. Dawn 24. Kerri@Latte Buddies! 25. Samantha 26. Joyce 27. LORI 28. Gracie 29. Jennifer 30. Samantha 31. Carra

Learn more about Company Girls Coffee here.
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Flash Might Be Cute, But He's Not Exactly Brilliant

Most of you are acquainted with Flash, the stray donkey who showed up at our Barnhouse and never left. He's a real character, out there in the pasture, all alone and left to his own devices. The way he lives his solitary life provides us with endless entertainment: utterly friendly to anyone who shows interest, yet humbly aloof in his demeanor.  We think he suffered betrayal in his previous life before us, and thus, holds his heart at a distance.  Sometimes he just walks away, right in the middle of a butt scratch, for no apparent reason.

There's a wall there.

But none of that has anything to do with my story.

The other night, we experienced a freezing rain that lasted all day long and into the night.  The trees and grasses glittered eerily, like a Narnian scene come to life. As the temperatures dropped and the icy rain continued to fall, the trees began to bow under the weight.  The cedars around our house bent beneath the load of ice on their evergreen branches so that they nearly touched the ground.

My husband, a nature enthusiast, called me outside into the cold dark night.  I sighed, but dutifully donned a jacket and shoes, left the cozy couch and laptop, and followed him out.

"You've GOT to see this!" he marveled.  He is like a kid in a candy store when there is a weather event. I had to smile.  I always get sucked into his excitement for the simple things.

He whipped out his high-powered flashlight and aimed the beam into the trees.  The trees shimmered in the light, their glittery coat producing flashes and sparkles that were delightfully beautiful.  The baubles of ice that clung to the cedars sounded like a thousand beaded dresses, swaying in the cold night breeze.

He was right.  It was worth coming outside to experience it.

"And now," Tom said, "Behold!" And he moved the beam out into the pasture, where the winter grasses stood frozen in their white couture.  Each blade, each plant, each stick was a picture of magical perfection, as if dusted with glimmering fairy dust against the black sky.

"Aaaaah," I breathed.  It was an amazing scene.  Tom slowly directed the shaft of light across the small field and toward the barn.  The light tipped the grass and shrubs as it moved along.

And suddenly, in the beam, was a dark shaggy lump. Tom backed up the light and ran it across the gray mass again.  Flash!  Huddled in the freezing rain, not five feet from the shelter of the barn, the donkey raised his heavy head and looked at us questioningly.  "Huh?" he seemed to say.

He started toward us, and as he neared, we could see that he, too, was covered in a thick coat of ice. Only on Flash, it wasn't nearly as glamorous.  It was like cold, crusty, frozen dirt balls stuck in his hair.

"Flash, you IDIOT!" I scolded him. "What in the world are you doing, standing OUTSIDE the barn, when you could be INSIDE where it's nice and dry?"

Tom turned and looked at me, and said he was going to go give the poor guy some sweet feed.

"He'll just think you're rewarding him for his ignorance." I said, but to no avail.  My man was already off to have mercy on the gentle beast who was too dumb to get out of the sleet.  I shook my head.

Aww, Flash!  You're awfully cute, but you really aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you?  

Today's Small Thing is to work on things like knives and spatulas and pastry cutters.  Take a few minutes to straighten your kitchen utensils up.  Most of mine are in a drawer, but the jumble of odd shapes keeps them from staying consistently neat.  When putting things away, I tend to jam them into the drawer without a whole lot of attention.  And I paw through them to find the one glorious kitchen tool I'm looking for.  Hence, my utensil drawer is rarely tidy.

POINTS: 30...this is SUPER easy, but will yield fabulous culinary results!  Imagine the triumph you experience as you effortlessly pull a whisk from its proper place!  Sheer delight.

People Say We Monkey Around

Oh, there are some really great organizational blogs out there.  Blogs that will whip you into shape and spur you on to housekeeping greatness.  I can only dream of being so inspirational.

The truth is, I am not, and never will be the Housekeeping Goddess of the blogosphere.  Mainly because I like to have too much fun doing other things besides cleaning chandelier crystals with a Q Tip.  I truly enjoy playing in forts with small children and eating cookie dough at 11 pm.  I LIKE watching silly YouTube videos with my teenager, and reenacting Bourne Ultimatum fight scenes with him.  Darn it, I like doodling and daydreaming, too.

I've taken the approach that you've got to have a balance of work and play.  When I overdose on the "playing" part, my house falls apart and people complain of not having clean underwear.  When I focus solely on making the house a shining jewel of perfection, then all the fun gets sucked right out of the atmosphere and no one is very happy.

Today's Small Thing is to do a little bit of both.  A little work and a little play. (Next week, I promise to get SERIOUS about helping us set up a housekeeping schedule that will work, so hang in there.)

Work Before Play is a motto we all need to adopt.  It's a good one to teach our kids.  It helps us remember that work comes first, but that time for play is important. 

Today, pick ONE thing you have been putting off and make a commitment to do it.  It can be as simple as scheduling a dentist appointment or filling out an insurance form that you should have done days ago. Or it could be like what I will do: put away the clean clothes that have been sitting in a basket for 3 days.  I also have a project for a client which will take several hours of dedicated time to complete. Make this the day you will cross something off your list.  It feels great to complete a task that's been hanging over your head for awhile.

Then, reward yourself with a little playtime!  Go ahead, monkey around!  After your work is done, you should give yourself permission to do something fun for yourself.  You deserve to enjoy the fruit of your labor!  Read a book, watch a movie, play with the kids, have a cup of coffee, eat chocolate....whoop it up with freedom!

POINTS:  40 for doing some work before play

BONUS POINTS: 20 for sharing what you will work on, and how you will play today!  Leave a comment and/or a link to your blog so we can come over and see what kind of monkey business is going on at your house!

PS  If you click on "Sign up for a free account" in the comment section, you can upload a picture of yourself and a little bio so we can put a face to your name!  I really like this feature because it makes it feel like a real conversation!  If you are not a blogger, don't be intimidated! It just takes a few minutes to set up your profile and then we can get to know each other better.

January Prizes!

As Jeff Probst of Survivor says, "Want to know what you're playing for?"

Of course you do!

This month, the Most Points Winner will receive something that Samantha won for November's prize.  It turned out so cute I had to make one for myself and another one for this month's winner.  Samantha just received hers, and maybe we could talk her into taking a picture of it so we can see just how lovely it looks in a Company Girl home.  Here's mine:

This is a canvas print (8 x 24) that will fit anywhere and remind us of what we want our homes to be. 

The Random Drawing Winner will receive a signed copy of A Jewel in His Crown, by my best friend, Priscilla Shirer.

I was flipping through the pages, saying, "Wow.  Wow! This is SO GOOD!"  It's a perfect read for a new year and I know you'll really enjoy it.  Besides, Priscilla is a True Company Girl and really raises our average.  She's an amazing Bible teacher and has a way of communicating that makes the Word come alive.  She's also an excellent cook.

So print off those Tally Sheets and rack up those points!  Let's make January our best month of Small Things ever!!