Bathroom Destruction

Dannon has been faithfully destroying our bathroom on any available Saturday, Sunday, weeknights...you get the idea. And he has been quite successful so far.

Sink- gone
Tub - gone
Hole in the wall - check!
Ceiling - removed

Now the reason for the destruction is that it was long overdue. We are installing a new sink, new tub, ceiling vent and heater, redoing the floor, removing black mold from walls and repainting, and resetting the medicine cabinet into the wall. I really shouldn't say "we". Dannon is the one working quite diligently on the project. However, I couldn't help but snapping a few photos of the removal of the tub on Saturday.

We had often noticed a strange smell when the bathroom got steamed up from the shower. We had written it off as the wood paneling getting damp. This was probably part of the problem, but what we found under the tub was more than likely the culprit.

Dog Food! Apparently a pack rat had been storing dog food and pieces of insulation under the tub for a
l o n g time. The guys found a piece of calendar from 1969! Dannon filled a 50 gallon trash can with the stuff. He was literally scooping it out with a snow shovel! So that might have been part of the smell...

Glad to have that out of the house!

We thought it was only in the edge of the tub...

Then they pulled it out...

And this is what we were left with! 

P a t i e n c e

A look at the true heart of the puppy. Seek and Destroy

So, Zeke has grown. And when I say grown, I mean that he has doubled in size, energy and ferocity. Ok, maybe ferocity is a little dramatic.

We have started to learn puppy language in hopes that we can curb Zeke's tendency to gnaw on hands and clothes and other undesirable mediums. Supposedly, upon receiving an undesirable chomp, I am to yelp "Ow" like a puppy, and get up and leave the room. (I haven't quite come to grips with doing this in public...a little humiliating) Hopefully this action communicates that I am done with the game and it is not fun. 

I have been leaving the room...a lot.

Zeke, has gotten fed up as well and retired with a huff to his kennel. But just moments ago he tiptoed out and laid down on my slippered foot without as much as a nibble. There is hope on our little puppy horizon! 

The boys relax after a walk of record length

Zeke

We have a new member in our family. 

At five weeks old, he has managed to become 

everyone's favorite in less than three days :) 

Southern Lovin

We have been in Gulfport, MS this past week visiting Zeno and Libby and the triplets. It has been wonderful and so relaxing. Here is a compiled list of some of the things we love about about the south!

1. There is no such thing as "unsweetened" tea
2. You do not have to put on chapstick every three minutes to keep your lips from cracking
3. "Mudbugs" are thought to be yummy
4. Coke is the universal word for soda
5. The oak trees here are huge!
6. You are made to feel like family right away
7. You can smell the Gulf
8. The word "bayou" is used in everyday sentences
9. Gotta love the southern accents
10. Cheesy grits :)

Thanksgiving and Beyond

First Thanksgiving Together! 

I am extremely thankful that the Lord so faithfully drew Dannon and I together. I am blessed beyond measure to be partners with him in life and ministry. On to Christmas! 

We are headed out for our December travels earlier than expected. Our intention is to beat next week's snowstorm and give my little 2WD Rodeo a better chance of staying on the road. And while many have fondly labeled my car the "fake SUV", it does have two handy buttons in the console labeled "snow" and "power" making it seem at least a little more hardcore.

Please pray for us! We need safe travels and wisdom as we are trying to trade in my car and purchase a vehicle that is four wheel drive.

Life and Godliness

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.   2Peter 1:2-3

This is a verse I have been pondering lately. The promises within it seem to good to be true. But that is the business of our God isn't it? He embodies the definition of the word. Good. Oh for the faith and trust and perseverance to live out of such a promise.
Looking deeper into the words of this passage I found some great definitions in the greek. Definitions taken from blueletterbible.org
Grace : charis

• that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, and lovliness
• the merciful kindness of God by which he turns a soul to Christ and keeps, strengthens, and increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, and affection and kindles them to the exercise of Christian virtues

Peace : eirene

•     security, safety, prosperity, and felicity

Life : zoe

• life real and genuine, active and vigorous, blessed, and eternal

Godliness : eusebia

• reverence, respect, piety toward God

Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit who searches the depths of you and reveals your heart to us. Open our eyes to see you, and expand our hearts to know you.

Surprised by Magic

From the familiarity of my bed pillow, I can gaze up through the tiny window of our lofted bedroom, and be met with magic. I have yet to become accustomed to it. I am surprised every time I peer outside for a casual look before drifting off to sleep.

Three massive spruce trees grow side by side, branches intertwined. The silvery-blue wall curves around the end of the house and fills my tiny window frame with whispered mystery. The magic comes when the moon eases its glow through those branches and outlines each needle-laden limb with it's low, cool light. 

Snow has begun to grace us with her presence; adding shimmer to our mountain life. We have now become tiny characters in a giant, snow-globe world. Our nights have become brighter. The snow seems to gather up light during the day and shine it back to us through the darkness. The mountains, once hidden by the night, now proudly reflect the moonlight off of every snow-lit meadow and craggy rock face. 

The snow has garnished our silver spruce wall with its sparkle. There is now more moon-glow than before. I am thankful that I looked up; thankful that I looked up and out this tiny (somewhat dirty) window. 

I forget to look up. I forget to look out. I forget that God is moving, protecting, providing, even when I do not feel it. I forget that He has set up walls around me to guard and comfort me even when I do not see them.  I forget that I have been invited to live in my Father's big world, that is full of the light of Kingdom love and mystery and freedom. 

So Father, grant me eyes to see your beauty, feel your protection, and hear your whispers. And grant me the grace by your Spirit to spread this life to a world that needs silver-spruce walls and snow-lit nights.