of hearth and home...

It doesn't take long for things to happen at our house. In the span of four days several things happened. All the exterior doors were put on, the steps to the back porch were put together, columns were set on the porches, the mason came and laid the bricks for the fireplace, and work commenced on the stucco. All of these things are cosmetic in a sense and really make the house come to life. Work on the interior is going well, too. The drywall work should be completed by Wednesday this week, and painting and staining will begin. Trim work will also begin and in the next week or so we should see kitchen cabinetry being installed.
On the outside, outriggers are being added. They serve no structural value, but are for the purpose of adding balance to the house, as well as some visual intrigue. Just what we need - INTRIGUE!
As I look at these pictures I am simply amazed. I'm amazed at the many hands required to build a house. I am amazed at the skill of those hands, especially as we get to see the minute and sometimes agonizing details of the house be put together. But it's in those details that we see little bits of ourselves, thus making it our home.
I am amazed at God's sovereignty and guidance that have placed us on this "journey." And I am amazed at what we are learning through this process. I can really only speak for myself, but I am learning a great deal about trust. Not that I need to trust God more (no denying this is a necessity), but that my GOD CAN BE TRUSTED. He has guided us through valleys filled with bogs and trenches, only to lead us to a high place where a little more of His power and love are revealed. I would have never thought that building a house could affect us in this way.

Well, as things go along with the house, life moves forward with our family. And life is good. A few quirky things have come up, but again the Lord calls us to trust His lead and work hard in the small things. And amazingly, at the end of the day, we receive great joy and rest.