Repurposing

I love to find new ways to use old things. Last summer I drove by an outdoor auction when it was all finished. The "left-overs" that no one wanted were waiting on the side of the road. Since they were free, I decided to snatch them up! The old Pepsi crate becomes a tray in our bedroom.
This vintage stop sign acts as wall art in Clay's room. (The other day, he said, "Dad, it says stop on the wall. What should I stop?" We answered, "Fighting with your sister!")

I let him pick out pictures to put on his bulletin board, and it was fun to see what all he chose. There are photos of him fishing with Great Gramps, working in the shop, his soccer team, his cousins, etc. It's neat to see what's important to him.
And this was used as a bicycle basket many days ago. It now holds towels, soaps, and tissue in our bathroom. The little wooden box holds wash cloths.

The Nightstand

Clay got an idea about a month ago. "Mom, I really would like to have a nightstand by my bed, just like Dad does. I would want it to have two drawers, one for my socks and one for my underwear."

Me: "Okay, buddy. I bet I could find one at Goodwill or a garage sale and we could paint it."

Clay: "Well, I was really thinking I could make it with Grandpa Dave."

Those words took this project to a whole new level. Grandpa Dave makes heirloom furniture, the kind that has been featured in Fine Woodworking magazine, not the kind you buy at a garage sale for five bucks.

So Grandpa Dave showed Clayton the process of making a piece of furniture, from start to finish. First he told Clay, the idea has to go from your head to a piece of paper. He had Clay draw out what he was thinking (below on the right). Then they figured the dimensions, picked out the cherry wood, and got to work. Clayton spent a few days there working with Grandpa in the shop last week.

Below shows how Dad doesn't just stick things together with nails, but uses intricate detailing with a mortise and tenon joint. I love their smiles here. And then, they finished with a few coats of polyurethane. They put in lots of hours and created a beautiful piece of art, with a wonderful story to go with it. Thanks Grandpa Dave, for making Clay's dream come true!

I checked, and yes, he already has his socks in one drawer and his underwear in another, just like Daddy does it.

Cupcakes

Jeff and I walked past this new cupcake store in town the other night and we noticed the sign in the window. So yesterday morning, we took the kids on a date to The Flying Cupcake. The shop is absolutely darling inside! I chose the Strawberry Shortcake kind, and Clay got Red Velvet Elvis. I love how he licked the frosting off to begin with!

Springtime

Since we moved into our home in the winter, we didn’t know what plants would come up in the spring. I was so excited last week to see tulips and crocuses peeking out, and lots of blue skies and sunshine to accompany them.

It is springtime . . . a time of new life and new beginnings. A time of Lent, and choosing to go through some sort of wilderness to remember and anticipate Christ’s death and resurrection. On Sunday one of our pastors opened Isaiah 35 and said to read it through the lens of the cross.

The desert and the parched land will be glad: the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. . . .

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. . . .

The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

It made me think of a verse of that old hymn, "And Can It Be That I Should Gain?"
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

May our hearts find this to ring true during this season of Lent.

Sister

I love having sisters. They know what you're thinking before you say it, they can laugh with you, cry with you, know your favorite desserts or treats, and have all the inside jokes to make you smile.

One of my sisters, Audra, came to spend a few days with us last week during her spring break from college. She got to live life with us . . . homeschooling, reading books to the kids on the couch, trips to Lowe's and the grocery store, work projects around the house, etc. One morning she and I went out to Broad Ripple and found the cutest little boutique. We had such a fun morning chatting about life over a sandwich at Broad Ripple Bagel Shoppe and checking out some little stores around town. When we got home, she helped me paint trim in our garage. Thanks, sister! I love you.

Chow Mein and Tin Plates

The other night I made a dinner we had several times with the boys in India, for special occasions like birthday parties. We ate it on our plates that we used there, just about like the ones the boys eat off of. It's hard to believe that one year ago we were living life with 44 boys in an orphanage in Northern India.

It seems like not a day goes by without some mention of India, whether in bedtime prayers, or stories that the kids bring up, "Mom, remember when that lizard fell from the ceiling and landed on your foot?" or "Remember when we did the wheat harvest? That was really hard work!" I find myself so drawn to Indian people that I see in the states, Indian recipe books at the library, or just any mention of the country. That place has a piece of our hearts.

I just read through some of my old blog posts from India. This one was good for me to read today: "Comfort is overrated." (Click on it to read.) I need that reminder again and again! We learned so many deep and valuable lessons while in India, but so quickly and easily I forget. God, thank You for reminding me of Your Truth today.

Sunlight

This is Clayton's Weather chart. We've had lots of gray days, but lately the sun has been peeking out a bit more. I like to see the brighter colors on Clay's page. As the sunlight streamed in our windows today and warmed up the room, it made me so happy! The kids both laid on the window seat just soaking in the sun.

Later I thought of the lyrics sung by Chris Tomlin, "He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hide, and trembles at His voice... How great is our God."
I am so thankful that ours is a God of light, and in Him there is no darkness. He doesn't have a dark side. Daniel 2:20-22 says, "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons... He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him."

May we walk in the light of our Maker today.