To call me ruined by this beautiful place we call home would be fair. There's plenty of work to do, always, and nothing is ever really perfect by crazy-people standards; but I cannot imagine a more satisfying way to spend every day than to wake up here, work here, play here, and rest here.
The pleasures, challenges, and rewards of this crazy little farm march in gentle succession from dawn till dusk and at every moment in between, day after day and season after season. I never dread coming home; in fact, I get homesick too easily now. Home is now both my foundation and my escape, and I feel so blessed to be able to say that at such a relatively young age.
Time passes too quickly within these gates, no matter how hard we try to manage our days and hours wisely.
One of the most beautiful truths we have discovered is that other people feel the specialness too. Maybe not with the intensity we do, because visitors are usually only here for a few hours at a time, but we constantly collect warm, emotional reviews from friends and family of all ages about how good they feel here.
One of our very beautiful, special-to-our-hearts nieces "K" once remarked that she feels happy here, that there is peace. This only confirms for us that our country home was a gift from God. I am not sure we have ever expressed to her our gratitude for that gift. Thank you Sweet Girl.
All of our prayers are not yet answered. We wait and hope, ache, for all the beds to be filled here more often and for the dinner table to be crowded with happy faces on regular nights, without big parties.
That pain gets frequently eased with great mercy from the Lord. But it is deep and pulsing and is always present.
And as so often happens, living with unsolvable pain makes us keenly aware of the abundant blessings we enjoy! We have the gifts of knowing how to appreciate the things that are going well and of daily living so many miracles.
We simmer in love that comes in many shapes and languages. We are surrounded by strong, compassionate people, both friends and family. We get to care for a variety of creatures who mirror our spirit sometimes more than I would like to admit. And we are constantly learning lessons we didn't know were so vital.
The bottom line is that life here is good. I am not bragging, just celebrating. From the bottom of my heart.
That pain gets frequently eased with great mercy from the Lord. But it is deep and pulsing and is always present.
And as so often happens, living with unsolvable pain makes us keenly aware of the abundant blessings we enjoy! We have the gifts of knowing how to appreciate the things that are going well and of daily living so many miracles.
We simmer in love that comes in many shapes and languages. We are surrounded by strong, compassionate people, both friends and family. We get to care for a variety of creatures who mirror our spirit sometimes more than I would like to admit. And we are constantly learning lessons we didn't know were so vital.
The bottom line is that life here is good. I am not bragging, just celebrating. From the bottom of my heart.
I think most people wish they could feel the way you describe about Home. We have really seen over the last couple of years after choosing to move back into our older, smaller home that it really is so much more than walls and paint. It is about having your foundation in the Lord, loving each other, and making memories. What a blessing! Thank you for sharing. This was beautifully written, Marie.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautifully written. I've craved this kind of peace for so many years, I'd forgotten it was a craving. I've lived in 13 states, 3 countries, and I couldn't even tell you how many different addresses I've had. As much as I've craved this feeling of home, I've also always feared it. What happens if I fall in love with a place and have to leave it?
ReplyDeleteI've kept my desire for a home under wraps for the most part. I confess, though, that I'm hoping to feel that way here in Austin. I'm hoping to fall head over heels in love with this house, this neighborhood, these neighbors, the trees, cardinals, blue jays, squirrels ... We're off to a good start, for sure.
In the meantime, I'd love to visit your slice of non-perfect perfection and feel the way you and your niece do, if only for a few hours.