grace for this old house...

When we first moved in to this 100+ year old home a few weeks ago I have to admit I was a little shell shocked.  My eyes have been used to a brand new home for the past year and while I was anxiously anticipating the fun I would have making this place funky and giving it our personality, I was taken aback by all of the little things that you just don't see in pictures or even in a walk-thru of the house...things that I never would have thought would bother me, but kinda do...like the cracks in the ceiling and walls, the windows that won't open or won't close if you get them open, the screens that are rusted, the lack of closet space, uneven floors and the bathroom sink that sits on your lap while you use the toilet...those minor details. So, the first week I spent every moment cleaning, scrubbing, scouring, unpacking, decorating and shopping for things that would make this place shiny, clean and more livable.

The thing is, no matter how much I cleaned, fixed, polished, decorated or bought to spruce the place up, it was still a 100+ year old house with cracks and quirks, issues and character all its own.

It hit me one day as I was cleaning {funky-the gross kind} stuff out of the cracks in the wood floor that this house kind of reminds me of my very own heart...

Boy, have I tried in the past to clean, fix, polish, decorate, or buy things to spruce up my unclean and broken heart. I have even made it look pretty shiny and convinced myself at times that because of my efforts my heart was almost as good as new. But, the truth is, I didn't do a thing to make my crusty old heart new, nor could I if I wanted to.

Yet, God in his grace has given me a new heart and he is forming me {it} to look more like His Son every day through the sanctifying power of His Spirit guiding my steps and allowing my circumstances to draw me closer to Him. When He looks at me He sees my new heart. My cracks and rust, issues and quirks don't bother Him. They are merely areas that He sees need a little extra care, attention and grace. I am so grateful for that!

Now, when I see a crack in the ceiling, sit on the toilet with the sink in my lap, or can't open a window, I am going to be reminded of the grace God has given {and continues to give} me and try to give a little more grace to this old house.

Here is a little glimpse of the sprucing we have been doing.  James' mom bought us these shades from World Market for the kitchen and laundry room.  They have made a world of difference in the mood of the rooms.

We love them and how well they go with our nick nacks above the sink.

 Before

After