Of Doors and Men

This is NOT our porch but
how cute is this?! 

Our front porch screen door is literally on one hinge. We've stopped using the door unless it is an emergency. Like the UPS man delivering a package and we need to run outside as quickly as possible so the dog doesn't scare him into a flight or fight mode. You know, emergency situations. 

Of course said door is a special order size in which we need to wait and pray hubs measured the opening correctly because non-refundable! Three weeks later and a few slams to get it shut after said emergency situation above, hubs and son go to pick up the door. Tonight, they decided to tackle the job of putting it up. May God be with us all...

You know when you open a box with high expectations and you are clearly disappointed? Yeah, welcome to our world. 

We actually purchased two identical doors. One for the back, which was a common size and could bring it home from the store immediately, and the special order door due to sizing. We have an old, old, old, did I mention old, house. 

As in...let's take down the ugly wallpaper in the kitchen and laundry room said a much younger me. It will be fun. It was kind of fun until the laundry room walls began to come down with the wall paper. So the inexpensive, we will only have the paint cost and wallpaper glue removal cost, turned into removing the old laundry room plaster walls and putting up dry wall. Our marriage barely survived. You know, fun old house stuff. Anyway....

The men of the house tackled the back door hanging and after a few battles, won. It was quite a victorious sight. The dog, who has not known of a screen door since the old screen blew off it's hinges before said dog arrived to live with us, didn't know what to do with this monstrosity covering his beloved door...a.k.a...he was scared of the door. Yellow labs...a.k.a. scaredy-cats...are like that even though he does scare the UPS man. Good news is...he is use to it now. Back to the front door...

So, since we purchased two identical doors we knew something was amiss when there wasn't a decorative rectangle thingy (technical term) under the window on the bottom of the door. Call me weird, but now it just looks cheap, which in money terms was not cheap.

I called the company to find out if they do not attach the decoration when it is a special size or if they just forgot to put it on after cutting it down. I was warned by the person with whom I was talking that the phone battery on the phone she was using was about to die and if we get disconnected she'd call me back. Annnnndddd, five seconds later she was gone. 

After 15 minutes, the phone rang and after calling the door company, she had news. If a door is cut less than 77.5", the door company cannot put on the decorative rectangle thingy. Not enough room, they say. Guess what size we need? Go on...guess. You know you want to.... 

Seventy-seven inches. Yup, a half of an inch shy. I laughed. The lady from the store laughed....well, chuckled but still. Welcome to "just another chapter in our lives." When I was younger there would have been tears. Now...I just laugh. 

So, if you know where we live (and if you don't know and somehow find out...that is just creepy) and drive by, see our front porch screen door and think, "wow, now that is a cheap door." You now know the rest of the story. ☺

Legacy

Today was more emotional than I thought. Today was my uncle's funeral. He was the husband of my mom's oldest sister, who passed away nine years ago.

As the pastor said, "You could not think of one without the other." It was like he took the thoughts right out of my head and spoke them out loud.

My cousin, their youngest daughter, spoke of many things everyone loved about her dad. She shared how he asked her to live with him after her mom died. My cousin has a rare condition and they took care of one another. I learned of the prayers my aunt and uncle prayed while she was still living, carried on with my uncle and cousin after she had passed.

My cousin spoke of how they prayed for family, including nieces and nephews. That was the first emotion trigger. She spoke of how my uncle couldn't wait to be with his wife and all those who had gone before. Second emotion trigger.

She shared the prayer they would always say at night before each of them retired. Third emotion trigger. It was such a beautiful prayer. Of course, my cousin was emotional and since I'm a sympathetic crier...well, you get the picture.

My aunt and uncle (see I can't even talk about my uncle without including my aunt) were both so, so kind. And, nice. Yes, they had their faults like every human but their kindness was a beacon of light. My uncle had such a gentle spirit. He smoked when smoking a pipe was 'cool'. Whenever I smell that fake vanilla smell I remember the pipes on the pipe rack on the mantel.

They opened their home to many. Hospitality ran through their veins. My mom lived with them for a time before she and dad married. He courted her in that house. My cousins talk of how they would sneak down the stairs and mercilessly tease them as mom and dad sat together on the couch. It sounds like my cousin's job of making my mom's face turn red was the main goal.

Their legacy will be one of faith, kindness, mercy, love and hospitality. They will surely hear, "Well done good and faithful servant."

On the Throne

When the mountains shake and the earth spins wildly out of control, when the sky is cloudy and gloom seems all around...God is in control and on His Throne.

When the miracle of life is being grown and exciting days are blooming, when days on the calendar seem to go right after a spell of stinky days...God is in control and on His Throne.

Will we choose to love Him in bad times or just the good. Or will we question  why He "let' something happen if He is so powerful. He is still on His Throne in the good, the bad and downright ugly.

I want to be like those mentioned in Hebrews 11. Or as I call them, the "By Faith Guys". Their days did not consist of rose-colored glasses, puppy dogs romping all around or sunshine all the time. But, by faith they hung in there and obeyed their Father. God isn't calling everyone to build an ark or march around a wall for seven days but he is calling us to obedience and using our gifts.

"By Faith Guy"...who's with me on striving for that title?