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<\/a><\/p>\nEven when it’s quick, mindless, and doesn’t require skill, creating a little bit of something always feels refreshing. \u00a0Maybe because it stays finished for a little bit, unlike the beds that get unmade, the floors that get dirty minutes after sweeping, and the dishes that hop back out onto the counters within hours. \u00a0Maybe because there is an intense longing for beauty inside all of us and creating something that adds beauty breathes life into our spirit.<\/p>\n
Unlike the doll house version, the grown up version didn’t look complete without a little embellishment. \u00a0I didn’t have anything on hand (I thought) and I really didn’t feel like buying anything for winter when we’re on the verge of spring. But then one day I needed to put a few odds and ends away and I thought …………………….<\/p>\n
Cha Ching! \u00a0So here it is. \u00a0A very simple wreath that makes our doorway feel happy. \u00a0Even if the door hasn’t seen a drop of paint in all its thirty years of life.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Speaking of cold and winter, I think I’ve finally learned how to stay warm. \u00a0I’d asked for advice here<\/a>, and someone questioned me about my coat. \u00a0Well, the truth is, my coat has seen a lot of wear and a lot of the inside of the washer and it really wasn’t very warm. \u00a0I’d been eyeing a coat at the Columbia outlet, but when your income switches to a living allowance you think a lot more often about spending $159 on a coat. \u00a0Don’t get me wrong. \u00a0We’re doing fine and the board was very gracious in making sure our living allowance covered what we need, especially in regards to Liam’s food allergies and the way that spikes our grocery bills. \u00a0But, it does make you think twice about what you need and what you can do without. \u00a0Needs and wants just get defined a little differently. \u00a0Well, the very next morning my email dinged when I was still in bed. \u00a0I groggily stopped by the computer on my way to get a cup of coffee and nearly fell over in shock. \u00a0Someone I don’t even know had sent $160 to my paypal account and told me to go get a coat. \u00a0Seriously, this just about blew me away. \u00a0I felt so cared for by God. \u00a0Could I survive as is? \u00a0Yes. \u00a0But did He care about the fact that I was cold? \u00a0YES.<\/p>\n Being cold is one of the worst things<\/strong> about winter for me. \u00a0I am always colder than everyone else. \u00a0The janitor at our church once said, “If I see Michelle shivering and Mim fanning herself, I know I’ve about got it right.” \u00a0When I get cold, I get so miserable I feel like I can’t move. \u00a0Some winters I feel as though I will never actually completely thaw all the way inside. \u00a0Well, as it turns out, God is keeping me quite warm this year. \u00a0The house we moved into has a huge wood furnace in the basement that is way too big for this tiny house. \u00a0Unless it’s 10 degrees outside, it’s probably borderline too warm in here. \u00a0More days than not, I’ve opened the main door just to get some air (side benefit: the glass door lets in more light) because it is so piping hot<\/strong> in here. \u00a0David says this is the first winter he has not once heard, “I am never going to get completely warm until spring.” \u00a0No wonder he laughs every time I say, “It is so hot in here.” \u00a0Heat rarely bothers me; but I’ll be the first to admit, a hot house in the winter feels wierd.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n