Basement Remodel & Lent

Electricity!

Outlets

I can't tell you in words how exciting it is to see this basement remodel take shape. It's a step by step process, to be sure, yet, in the waiting, there builds a great anticipation. It's like waiting for Christmas or Easter when I was a kid.

Oh, wait, we are waiting for Easter! How we can see Lent in our everyday lives!

Lighting

The sounds from the basement as HH and his friend set up our electricity had me thinking how much fine-tuning this project requires. And I don't mean the actual sawing of wood or pipe or cutting wires or hammering nails and screwing screws.

I mean, there have been so many lessons along the way with this project. HH has sacrificed his time with the family to work down there, and it has been difficult. The time it takes to complete a project of this magnitude is painful. It takes time to complete the work, as well as time to build the funds to pay for it. How many times, I commented that I would have been happy to just leave it an open space and throw a few carpet remnants down there....and then I'd look at my children. And they deserve a spot of their own to play together, to have room, to keep their games, puzzles or toys. It's a labor of love going on down there.

Piping

And I find myself fine tuning my own reactions to the whole process. There is a pruning that can happen every time we start something new, we can learn, we can adjust, at times, we can apologize. Remodeling can be stressful on a family. The saw-dust alone is driving me crazy.

Yet, step by step, we keep the momentum going, and with each new advancement in the process, we learn something new about ourselves.

And all these things, help us to prune and pluck away at our own misconceptions, and see life for what is really is....see ourselves in a clearer light. We take off our rose-colored glasses, and see the reflection in the mirror, and maybe it's not as pretty as it once was.

A remodeling project can do that. Lent can do that. Seeing this basement room take form and shape, and electricity, is building a foundation. Nail by nail, and screw by screw, we are forced to not only see what exactly is needed to build a room, we can see ourselves, virtue by virtue as the building blocks of our own lives.

There will be obstacles, yes, the basement project has had it's fair share, and will continue to do so. Life has had obstacles for us, and will continue to do so, also. Lent can be a time to examine ourselves, clearly, without distraction, and start building a few new building blocks to prepare for Easter.

It's a step by step process, this life. Go one Lent at a time. We don't have to have it all figured out, just yet. But what we do have to do, is be real with ourselves, and take one nail and start there. Start the process of rebuilding.

I believe God rewards even the smallest efforts on our part to regain what might have been lost.

Domo Arigato Gozaimasu Nihon - Thank You Japan

First, I apologize. It's almost been a week since my last post, and life certainly has a way to take me over. Arigato Gozaimasu - Thank You We have many commitments, many places where we have promised our time and energy, and when sickness sets in for me or anyone in our home, life pretty much stops....for little while anyway. Thankfully, the illnesses are down to minor colds, and as of yesterday, I am off the meds to treat a sinus infection. But that's not all. It's re-enrollment time at school, and every March we face the same uncertain future in debate...Can we swing yet another year's worth of financial commitment to our Catholic school, for four children. It's a stressful time, it's uncertain, and I have to say, that security is something I thrive on. Any insecurity, and I tell you, life just isn't right. With the children unaware of our finessing the budget, we work to keep that calm and peace that assures the children all will be well.

Words Can Hurt

When we first started having children, like most people, we realized quickly how they often work as a mirror to our own actions. Letting a swear word slip here or there was not uncommon in our home, yet, when our first child was about 18 months or so, and hearing my swear word echo in the house for several days from her little lips, well, it was enough to curb my speech, dramatically. And now, swear words are never spoken in front of the children, and we have adopted a few more words that are unacceptable in the house, even though common place in the world. Just another example at how, as parents, we truly are the domestic church. The world may be on the path of negativity, but the home is where we make the difference. My four year old the other day, said, "I hate tomatoes!" Not the worst thing to hear from her mouth, granted, however, the word 'hate' bothers me a lot. 'Hate' is a very strong word, opposite of 'Love'. Think of how strong that word,

Little Guys and Big Things

Sometimes, Veggie Tales stick with you. Even when an 8 year old seems too old for Veggie Tale stories, and reluctantly watches a few, the messages do stick. Over the weekend, my Knight was to serve Mass. For the past few Sundays he has been serving, and we keep reminding him of the various ways to show reverence while doing his duties.....a bow to the tabernacle, folding of the hands and so forth. Sunday, I happened to be watching Knight lather his gel in his hair to ready for Mass, and I once again, reminded him to keep his reverent ways about him while serving. He made a distinct face at me, and said, "Ugh, Mom, those other server boys are bigger than me. I don't want to do something they aren't doing." "I understand, but you could set the example, because you know, what you are doing is the right thing." He shook his head, looked at himself in the mirror, and seeing his own image reflected, said again, "I'm the youngest one there, Mom

S.tay A.t H.ome M.om at Work

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