My House

The wise woman builds her house,

But with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Proverbs 14:1

I have lived in one house or another my entire life.  First it was my parents’ home, then college dorms, apartments, and finally a variety of single family houses.  In all that time, I never owned the home I lived in – I always rented.  Buying a home was simply never a financial option.  My father talked constantly about pouring rent money down a rabbit hole, but there was no other option.  In the summer of 2010, however, the Lord opened up the opportunity for me to purchase my first home.

I have always thought there wasn’t much difference between renting and owning, other than the financial advantages.  How foolish I was!  There is a vast difference: this one is mine, and when cracks appear on the guest room walls, or the grout begins to loosen in the bathroom tiles, no one is going to fix it for me (unless I pay them, of course!).  I have never been the world’s best housekeeper, and things around here tend to get a bit cluttered (including all that paper that I always seem to drown in).  When I get a current project spread all over the living room, it begins to look down-right disgusting.

My oldest daughter called last weekend to let me know that she had taken a couple of days off work, and was going on a road trip with her boyfriend – to Richmond!  I have never met this young man, and as I listened to her plans and surveyed my home, my heart sank!  My house is absolutely in no shape to receive visitors, particularly my beloved daughter’s significant other.  It is time for me to build up my house, rather than tear it down!  I have four days to accomplish that – a daunting but exhilarating task.  Say a prayer for me this week – I’m going to need all the help I can get!