Don't let the difficulties of the present moments overshadow the reality of God's promises. God's promises still stand. And God's promises are stronger than our failures.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

A Saturday Drive

On Saturday I decided to drive down to Houma, Louisiana to visit a quilt shop there that I found in the Quilter's Travel Guide Book - The Quilter's Niche. Houma is about 50 miles from here so it was an easy hour's drive. I had a little trouble finding them because they didn't have a sign. Their sign was blown away during Hurricane Gustav a couple of years ago and they haven't been able to get anyone in to replace it. But with a quick phone call I solved that problem and had a great visit with the owners. It's a really nice shop and I bought several pieces of fabric - two coordinated packages of fat quarters and a couple of yards that I needed to finish some things I was working on that I'll show you a little later in the week. What I really want you to see today is this wonderful house! I was in a long line of traffic going into town when I saw this house off to my left. I nearly had a wreck trying to get a look at it!

Since I couldn't get off the road right then I waited until I was on my way home and made sure I let everyone pass me before I got to the point where I could pull off to get a couple of pictures.

I only had the camera on my phone so these aren't great but isn't it beautiful? It's quite large and obviously many years old. I sat in my car looking at it and thinking about what it was like to live in it when it was new. There wouldn't have been vacuum cleaners; heavens, there wouldn't have been carpets on the wood floors, just rugs. The rugs, as heavy as they were, would have been rolled up and dragged outdoors to be "beaten" clean. There wouldn't have been a washer or dryer or hot water tank so water would have to be boiled to do laundry. And no washing powder - just a bar of lye soap to shave off into the boiling water! Lights would have been kerosene lanterns or candles, and quilts would have all been done by hand. No phones, no television, no local quilt shops, no internet, no WalMart, no toilet paper!
Here at the mission we live in a two room apartment and I miss the space of my house. I have to go down the hall to use a washer and dryer and have to wait until after 4:00 or on the weekends to do my laundry. There's a very small WalMart here but it isn't open all night and it doesn't have all the things my WalMart at home has. The water on this campus is perfectly safe but it smells like sulfur and the iron in it is turning the towels and my white clothes yellow and we have to drnk bottled water. The treadmill I walk on every morning is set on a particular program and won't move off it - I have to change the setting every 2 or 3 minutes or it will get way to fast for me. Do you hear what I'm saying? I have two whole rooms for just Jerry and I! I have a washer and dryer and wonderful bottled water in my apartment and a treadmill in the gym so I don't have to exercise outside in the heat. This afternoon I asked Jerry where the cable came into the apartment (thinking about moving the furniture). He said, "we've only been here two months and you want to move the furniture?" I said "I've been here two whole months and I want to move the furniture!" :)
It's all in how we look at things - how often do we forget to be thankful for what we have? Every day...I forget to be thankful every day. So today I'm remembering. Today I'm thankful for the electric throw on my bed that keeps me warm in this air conditioned apartment. I'm thankful for a refrigerator that keeps my milk cold so I can have a chai tea latte over lots of ice every day. I'm thankful for my car that has 140,000 miles on it and still drives great and takes me to that little WalMart 5 miles down the road so I don't have to walk it or ride in a horse drawn buggy. I'm thankful for quilt shops that carry the most beautiful fabric and gadgets that make quilting sew easy. I'm thankful for cell phones that allow my son to send me pictures of my granddaughter leaving for church camp for the first time ever - 5 minutes before she leaves! And for cell phone plans that let me talk to the people I love every single day if I want. And for blogs - I'm so thankful for blogs and the friends I've made out there in cyber space.
What are you thankful for today?

15 comments:

Jacquie said...

What a great post, Marlene. I LOVE THAT HOUSE!! But, I know what you mean. We forget to be thankful.

I'm thankful for all those things you mentioned as well. I'm thankful for the privilege of living in this great country and for the men and women who defend it every day. I'm thankful that I have a walk with God and His watch-care over me. I'm ever so thankful for my two (make that three) kids and husband. We are blessed!

Littlebit said...

What a lovely post! I find is odd that my thoughts went along the same lines today during my quiet time. I'm so thankful for peace of mind, knowing that it comes from God.
What a beautiful home that is! It doesn't make me wish for it, but it is indeed beautiful.

Unknown said...

You are so totally right. We have so much to be thankful for. As of last week I can add something to our list and that is Skype. So glad you are having a great time.

Take care,
Patsy

Lindah said...

Right at this moment I am verrry thankful for my a/c! ;-)
On a recent vist to my DIL and SIL homes we each agreed that our great-grandmothers might have been quite annoyed with all the beepers/buzzers/bells that go off in our homes... each appliance has one, even the a/c filter beeps when it needs changing. But what a blessing to the homemaker each one of those sounds represents! Like the beautiful home in your pics, each is a reminder to be thankful.
Looking forward to a recap of your adventures!

FabricFascination said...

I am thankful for every day that God has blessed me with being alive, with energy and health to be able to move and go and enjoy. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful to be able to work. I am thankful for my home, imperfect as it is. I am thankful for the birds singing outside this morning, the sunshine, the promise of a lovely day ahead.

And I always enjoy your posts, thanks.

Lena . . . said...

What a wonderful post. Puts a whole new outlook on my life. Thanks.

Amy said...

Marlene - thank you for the wonderful post. You've really made my morning! What a beautiful house!!! Think they wouldn't mind us all moving in?! Also, thank you for the gentle reminder to be thankful for all we had, and not what we have not!

Arkansas Patti said...

Great job getting that sign fixed for those people.
Love the house but only if I had an army of servants to clean and upkeep.
It is amazing how many things we take for granted, we should be thankful for. Thanks for the reminder.

Adrienne said...

We have so much to be thankful for and too often I focus on the wrong things! Thank you for this post that reminds us not to take for granted what we have been given to bless our lives. I love that house and it would be fun to see inside, wouldn't it?
~Adrienne~

Takoma Volpe said...

I stumbled upon your site by happenstance, and I just wanted to say Thank You. I needed this today.

:) Laura

Cindy said...

What a timely post for me. I've been in a little bit of a funk this week with my house. I crave change but that isn't possible right now so I'm trying to be content with what I have. Thanks for the reminder to be thankful for all God has blessed me with.

Lea and her Mustangs said...

I am thankful that we have so many things to be thankful for. Sounds funny I know but too much to list. Thanksful for my halth, thankful for our horses, thankful for family, thanksful we have a son to do the remodel on our house, and the list goes on. An excellent reminder to all to be thankful. Love that house. Love those old southern homes.

Glenda said...

I am thankful for my wonderful family and like you, all the modern conveniences we get to enjoy! After 37 years of marriage, the appliances I'm still most thankful for are my washer and dryer. I'll always remember lugging those loads of laundry to the laundromat in early marriage!

Purple Pam said...

I am thankful everyday for our beautiful granddaughter, for my family and friends, for the sun shinning, and more.

BarbCarol said...

I'm thankful for my cousin that I love like a sister and who writes such wonderful words of wisdom that brighten my days.
I'm also thankful that my 17 year old granddaughter was saved during church camp this summer.