This old house has been a gift

Sometimes you just have to bundle up

Sitting in my house today, the furnace comes on and off; my home is worker’s home from the 19^th century. Three homes were built for three sisters. My home was built right on the boundary of one of the sisters. Today you could not build a home like that. The three houses have had different add-ons and dormers, so they don’t exactly look alike. Plumbing and electricity was added later. The heat went from coal to gas an apartment was made upstairs and then converted back. Other families have lived here and changes happen. I have added insolation and upgraded things as needed and this place has cared for me and my family for 25 years.

This old house has seen its’ share of storms through the years. For my part this house has protected me from cold, snow, ice rain, bugs and heat. Life has been under the old beams from trees that may have gone back to the days of the revolution or civil war. Christmas is coming and what a gift the Lord gave me with this old house.

I was thinking how alien we might be sailing the ocean and a problem or storm came that threatened our ship. But then I was thinking what our homes do for us right where we are. In the times we live, think of your home not just as your place, but what it could mean for your kids in need or your friends or family. If these old houses could talk, they would tell us of parents, kids, grandkids brought in in tough times where storms could be weathered. Many of us “boomers” don’t think like that, but we may need to reconsider.

Sometimes you are the only one who knows the storm you are going through. You may need a shelter. Read the words of Psalms 55:4-8 NIV

“My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. ⁵ Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. ⁶ I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. ⁷ I would flee far away and stay in the desert; ⁸ I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”

The emotions here are extreme, but sometimes we are there. It is good to be someplace safe. David writes in verse 16, “As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.” And ends the Psalm with “But I will trust the Lord.” Another thing I have noticed about storms is they pass.  There may be a clean-up or repair and it can be anything small or great, but whatever the extreme God is there.

Thank you, Lord for my old house. Keep walking