Sun Room Spruce Up and a Full, Thankful Heart

I often wonder why God chose to answer my prayers of staying home to raise my child by uprooting us from a home and a town and a church that we loved, and planting us in a completely different state, to a town we're not in love with yet? Why couldn't he have just given my husband a better paying job there? Wouldn't that have been simpler? But as we know, God doesn't always do the EASY thing. Well, everything's easy for Him, but not always easy for us! During this process of moving we sure have been STRETCHED! Not me so much as my husband. I've seen him grow in his faith in a way that I would have never dreamed a year ago. I've seen him, through his fears, trust God because that was the only option he had left. And he's been so amazed by God faithfulness. I find it a little easier to trust, but I've had my own challenges that God and I are working through. I still ask God, "Why here? What are your plans for us?" And although I don't have all the answers, I get little hints along the way.

There are days like today when the "whys" become a little clearer. I looked around at my beautiful, blooming backyard and it occurred to me that God has literally GIVEN me my wish list. You know, things you always whine about wanting, but never seen to get around to building or buying or making? Yeah, I have a big list of those! But some of the more constant, "wants," God has amazingly given to me and I can't understand why? I know it's because I'm His kid and He loves me. But I'm talking about SPECIFIC stuff ya'll!

I'm not kidding when I say that I've been going on about this stuff for YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and because we really just couldn't afford such extravagance, we never bought or built any of these wants. But friends, my new house HAS all the stuff I ever wanted!!!!! Why didn't this occur to me before?

We have a "porch swing" now. I had one stored under the deck of my old house for many years, begging my hubby every summer to hang it for me, but he never got around to it. Now, I have one! It's not on a porch, but I like it so much better. There are vines and vines of wisteria growing up the posts, and I'm just on pins and needles waiting to see what it looks like in bloom this summer! Won't it be so romantic? And I have a vegetable garden, already fenced in and ready for planting. I've always wanted one, but never had the gumption to get out there and put one together. Now, it's done for me. WOW! I also have a hot tub and a pool! Now, these are things that were on the "I'll probably never see this in my lifetime" list. But I always wanted them nonetheless. How did that happen? And the piste de resistance. A beautiful, cozy sun room (which I've been working on today, getting it "fluffed" for the season). Now, this was also on the list of things I never thought I'd have, but here I am, the owner of one!

This was the patio furniture that the former owner left behind, but I added my old quilt to soften and comfy it up. I can't believe how perfect the colors are!

I think I could just curl up and stay here all day!

These smell sooooo dreamy!

I'm seriously blown away people! And as if God wasn't good enough, as if He didn't already think of everything, He put a wonderfully fragrant butterfly bush right outside the sliding glass door, so that sweet fragrance fills the whole room and the whole house if I leave all the doors open.

Sorry these are sideways! LOL

It's just makes me wonder, what incredibly PERSONAL things is God gonna have waiting for me at my home in Heaven? What things, that only He knows that I love, will my mansion and gardens be filled with? I can only imagine what glorious sights and sounds and fragrances await me there!

I've never actually prayed for a sweet, meandering path of phlox, but I've envisioned it before. God thought to give me a bed of phlox because He knew it would make me smile.

And a single red tulip amidst all the purple phlox. I bet more pop up soon!

For whatever reason, God chose to not only give us a house, but a wonderful testament of His love for us. Because around every corner, there is something else that just tickles me to think, He put there just for me!

Thank you Father! I have a such a full, thankful heart today!