Townhome: Master Bedroom Before/After

This was our master bedroom in 2007, when we lived in our town home. We moved from a bigger room to a smaller one and just fell in love with the way it turned out.

This was the first time I realized how very much I love grey paint. It was so calming and peaceful.


What was your first decorating project that you were truly proud of? This was mine.

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The Debt Free Decision that Saved My Life

Our settlement is finally paid, and even though we didn't sue, we still got enough to pay for all of our closing cost on the new house and other needs like a rental! So, for those who are new readers, I'm republishing this bit of a post...the story of the debt-free decision that literally saved two lives--mine and my unborn child!

Two Lives Saved!

The unthinkable happened. It would change my life for good. A drunk driver hit me.

For years I had been driving a little Saturn because we were determined to remain debt free from anything that wasn’t life threatening. But I was pregnant and we were about to have a family too big to FIT into the cars we had. We had $2600 saved in the bank. We were determined to stay under that, but what in the world could you pay cash for that would run, had air, and was big enough for our family without going over $2600? Not much.

It was an enormous brown full size custom van. This van was huge! And I believe with all that’s in me that it was because of our wonderful, marvelous God that it was the only vehicle to meet our criteria that we could afford. A drunk driver collided into the driver’s side of that big ol BEAUTIFUL van right under where I sat! Did you get that? Only a couple months before, I would have been 3 feet lower. Think about that for just a minute. And this driver was not going 30 miles an hour. It was on the intersection of a freeway and when he collided into me it pushed that 2 ton van up off the ground and over 2 lanes, a median the size of two lanes, pancaked a speed sign and landed on the opposite side of the median. How fast do you think that was? I’m not sure. But fast.

I was 6 ½ months pregnant. Little Joshua is fine--Praise God!

I wasn't actually sure at first. It took a full hour before I felt any movement at all. When I saw the burst of flames and the orange glow surrounding me, I felt no pain. It didn't touch me and the heat felt only like a warm fireplace too close. My glasses had flown off my face and I couldn't see much, but tried the door on the other side. It wouldn't budge--I don't know why--possibly I just couldn't see well enough to grab it well. I didn't even think about my purse and iphone I left in the van. I jumped over the tv console, jabbing my head on something above and not noticing until I reached the hospital. I jumped from the side doors and landed about 5 feet away from the van. Glancing back, the flames had already reached where I had sat.

A gentleman ran toward me and I yelled toward him that I couldn't see where I was going. He grabbed my hand and put his arm around my waist and led me about 30 feet away. As soon as I sat down, something from inside the van exploded! The flames quickly escalated and bellowed high above the two overpasses.

God saved my life…and He did it with the first vehicle we bought without paying debt!!!

The car I had been driving was tiny. That kind of high-speed impact in a low-sitting light-weight vehicle would have killed me or my baby, or both. But! But God knew what we could not and used our obedience to buying a vehicle without using debt to save our lives.

Little Miracle:

In the midst of this huge miracle, there were a lot of little miracles, only one of which I'm going to share with you here.

My iPhone, during the wreck, flew out the side window opposite me. The heat from the blast melted the case and bits and peices of it. I thought I had lost it along with my purse and it contained lots of pregnancy pictures and pics of my kids. This was before iCloud. The iPhone was clearly ruined, but Josh decided to plug it in anyway, since that part didn't appear damaged. Amazingly, everything loaded right onto my computer!

I had lost my purse, carseats, a book, my glasses, my gps, and a few other things...all replacable, but the only non-living irreplacable thing, my pictures, were saved.


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Titus 2 Tuesday

Save Big Time Money This Christmas!

Are you sick to death of the yearly shopping rush to buy everything on time? Or maybe the credit card bill that increases right before the new year? Or the "Black Friday" lines that wrap around the store just so you can save big on just one or two items?

I fell victim to the Black Friday rush the first few times I really paid any attention to it. I thought it was a great idea until I saw the lines wrapping around stores, the parking lots jam packed with crazy people just trying to find a spot, and the rudeness that seemed prevalent in hot spots.

Last year I decided there must be a better way to save money at Christmas time. I thought long and hard about it and even prayed about it. We certainly didn't have bookoos of money to spend on presents, but I still wanted a great Christmas morning for my children. Then the idea came to me, like a "ta da" moment. I buy my clothes used, I buy my decor used, why in the world not buy some of my presents used, too?

Let me tell you, people--I am HOOKED!!

Oh, I know what you're bound to be thinking. Used for Christmas?! But...but...what about the list? What about getting something shiny and new? What about...SANTA?! I know because I was thinking the same thing. But God! It's so nice to have new things once a year. LOL. I do whine to God every now and again.

But I want to share with you what a difference it made in my Christmas.

I felt God tugging on my heart to just try it. And when I would feel sorry for myself, I heard God whisper, "Who's this all about anyway?" I had to admit, all of my Christmas's, at least since I've been a grown up and been in charge of the giving, have been plain miserable. I had a list in front of me a mile long and I rarely shop at all, so just the thought of finding these things and making it all even wore me plum out.

I knew Christmas was supposed to be about Jesus, but I was way too busy for that. And the sad thing was, it was also taking just a bit away from Thanksgiving. (If I was going to get up that early, I better cut my visiting short and get to bed!) I hated Christmas time. I really did. I loved Christmas Eve and morning, but the preparation was so exhausting that it took away from what Christmas was supposed to be about.

So, how does that change, except maybe some saved cash, when I thrift store shop instead? I had no idea!

It was simply amazing!! I pulled in the parking lot to my nearest Thrift store and sat there a minute looking at my children's letters to Santa. How in the world was this going to work? I had never even thought about praying before I walked through a store at Christmas time to go find presents. But, right there in that thrift store parking lot, that was my very first thought. God. If my children were going to open presents and find awesome things under that tree, it would be God, not me, who did it. I prayed. And not just a little, "Oh please don't let the bathrooms be too crowded this year" kind of prayer. I let God know that I knew that if my kids were going to be delighted with what they found on Christmas morning, it would be because of Him.

Then I prayed for specifics, especially the Barbie house Abby had her heart set on. That right there brand new was over $100! She also wanted a baby doll car seat, but I didn't think much of that, those were cheaper. I finally went in, shopping after I spent time in prayer.

I shopped with searching eyes, seeking out ideas that might work. Ideas started flooding. A baby doll stroller that Leah wanted, we found at the very first stop! She had been talking about getting it for months, and there one sat, almost like new. I called my mother-in-law to make sure it was right. Then, around the next bin I stumbled on an Ikea high chair for just a few dollars. I hadn't even thought to put that on the list even though little Joshua had been needing one. On it went, one little find after another.

I probably visited about 6 or 7 thrift stores that day, thanking God after what I walked away with and praying before entering a new thrift store. And all along the way, praying hard that we'd find a Barbie house.

The last thrift shop I went in that day held my treasure--a big ol' High School Musical Barbie doll house with a broken window. I was seriously holding back a squeal of delight! And when I got it for $5, I just about cried--actually, I did, I just waited until I reached the car first.

Only one problem. I was expecting this to be her Santa gift and it had a broken window. God had a solution. As I was walking around the thrift store, glancing here and there for ideas, I saw them. I big huge row of old car seats. My first thought was, I hope people check the expiration dates. A car seat that's expired would be totally useless...unless it was for a doll. The thought just whacked me right in the head. Why not buy her a real car seat (they were like $5!) that would fit one of her big dolls instead of those dinky play ones?

Once I did all of my thrift store shopping, there were just a few things that I needed to fill in from normal stores. I had spent more time with God than ever on Christmas shopping and found things I never expected to find. It was so much fun and so exciting, I'll never stop doing it!!

So, do you want to see some pics from our last Christmas?

Oh, did you notice all the used stuff?? No! Me either. We just noticed all the smiles and laughs and wrapping paper flying everywhere. We noticed the orange juice served in fancy glasses and the sleigh bells off of Santa's sleigh. We noticed all of the squeals and jumping up and down, and we noticed all the extra hugs we were given. But not once did we sit down and think about half of the stuff being used!

Last year I was a little nervous about how it would be received, but this year I'm looking forward to it all. I can't wait to find all the treasures God has prepared in advance for us to find. I hope you will consider trying this out this year.

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A Bowl Full of Lemons

Simplicity, looking back

The following is an old blog post I wrote that I thought you'd enjoy reading. I think it's from 2008. Here's a picture from back then, too (If you are looking for Making Space Mondays, it posted yesterday night):

I think to some extent all of us dream of a simpler time, when schedules weren't so rushed and people weren't so hasty about everything, when daddies took the time to read the Bible to their families every night and mommies took the time to set the table for a home cooked meal. I know I do! And I keep pushing that dream aside for when I move to the country and have land, or when I have more energy to cook and clean, or when I have enough money and time to organize all this clutter...and on it went, excuse after excuse. The Simple Life always in my dreams and always just beyond my reach!

I have tasted of this Simple Life, which makes it all the more aggravating that I'm not there yet! When I was a child I moved A LOT!!! But we settled for a three year period of time in a blink-and-you-miss-it town called Capitan, NM. It was the longest I had stayed in one place and I still call it my hometown. What wonderful memories of exploring the outdoors and stepping on cactus with our bare feet and going to the small town post office to see if your name would be called (the town was so small, we didn't have an address, so people would write to us using just our name and Capitan, NM).

I am starting to learn, however, that Simplicity is a state of mind and not a place. It's not about living on your own land, or even having your own yard (we don't), or baking homemade bread every week for your family, or decorating in a certain way. It is about a Slower Pace, about being Content with what you have been given, about taking hold of what the Lord has Blessed you with and making the most of it. Paul says in Philippians 4: 11, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am". This is what I desire to learn, to be content with where God has placed me, and work hard at molding and building it into a beautiful home.

But don't misunderstand the word 'contentment'. Contentment doesn't mean being idol or staying in the same position. It just implies a peace of mind about where you are in the journey toward where you're going. I know I have a ways to go before reaching that place called There. No, baking bread every week is not the definition of a simple life, but if you know how and have the opportunity, by all means, bake homemade bread. If you must work outside the home out of necessity, don't lose heart, make the best of it, but pray the Lord makes a way--it is good to be at home with little ones. If you don't have a yard, don't go into excess debt just to get one, but do get your children outside as much as possible--the sun is warming to your soul. Let's not look at what we don't have. Instead, let's make the most of what we do have, and head in the direction we want to go.

Thanks for looking back with me! I hope you enjoyed. -Tabitha