a place to become
My dad built us a new couch months ago. I put temporary bedsheets over the cushions I made. They were intended to be there for a couple of weeks while I waited for fabric to arrive. The fabric has been on back order since April. I’m still waiting.
Often I look over at the couch and am reminded of one more unfinished project. I can’t seem to get any projects finished around here – a hard reality for a task oriented person. I could make getting all the house projects finished a top priority, but that means my current top priorities with my kids would be moved down on the list. It is not a trade I want to make, so we have to learn to live among works in progress (which could actually be a great description for a family). Over the weekend I tried to turn my eyes towards what was happening in this main area of our house instead of what is not happening.
Rest. Rest happens here.
Becoming who they are happens here.
Shopping is on the bottom of my list of things I like to do. Amazon Prime was created for people like me. I order pretty much everything from Amazon, so almost daily a different package arrives here. Sometimes it feels like it just adds to the mess and other times I look over at a package and am reminded of how good it is to be a mother to these people in this room.
Corbett bought himself a barbell. It arrived in a long, HEAVY tube and sat on the living room floor for a couple of days while he was out of town. He is home now and until we can find a permanent home for the barbell, I see him lifting on my cute rug in the middle of the room. And you know what – it is just as cute as watching him years ago drive little cars around the living room. Don’t tell him that though.
Connected to the living room is the kitchen…they are pretty much one room…pretty much THE room of the house. My youngest son came home from church and told me how his small group leader asked all the boys what their favorite thing to do was. He said the other boys all answered they like soccer and video games, but that he had a different answer. I asked him what answer he gave.
“Eating,” he responded with a grin.
He goes between the two spaces eating…always eating. Eating is his favorite.
Corbett is often lifting a barbell in the living room.
Someone else is always tucked in among the pillows with a book.
There is usually a dog being chased off the couch and a little girl singing.
Throughout the day I’ll look over and realize the 6 of us have all found our way back to this room (Chris is usually at work). Sometimes I see the unfinished couch, the staircase in process of a remodel or the cabinet that still doesn’t have handles on it. Other times my eyes are wide open and I recognize that the beauty of this space is not what it will become one day, but instead it is who the people in it are becoming now.
When I look with those eyes – the view is far more beautiful.
