Besides ball...we remodeled a kitchen....

A project that was in the "planning phase" well, for years. I got to the point that I hesitated to even talk about it because it started to feel more like a delusional dream than an attainable reality. Two or three years ago we had even contacted a draftsman to draw up plans for adding more square footage to the house. I cannot begin to remunerate the sleepless nights that the kitchen configuration was being laid out in my mind. I would get up and work it out on my graph paper. Oh, the plans included adding on 10-12 feet to the end of the house to extend the kitchen and gain a larger dining room, gain a sunroom/laundry room and reconfigure the front entry. Appliances were purchased and the drawings were in their final stages. It was at that time that we received the news that the source of our income may be "out-sourced " to India. That certainly stopped the project...or even the hopes thereof. The day that seemed to really mark the end of my hopes for the new kitchen and a surrender to my Heavenly Father that he does know my needs far better than I ever will was the day I had to return to the appliance store and explain that I needed a refund. (I must say that they were true to their word and did refund the money)

During the following year and a half, it became clear that this too was of His hand. He continues to test...Deuteronomy 8:2...to humble...to prove...to see what is in my heart...whether I would keep His commandments or no.... It has become a very special passage for many reasons.

Exodus 14:14 also held such special truth as well. I did not plead, beg or push. Things just started to "happen". It became very evident that the kitchen needed more than updating, but it needed basic maintenance. Since a window replacement several years ago, the cabinets had started to separate and pull apart.

It looked a bit scary. The floor had nail heads coming through the linoleum. All that did not spell "emergency"...it did not keep me from baking and making great food or even sharing our home with friends. However, after several rain storms..maybe even tropical storms, we realized that the roof was leaking. It damaged the ceiling tiles in...the kitchen. We got a bid in October for its repair. It began to occur to me that in order to fix the ceiling, the crown molding would have to come down...therefore jeopardizing the remaining stability of the cabinets.

When he had not begun on it by mid November I asked that he wait until after the holidays.

One morning I found that we had wiring burning. That necessitated some urgent electrical work. I have kept the "breaker" that failed as a reminder to me and the family of God's protection and a visual that He has a purpose for each of us.

Then one of the large eyes on the stove top quit working. The dishwasher was becoming tempermental at times. The dishwasher only came on if I pushed it a certain way with my hip. My cold water was turned on and off under the sink due to a leak that I refused to have fixed again prior to remodeling.

I was not begging, pushing, pleading...I did not have too...Exodus 14:14 seemed to be playing out within my scenerio..."The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. " The Lord was making His timing and His provision clear.

I will share more details later....