(Yes, it is sloppy, but I was in the midst of a hurricane/tropical depression and it was 90 degrees and there was NO air, and I was on my knees on a concrete floor…and it was lightning outside)
___________________________________________________________________________________

Why did I do this? Especially when no one else will ever see it? Why has this been an important thing to me since the beginning of the Creek House?

I really do not have a fully formed reason. The main thing is that I am so thankful to God for this home. I want to remember, years later, as I walk through the rooms…that the Word of God is underfoot…that I chose to add an additional layer to the building of this house, and that layer is His Word. I want to know now (while I still have most of my brain function intact) that even if I forget in years to come, it will always be there. I want to remember that it was important at this time in my life that this be done. I want to remember that even as I am full of excitement and anticipation at the thought of living there, this house is not the most important thing in my life. It falls below my God, my family, my friends. I want everything that is in my home to be pleasing to God.

And so, I choose for that innermost layer…the first part of our house to be walked on, the very foundation, to be the Word of God.

Here then are the scriptures (just for you, Jean)
FRONT FOYER: “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done…so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.”
Psalms 78:4-6
REAR FOYER: “In your heart you plan your life, but only the Lord decides where your steps will take you.” Proverbs 16:9
DINING ROOM: “Listen, listen to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to Me; hear Me, that your soul may live.”
Isaiah55:2-3
DEN: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Ephesians 4:29
KITCHEN: How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”
Psalm 119: 103
PANTRY: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” Psalms 34:8
LIBRARY: “By wisdom your days will be many and years will be added to your life.”
Proverbs 9:11
BEDROOM/STUDY: “Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in Me, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9
GUEST BEDROOM: “I will lie down in peace and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
LAUNDRY ROOM: “The Lord will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” Deuteronomy 15:10
DON’S CLOSET: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
Proverbs 4:23
TONJA’S CLOSET: “…clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience…and over all these, put on love.” Colossians 3:12-14
MASTER BEDROOM: “He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Isaiah 50:4
“All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”
Isaiah 54:13
STUDIO: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
ALEX’S DEN: “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm,
strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10
GARAGE: “May the Lord keep watch between you and me while we are away from each other.” Genesis 31: 49
ADDITIONAL VERSES: (in various places)
“Blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with blessings.” Psalm 68:19
“God has given us these times to enjoy.” Psalm 94:1
“But as for me, it is good to be near God.” Psalm 73:28
“Because of God’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1
“By wisdom a house is built- and by understanding it is established.”
Proverbs 24:3

When they first laid the foundation of the Creek House, I told our builder that I wanted to write scriptures on the foundation before we put down the floors, and he promised that he would give me plenty of time to do this. Well, he called Friday to say that I should work on it over the weekend. They are starting the floors today. Of course, it just so happened that Tropical Storm Fay decided that this would be the week-end to camp out over this area of the South. Saturday, it rained all day and the winds were really blowing…35-40 mph, so I decided I didn’t need to get out and go in all that. Then Sunday came around and it was blue sky and sunshine…for about 15 minutes! I got ready, and just as I began to leave, the bottom fell out…rain, winds, thunder, and lightning. Was I just being silly? Should I just give up the idea? What to do? Alex and Don both scoffed at me for this ‘crazy idea of mine’,anyway. My DIL, Suzanne,and friend, Tina, were going to help me, but couldn’t go till later. Besides, it was my project, not theirs, anyway. At least they understood it. And so, with the sky getting blacker and blacker…I struck out for the Creek House. What vision do men have, I ask you? Concrete and bricks…that’s what they think a house is. So, I make it across town and I see that they have my driveway blocked off. I have to park at the street. Yuck! Mud and lightning…a great combination. Whew! I made it inside, and it was so quiet…and still…and HOT! No air was stirring, and I couldn’t open the windows. I decided to just get busy and tackle it room by room. And, so I do. They had put a finish on some of the floors, and they were easy to write on. BUT, the ones that weren’t done yet…hard to do. I had to scrub and scrub to get a place I could write on. Luckily, I had taken some old sheets to sit on. I kept at it and finally finished. Concrete dust all over me and my clothes, sweat pouring down my back…and front, muscles screaming from getting up and down off the hard floor, and hands covered in black Sharpie marker marks…I was a mess! I decided to hurry home before another downpour started. My car, it seemed, had developed quite an attraction for the place. As I started to drive off, I hear the most awful racket underneath. I got out to check and see a long limb stuck under the car, behind the front wheel, on the passenger side. I pull…and I pull…and I pull. Then an enormous flash lights up the very dark sky, and I am certain death is imminent. Do you remember my post on lightning on 7/24?…nothing has changed since then. Then a clap…no, a boom of thunder sounds. Then another flash! The door on that side of the car is locked! This dumb car locks up everything except the driver’s side. I am in a quandary. This massive tree trunk is stuck under my car, God has chosen this very moment to put on a light show, and the door closest to me is locked. Should I dive under the car or make a dash for it to the other door? Another flash…it’s the car or me…I make a dash for the door…the car can fend for itself. Did I mention it has been raining since forever here, and there are limbs and leaves and mud everywhere?….slippery leaves and mud…very…slippery. And if a girl goes running like a bat out of a hot place, she’s just likely to do that. Slip…on the very slippery leaves and mud. So, I figure I’m a goner. The headlines will ready: VERY DIRTY LADY STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE PLAYING TUG OF WAR WITH A TREE TRUNK THINKING SHE IS FAST ENOUGH TO OUTRUN THE LORD. I am now covered with mud down one leg and I am getting wet. And some idiot who obviously did not read my post about the lightning is out edging his lawn, and looking at me. Did he offer to help? Did he come to my rescue? I don’t know, because I tried to get up before he saw me. Here I am dying in the street and worrying about whether he saw me or not. Right before I jump into the car, I remember the mud. Something has to go on the car seat before my body does, and the only thing available are the dirty sheets that I used inside. So, dirty sheet on the seat, dirty girl on the sheet, and …we’re off! I figure the limb will certainly fall off as I drive. It is pouring now…and lightning and thundering…and I am not stopping again until I get home. I mean the one that I live in presently. In case you are wondering, the limb did not fall off. It hung on for dear life as I drove through the storm to safety. It sounded as if there was a whole tree stuck under there. I even had people point and try to tell me there was a limb under my car while I was at the red lights. I ignored them.

I needed a bath, a nap, and a BIG bag of Dove dark chocolate bites.

I got a bath, a nap, and a piece of Melba toast, and a chunk of cheese. Score 1 for the runner!

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL

OK…it’s been nice knowing you bloggy friends…if I disappear from view…blame my sister!:o
Today is Joy’s birthday, and I couldn’t find the pic of us together that I wanted to post…what with me getting so organized and all…you understand. So, I found this one and it was just screaming to be posted for all the world to see. Isn’t she cute? People always told her and still do, actually, that she looks like me. I think she realizes how lucky she is!:)
Seriously, I love her with all my heart. She is there…anytime, anywhere. She is a cheerleader, supporter, confidant, partner in crime, and best friend…and a wonderful shopping buddy! She will even tell me to “get out of the bakery” if that’s what I need to do. (She did…and I did). She is there to take the extra load off of me, so I can be with Alex more. She many times does my part and her part…and never complains. She is more than an aunt to my boys. They love her, and respect her, and go to her for advice and as a sounding board. It is important that kids have someone other than their parents to turn to when needed. My guys have always had their Aunt Joy. And I fully trust whatever she would tell them…even if I never knew what it was. If they don’t want to worry me…they will call her to worry instead. And, she loves them back just as much. There is no need now, since my boys are grown, but she would have been the only one I would have trusted to raise my children like I would have wanted. As we have gotten older our bond stays just as close. She can read me like a book. She knows what is going on by the tone of my voice. She is the person in this universe who is the closest to me. She is my sister. And, my friends…that is a beautiful thing!

Organizing is a good thing.
Organizing is a necessary thing.
Organizing is a frustrating thing.
Organizing is a humbling thing.
Organizing is a freeing thing.
Organizing is a tiring thing.
Organizing is a hard thing.
Organizing is a sentimental thing.
Organizing is a funny thing.
Organizing is a time consuming thing.

Organizing is best done as you go along.
It is hard to organize…oh, say…32 years worth of stuff.

I’ve been organizing today.

Good news to report.

Pop is doing very well. He’s been up and walking in the halls. He’s still sore, but not much pain! God is good.

Mom had a very bad ‘bug’ or ‘something’. It bothers me to see her so sick. But, with the nursing skills of her 2 daughters…she is on the road to recovery. Her blood pressure was quite unstable, but that has resolved, too. Thank-you, God.

I missed work again, today. But, Bonnie shows me such grace and mercy when it comes to my family. That is such a blessing, and I do not take it for granted.

I have not succumbed to the desire to “eat my way through the stress”…this is most certainly not of my own strength!

And, I received sweet messages of support from so many of you. Thank you so much…YOU are sweet gifts from the Father.

Then, I received this:

Thank-you, Kat, for this happy award. The award asks that you list 6 things that make you happy. So, here goes:

1.Chocolate…any kind…any where…any time.

2.A good book…and time to read it.

3.The beach…on a sunny day…with a cool breeze.

4.Picking out furnishings for the Creek House…especially when I don’t have to negotiate too much with hubby.

5.Getting a good night’s sleep.

6.Rainbows

(Of course I would list family, friends, and dog also)
****************************************************************************
Tropical storm Fay is upon us as I type. They are saying it is going to be very bad for the next few days…so I may not be blogging. Will catch up with you when we dry out. Several of my blogging friends are from this same area, so we appreciate your prayers.