L.U.I.H.S.

So... it sneaked up on me!

I had an interesting experience a couple of days ago.  My dear husband John has been remodeling a house next door into a 3-car garage.  Of course, it has been a much bigger project than expected (he blames the city codes) and hence, it has cost a LOT more than we thought it would.  So in an act to save our children's inheritance,  John and I decided to paint the garage floor ourselves.  This would actually save $2000 in labor and was well worth it.  John watched several YouTube videos demonstrating the fine art of applying this special paint and was sure we would have no problem.  So the 3 of us (our son Jack was also corralled into helping) donned our paint clothes and took up our brushes.  Jack and I trimmed with brushes and John used a roller.  Fine!  As soon as I saw this paint, I realized how special it was.  The dark burgundy colored paint came in 2 cans and had to be mixed.  One of these special cans said 'epoxy' on the side and was quite sniffy.  Jack and I were down on the floor, in fact, Jack had to lay on the floor to paint under a cabinet; our noses were about 12 inches from the action.  It was hard work, but not impossible, and after about 2 1/2 hours, we had the job done.  The results were less than wonderful, but we didn't worry about that... it was done!  John had rolled the rest of the floor to the best of his ability.

I should have noticed that we were quite spacey and had trouble focusing.  John and I could hardly speak during dinner.  All I wanted to do was take a nap, but couldn't because I had choirs rehearsing at 7:00 pm.  So off to church I went to launch rehearsal.  Oddly, things seemed funny.  Making sure everyone has a good belly laugh is on my choir rehearsal list of things to do.  However, this was different.  Lots of laughing... I couldn't explain things... I couldn't find things... I was unusually jolly... Finally someone asked me what I did that day and when I described what had happened in the afternoon, a choir member popped out, "You're DUI! - Directing under the influence!"  (She is a lawyer.)  Then, of course, everyone had great sport with me...  The accompanist coined the term 'epoxy-talk' and away went all control...  You can imagine...

The next day, I thought about the whole experience (my mind was much more focused and clear.)  I didn't even realize I was under the influence of fumes!  It just sneaked up on me!  And this causes me to ask some questions:  What else is sneaking up on me?  What else is influencing me that is not helpful or healthy?  Am I just sailing along picking up stimuli and assimilating it into my day without even thinking about the long term effects?  I really need to "Be on my guard, stand firm in the faith... be strong" (1 Cor. 16:13)  I can't be taking on those 'fumes' of life that are not Godly.  I want to be LUIHS - that is, living under the influence of the Holy Spirit - each and every day.

Car loads of stuff!

So... how did I get so much stuff?  That is the question!

What is there to do when the weather is so cold and there's not a fly-away vacation in sight?  Well, we here in the Midwest do not usually take on drinking... and I certainly am not going to go overboard on exercising... and there is a limit as to how much baking I should do... and I get stiff from reading novels on the kindle... So... I am doing the ultimate winter stuck-in-the-house activity:  I'm cleaning out closets!  Not just the ordinary closets that I use every day; I've been working on the hidden ones, the ones down under, the ones that can go for years without perusal.  The ones that if I slam the doors quickly enough, the doors will close.

So... what have I found?  Many many many forgotten craft items.  I am set to be the most imaginativegrandma in the world!  Glue guns!  Glitter!  Snippets of lace!  Stencils!  Star ice cube makers!  Beads!  Little tiny beach shoes!  Calligraphy pens!  Leather patches!  Fabric dye!  Snorkel masks!  Statues of dentists!  Candles!  Used flower foam!  Paper lanterns!  Spirograph wheels!  And of course, rectal thermometers! I also found enough quart jars to can enough products to last an entire winter.  Bring on a nuclear blackout!  Why do I have all this stuff?

So...  I put all this odd stuff into my car and drove to the local salvation army store.  They will take anything!  It took several car loads to get everything there and now, my weird unused stuff is alongside your weird unused stuff. 

Help me, Lord, to stop buying weird stuff - that I don't need, that is.  And help me, Lord, to stop buying weird stuff for my friends and family.  Teach me how to spend money and be generous in a wise fashion.  And help me to look at odd stuff with a clear eye and find a good home for it.