Remodeling

 So a little over 2 years ago we moved into our present home.  We had just bought a home about 2 1/2 years prior, but 6 months after we moved in we brought home Michael.  Now if you don't know our sweet Michael has Cerebral Palsy.  Between the fact that the home was a tri split level, the fact that our land space was so small for us (we had a 1/4 of an acre and being former camp directors for 11 prior to that our kiddos were not used to anything less than a 100 acres), and a great perk of moving was we had a horribly racist neighbor. 

 We moved to a "tucked away" property that has 3 acres, all 1 level, 1/4 mile drive, is right by a small farm, and our neighbors are wonderful!  Since then Jason has had to lay new floors in all but a couple rooms of the home (long story including leaky pipes), has redone all the trim with that floor, and repainted a few of the rooms in the home. 

 Well now he has repainted all but the kids' bathrooms, and our toy room (storage room).

This brought me to think about remodeling.  We take time to remodel our homes in various stages either through pure necessity or through a desire to make a room look nicer or have practical floors.  We put our little touches on the home with pictures and wall hangings.

I then started thinking about the remodeling that needs to be done IN ME!  Believe me there is a lot!

 These pictures are from Walk Through Bethlehem that we go to yearly.  They do a full on "town of Bethlehem" and take tours through it with thousands of people.  Telling the story of what it would have looked like, smelled like (live animals, fish, breads, etc), and a deeper look into the miracle of the birth of Christ. 

 As you walk through and meet people they tell you their thoughts on this possible Messiah that was born.  They share with you the story and in the excitement of could this be the one who has come to fulfill the prophecies? 

 The shepherds are excited to tell you all about the angels they saw and what they heard.

 Then in quiet little cave like place there He is.....a baby.  A baby that came to remodel the world!  The one who came not to be our Earthly King, but our Heavenly King!  Not to change all the bad things on Earth for us, but to change our very hearts and minds!

Remodeling our lives.  Remodeling the way I think and view things.  To change me and my sometimes very rotten attitudes.  Our home has changed a lot over the last couple of years, new floors, new trim, and new paint.  Now is the time to HEAL to remodel ME!  To help reset my heart towards HIM. 

This is from when I took the boys to see Star Wars.  I know what you are thinking- does everything she talks about revolve around Star Wars?  Ummmmm...not everything, but I do love all the analogies I see in Star Wars to my faith walk.

(Spoiler Alert, but I figured if you a fan you have seen it by now anyway.)

In this story Luke has been hidden away for a long time and no one knows where.  It ends up he is in the original Jedi temple, as I see it to restore, train, and find healing.  He left after one of his students had turned to the dark side and it must have been so painful to see that.  Especially since this Jedi that turned was his nephew!  I can't imagine that!  Of course there is a map he leaves behind to find him.

So for me I am praying specifically for God to keep me hidden in Him.  For me to be studying that map to find Him.  For me to find in him restoration, training in how to be more like Him, and to find healing!

I pray that all of us may find a remodeling of our hearts.  A renewing of our faith.  A time of restoration by our Father who loves us so very deeply!