At the end of every year, I begin praying and meditating on what to name the following year. And every year, the year lives up to its name.
Just for the next little while, I am naming seasons
within the year. This is a new practice, and one I don't expect to do a lot, but the leading of the Lord is clear, at least for the summer.
The year 2013 is my year of "Harvest". This summer season, is a season of Keeping House, in the context of my harvest.
It began, as all blessed things do, with the house of God.
My Preacher has never "dwelt in paneled houses while God's house suffers...". He has always made the building where our church gathers a priority, even above our own home, many times.
And I am so okay with that. Because My Father "makes it up to me" in beautiful ways.
Weeks and days and hours have been spent keeping house in the "house of God" recently. God has promised a "harvest" for everything we put our hand to this year, and into the next. We have a clear word.
But we have to be putting our hands TO something that is His Kingdom, not ours.
Then, "all these things" will be added. I am trusting God to bless my physical dwelling...my house...this summer. I am believing God will supply the means and the way to do some much needed home keeping here where the Preacher and I madly enjoy an empty nest...
That has a little something to do with coffee. See, we've upgraded to a Keurig Vue. Latest model, the V700.
Not too shabby. Not too shabby at all. God loves His Preachers and their intrepid wives.
So I designed a Beverage Center...capital letters.
This is my first kitchen stop of the day, and the last at night. The whole family loves this spot.
Lemons and limes for water...peppermint sticks for hot chocolate...marshmallows too...fancy corkscrew, and a sparkling lemonade. Also raw sugar.
My juicer, for fresh orange juice, or making lemonade... and the Keurig Vue...which is the bomb dot com. It makes lattes, it froths the milk part. It makes hot cider, or iced tea or iced coffee or hot chocolate or Starbucks coffee. It dispenses anywhere from espresso size, to travel mug amounts, and you choose the temperature.
Now that we are no longer serving coffee to a daily crowd, the Preacher and I can afford (most of the time) to keep a stash of high-end K-cups (Vue cups) on hand.
The stash of coffees and teas and ciders and sugar substitute is in the drawer, at the Beverage Station. Help yourself. Have a glass of wine, too, if you are over 21.
One. Glass.
Mamma needs her grape juice, I ain't good at sharing. No, actually, the One Glass Rule is a personal boundary I keep, even privately. It's all anyone needs to enjoy with dinner.
Our mason jars (we drink our corn, here in Rocky Top. Just kidding.) and grand baby cups, my Mimi cup, our stemless and stemmed wine glasses, travel mugs, extra mugs, and our green dinner glasses, above the Beverage Center....again, capital B, capital C.
It's just a small thing, this Beverage Center, but it speaks to my season of home keeping as a special focus. It blesses my man, and makes our grown kids feel special, and it is that extra touch of hospitality that says, "We love it that you came here!"
And I actually do look forward to going to bed at night, because I know my Preacher will be making my coffee as soon as my eyes open, in the morning.
I also look forward to sharing with you all the ways I will be keeping house this summer. I am thinking God is going to open up His storehouse of blessing over
this house...my house...because we make His house our first priority. We can't earn it, and don't deserve it...we just can't out-give Him.
Grace and Peace,
Sheila Atchley
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