Love is in the House

Just packed up all the Christmas decorations...except the lights...something about the pretty, colorful lights at this dark time of the year brings me warm fuzzy feelings, so I just cannot put them in a box quite yet.

The house is clean- smelling like "vinegar chips" as one of our neighbor girls told me as I mopped with vinegar water! I told her that was what I was going for. I want any holiday guests coming in to think of our home as the one that smells of vinegar chips! (insert laugh) She said, "Really?" (Yes, she is a teen- and she is a blond!) "Ha! No, " I told her, I just use it because it cleans really well and it is natural." 

Anyway, so I have some time to write and it is good because my brain has been overflowing with thoughts lately. Writing helps me sort, think, express, and make sense of it all.

When I was young, I hoped that when I had a family I would be "The Koolaid Mom". You know, the one whose house all the kids' friends would come to and hang out? Yeah, that was how I wanted my house to be. We have become that house. My four daughters have friends coming in and out all the time. Several of their friends say we are their second family, they call me mom, and honestly, sometimes I feel like they are part mine! ;) I love it! I wouldn't have it any other way!

In the past few years, we have had 3 foreign exchange students during separate six- month segments of time. Two girls from Brazil and one from Italy. I grew to love each of these girls as they became a part of our family while they were here...each bringing with them a new opportunity for growth and learning to our family as well as us helping them to grown and learn in different ways while they were here- indepedent of their birth families.

Tomorrow, Shyanna's best friend from illinois, Sierra, arrives. We are soooo excited to have her spend the week with us! Then, we will turn around and say good-bye to our exchange student, Val, Tuesday morning. Wednesday, we have a FEAR FACTOR birthday party for Shyanna, and I believe we will have around 10 more girls sleeping over. Then Thursday sometime, we are expecting our new frimly (friend + family), the DeBords. They will be moving in which will be an adventure that we are very much looking forward to! That will bring us to a total of 4 adults, 8 girls, 4 dogs, and 1 cat in our lovely home. :) New meaning to the words, "Neu Crew Zoo" that some of our friends have coined us with over the years, won't it?! Hehehe

But, all of this, as crazy as it sounds...as busy as it is...makes me soooo grateful!! I am grateful people feel comfortable being here. I am grateful that people feel the love that we have for them. Today, at church, a Bible verse was shared. 1 John 4:7-12 "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

I have heard and read these verses previously, but suddenly I am feeling what they say in a whole new light. I always say that love makes the world go 'round- but I feel like I am really just learning more and more what it really looks like to be loving- it is so much more about action and so much about focussing more on others and less on self. To me, it IS what REALLY matters. Loving God and loving others....nothing matters more!!

Toby Mac is one of my favorite all time Music Artsists and this is probably one of my favorite songs of his..."Love is in the house and the house is packed. So much so, I left the back door cracked. Mama always said it's a matter of fact- when love is on the house, the house is packed." You can listen to it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGJjbQckGb4

I truly hope that our home is always packed and full of love! I am so very thankful to be filled with love for others and I know that the love I have is only there because I feel so fully God's love, mercy, and grace in my own life.