Much as I enjoy a "comfy chair" in our living room in Crosby, there has been an equally comfortable one here in Bismarck. Although it lacks the benefit of being a recliner, it worked just fine when I needed a place to curl up and escape the bustle of the world. I didn't even have to get used to a new color!
When it came time to retire into the bedroom, there was another uncanny similarity between the look at home and the new one. Not only was the dark pine headboard a common thread, but also the green and rose colored theme of the bedspreads. On the round table next to the bed a Jim Shore lamp was there to remind me of my sister, who has a collection of his work.
Other indications of the fact our tastes were similar included the use of ivy greenery. Back in Crosby it adorns the space above my living room curtains. In Bismarck it was found surrounding a mirror in the living room, as well as above the bathroom mirrors.
The poem on a wall hanging was similar to the one which graces the door of my refrigerator:
Afghans similar to the ones my mother made were right inside the door.
Hummingbirds and butterflies to remind me of my dear Aunt Mabel
A wreath made of cups and saucers. . .a reminder of my grandmother and mom who both had collections.
Seeing a deer makes me think of my dad, who not only was a deer hunter, but also one who cared for and raised a fawn left deserted in the field one year.
A lantern very similar to this one once belonged to my grandmother and is now a part of my treasures.
This unique wall hanging is made with vintage metal shoe stretchers. Seeing them reminded me of stories my grandmother would tell of her father being a cobbler in Norway.
Hanging in the patio door window were several reminders of home. . .an eagle like my father-in-law used to collect, a crocheted doily in a ring similar to one which hung in our bedroom window for years, and a gold leaf like the one my mother brought back from one of her Alaska trips.
Good reminders everywhere!
Soon it will be time to say good-bye to all these special things, but thoughts of them will always be a reminder of how much God cares for each one of His children. Yes, He cared enough to surround me with special things, but better yet, He sent His one and only Son to die on a cross for the forgiveness of my sins. . .and yours, too. This wooden plaque spells out the same reminder as a plastic canvas one does in our TV room back home:
JESUS. . .do you see Him and recognize Him in your life?
How often do we focus on the wrong things and not see Him at all?
Open your eyes to see Him at work in your life today!
