What is White?

 The year 2018 is starting out in a big way for us. 

 We’ve purchased our own home!

It really feels crazy after almost fifteen years of marriage to say

 “our house”and really mean it’s our house!

The house is just down the lane and across the road from the farm where we live now.

It’s tiny, nondescript, and really not charming on the outside.

But inside there’s good character.

And we’ve got vision for the outside.

We feel so blessed to be able to put an addition on before we ever move,

 and just this week (after weeks of jumping through all the hoops for a permit)

the digging began!

This photo was obviously taken during the summer! :)

But I didn’t sit down to write about the house and all the

remodeling/building thoughts that have been consuming my mind.

I’ve actually had some time to just think lately.

Imagine that! 

Feels miraculous when that happens.

My daily schedule has changed to something like this:

Eat breakfast.

Do school as much as we can until lunchtime.

Try to fix something for supper 

(or at least know what kind of hotdogs or leftovers we’ll have. Ha!)

Eat lunch.

Pack up the kids and whatever we need to take to the house

 (leave all other housework behind).

Work at the house until we absolutely have to come home for supper.

I’m loving it!

Andrew usually has a good nap in the afternoon

 and the girls take things to occupy themselves,

so I often get to do my own thing for a few hours.

That’s including a lot of painting.

And painting means time to think.

 

I’m learning that “white” isn’t necessarily “white”.

Over the years I’ve done a good bit of painting, but until now,

I’ve never been the one choosing the colors.

After living in a house with lots of natural pine paneled walls

that make everything dark,

I’m ready for some white!

 

We took a trip to Home Depot to get some paint.

I started pulling out white paint samples.

Okay… what I thought was white really wasn’t so white.

This was more difficult than I thought!

Every sample that looked white, had a bit of a tint when I’d compare it to another.

In the end, I talked to Paul the Paint Guy,

and he gave me their truest brightest white that comes pre-mixed in a can. (Boring!)

As I’ve been covering the already “white” walls,

 (which I realize are actually quite creamy when compared to real white)

 I’ve been contemplating.

Thinking about this comparison thing.

How easy it is as a Christian to compare myself to another person I think is “white”.

But you know, all of us humans have a tint.

There’s only one Person to stand next to as a comparison.

When we are beside Jesus Christ, 

it’s only then that we can know what’s truly white.

Looking at everyone around us with their various shades of “white”,

will only make us confused and unsure,

 like me holding all the “white” paint chips.

But the beautiful thing is, when we’re all looking at Jesus,

being made like Him, our whites will all become more and more true.

Our unity will be real.

Our tints will no longer clash.

May we know HIM!

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

looking to Jesus, 

the founder and perfecter of our faith.” 

Hebrews 12:1b,2a