Three young humans race around the dining room table, the fourth trying to keep up on hands and knees, while two dogs chase them and lick any faces that pause long enough to become an easy target. The house is alive with enthusiasm (and what some might consider chaos)—far more so than it was a couple weeks ago. My parents graciously welcomed my family into their home for the next couple of months while our home is under construction, and here are some of my goals for making ourselves at home here in the best way possible.
1. Live “minimalist-icly” – while I tried to narrow down our necessities that we brought with us, I would like to eliminate even more, so that our space does not feel cluttered or overwhelming. I’m working hard to find a good organization system that will duly respect the home that is not our own. We want the freedom to focus our attention on experiencing all the joy and fun times that this temporary situation has to offer rather than getting bogged down by stuff.
2. Serve unconditionally – It is not lost on me the amount of sacrifice required by my parents in order to welcome us into their home for a long period of time. And they did so joyfully and without a second thought. It is only reasonable that I would spend my time here looking for ways to serve them and their home.
3. Behave respectfully – I want my children to grow up learning to take good care of what God has given them to steward, and even better care of what belongs to others. The next couple of months will be prime opportunity to instill those behaviors and mindsets.
4. Adapt cheerfully – Living in someone else’s home strips me of a lot of the control that I possess when I’m living in my own home. It’s a great exercise of my ability to be cheerful and flexible with any and all circumstances. I am thankful for the reminder that I’m ultimately not in control anywhere or under any circumstances, and I welcome the opportunity to improve in the area of cheerful adaptability.
I suppose that by putting these goals out there, I’m enlisting all of you as my accountability partners. Feel free to check in after a few weeks and see how I’m doing with the above commitments!
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