Thoughts on Learning... Still

As I was making my bed this morning a memory was jogged in my mind of a conversation I had with my mother many years ago. We were looking at pretty magazines and talking about decorating; how to make something beautiful out of what we had without spending alot of money. She had recently read an article that said two things that stuck with me. A couple's bedroom should be the prettiest room in the house, a peaceful and lovely retreat where they can get away with just the two of them and that every room needs just a touch of red. Now, in this time of life when we had four little ones running around and too many messes to count; having a place to retreat to, for even 5 minutes, was profound and miraculous advice I thought. I've tried to make having a beautiful bedroom a reality ever since. As I thought on this, other little learning moments came to mind as well. Surely some of these tidbits are blog-worthy in some way. I remember when my 'little girls' were still babies; finances seemed impossible and the thought of making anything pretty was a dream I could not grasp or even get my mind around. During that sad and almost hopeless time, I went to visit a friend; another young mother who loved her family and her friends. I got tears in my eyes when I saw how beautiful her home was; how warm and welcoming I felt as we sat there with a cup of hot tea, the smell of cinnamon and a hint of eucalyptus from an organic arrangement she had in an old container rather than in a pretty or expensive vase. She used scraps of fabric, old wooden boxes, antique utensils, and simple candles in a jar or placed on a saucer to enhance the warmth of her home. Not to mention how none of her 'things' seemed more important to her than our visit together or finding any way she could to make my babies and me feel welcome and valued. That is when it began to dawn on me that I could, in fact, make my home beautiful regardless of material wealth; and I could definitely give a hug, a word of encouragement, and a cup of tea to a friend. Oh, the simplicity of love I was learning.... I am still learning. There are many other moments through the years where wisdom and understanding were given and gained; some of which were very small beginnings; baby steps I am just now beginning to see the fruit of in this second half of life; others, upon hearing, enabled me to put new advice into practice right away. Here are a few:

*How to sweep "correctly" - my Uncle Charles
*Loving the unlovely - Mom and Daddy
*To capture my thoughts into written words - my high school friend, Marla Redelsperger
*A new way to peel potatoes - Maxine's mother-in-law, Rosalee
*Encouragement to become more independent - my husband, Darrell
*Confidence to speak in small groups of people - the Holy Spirit and my son, Coby; my friend, Kathy Mulkey, motivates me as well. I love that she has confidence in me to do what is in God's heart.
*The love of swimming - my mom and daddy
*Love of music - a young woman who was the pianist at Kingswood Methodist Church when I was a child
*More music - Mr. Bazona, my jr. high choir teacher in Amarillo, TX
*Sewing - Mrs. Huckabee, my jr. high homemaking teacher
*Cooking, cleaning up, and staying organized in the process-Mrs. Huckabee (guess the cooking part didn't stick)
*Underlining the 'cents' on a check - One of my Plainview friends, Laura Holbert
*Washing my knick knacks yearly rather than just dusting - My sister, Maxine's housekeeper who she hired in Amarillo years ago.
*The importance of clean sheets and a bed well made - Alice Selke, my mother-in-law
*Keeping my drawers orderly with like objects together- Alice
*Snow skiing down a mountain - Corey Powell (his patience was extraordinary!)
*Hospitality - my daughters, Amy and Sara; my sister, Stella, and her husband Ben
*Raman noodles and Cinnamon Crumb Cake coffee - Sara and her friends
*Importance of drinking lots of water; and grilling rather than frying - my friend, Judy Mills
*More on hospitality - Penny Allison, Sarada Loudermilk, Donna Stewart, Luana Sudan
*Godly wisdom - Barbara Byrd, Margie Atwood
*Accountability - a Plainview friend, Darlene George; my daughter, Emily Selke Kavalich
*Freedom to laugh loudly - Marla as we would drag Main Street in her old 'black hoopie' singing to the top of our lungs, or stand on our front porches with our phone cords stretched to the max so we could wave at each another. (We lived only a block apart) Emily; she can make me laugh easier than anyone over the least little thing. My Aunt Fern who always has a funny story.
*Advice on breastfeeding and the importance of taking a few minutes away from 'mommying' every now and then - A fellow mother from Plainview, Sammy Payne
*The supernatural hand of God - Three Abernathy friends, Malena, Vickie, and Donita
*Brushing my teeth longer - I can't remember, but it is important
*Enjoying the beauty of a sunset - my mother

In a nutshell... "Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights, in whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning."