THE HOUSE DOCTOR - IT IS THE HEART THAT MATTERS MOST

(Forward by Sheila Gail Landgraf - Short Story by Margaret Read McDonald)

When we first began to share the secrets of transitioning a house into a home in THE HOUSE DOCTOR I mentioned that your beginning might look quite different from mine.  That is because in this journey called life we all have our own priorities and motivations.   We do what we relate to the most, and we do what is most important to us in the order that we feel is necessary.  I am a writer.  I don’t just write; I am passionate about writing.  If I’m living something, you can bet I’m writing about it.  That is just a fact of life for me.  I even write about remodeling my home!  

Practically EVERYTHING in my life revolves around story.  If there is no story; then I’m not interested!   I hope you understand that both you and your house have a story.  There are also stories related to making a house a home, that turn into stories that relate to other transitions in life as well.  These stories must be cherished and they are screaming out to be told.  We will not omit them here; as a matter of fact; they will be our starting place!  They will help us to put our hearts in order, so that we can then put our homes in order.  There will be many more stories along the way; not just the one that is coming up next.

As I thought of where to begin writing about transitioning our houses into homes, I knew I was about to write more than just one story with this adventure of turning my house into a home.  It would take MANY stories to feel any accomplishment.  I felt for sure this task was going to be an on-going, thick-paged novel that would rock my world for a long time.  I needed to have a foundational story to get me started, something motivational that really applied to this certain situation of making a house a home.  I pondered just what that story might be; and while I was thinking about it I chanced upon the most perfect tale!  The little story proclaimed everything I wanted to express about this house transformation.    

So; in order to keep our priorities perfectly straight from the very beginning, and just to make sure we start this journey out on the right foot; I want to share the story with you.  It is about the condition of your heart for your home.  If you are going to change your home, you must have the heart for it.  You can't give up and you can't quit.  You must understand the meaning of being content in all circumstances.  It was The Apostle Paul who said it best in Philippians 4:12; “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

This, my friend, is the first thing one must learn about transitioning a house into a home.  It takes having your heart in the right place.  You must be content with the fact that where you and your loved ones are; that is home.  The conditions do not matter.  Conditions are changeable; but the heart must be right and it must know the meaning of true contentment from the very start in order to stir up that feeling in a place, or create an atomosphere for others to enjoy.   If your heart is not right; you will only be spinning your wheels and wasting your time.  Where there is a content heart there will be love, and where there is love, a good home will always exist.  It takes the right heart to turn a house into a home.  Just read this old British fairy tale, written by Margaret Read McDonald. The message will speak for itself.

The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle

(By Margaret Read McDonald)

There once was an old woman who lived in a vinegar bottle. Don't ask me why. It was a common old vinegar bottle. Maybe a little larger than most, but, still, it made for a very small house. The old woman would often sit on her front steps and complain. "Oh, what a pity! What a pity pity pity! That I should have to live in a tiny house such as this. Why, I should be living in a charming cottage with a thatched roof and roses growing up the walls. That's what I deserve."

One day a fairy happened to be flying overhead and she heard the old woman's complaint. "I can do that," thought the fairy. "If that's what she wants...that's what she'll get." And to the old woman she said, "When you go to bed tonight, turn round three times and close your eyes. In the morning, just see what you shall see."

Well, the old woman thought the fairy was likely batty, but she decided to give it a try. When she went to bed that night she turned round three times and closed her eyes. When she opened them again in the morning ... She found herself in a charming cottage with a thatched roof and roses growing up the walls! "It's just what I've always wanted," she said. "I know I will be so happy here." But not a word of thanks did she give to the fairy. The fairy went north and the fairy went south. The fairy went east and the fairy went west. She did all the business she had to do. Then she began to think about that old woman. "I wonder how that old woman is getting along. The one who used to live in the vinegar bottle. I think I'll just stop round and see."

 

When she got to the charming cottage the fairy found the old woman sitting and complaining. "Oh, what a pity! What a pity pity pity! That I should have to live in a tiny cottage like this. Why, I should be living in a smart row house with lace curtains at the windows and a brass knocker on the door! That's what I deserve!"

"Well," said the fairy, "I can do that. If that's what she wants ... that's what she'll get." And to the old woman she said, "When you go to bed tonight, turn round three times and close your eyes. When you open them again in the morning, just see what you shall see."

The old woman didn't have to be told twice. She went right to bed. She turned round three times and closed her eyes. When she opened them again in the morning, she found herself in a smart row house with lace curtains at the windows and a brass knocker on the door. "It's just what I always dreamed of!" she said. "I know I'll be so happy here!" But not a word of thanks did she give to the fairy. The fairy went north and the fairy went south. The fairy went east and the fairy went west. She did all the business she had to do. Then she began to think about that old woman. "I wonder how that old woman is getting along. The one who used to live in the vinegar bottle. I think I'll just stop round and see."

When she got to the smart row house, there sat the old woman in her brand new rocking chair ... rocking and complaining. "Oh, what a pity! What a pity pity pity! That I should have to live in this row house with common neighbors on either side. Why, I should be living in a mansion on a hilltop with a manservant and a maidservant to do my bidding. That's what I deserve!"

When the fairy heard this, she was much amazed. But she said, "Well, if that's what she wants ... That's what she'll get." And to the old woman she said, "When you go to bed tonight, turn around three times and close your eyes. When you open them again in the morning, just see what you will see!"

The old woman turned round three times and closed her eyes. When she opened them again the next morning ... She found herself in a mansion on a hilltop with a manservant and a maidservant to do her bidding! "This is just what I've always deserved," said the old woman. "I know I will be so happy here!" But not a word of thanks did she give to the fairy. The fairy went north and the fairy went south. The fairy went east and the fairy went west. She did all the business she had to do. Then she began to think about that old woman. " I wonder how that old woman is getting along. The one who used to live in the vinegar bottle. I think I'll just stop round and see."

But when she came to the mansion on the hilltop she found the old woman in her velvet chair ... sitting and complaining! "Oh, what a pity! What a pity pity pity! That I should have to live in such a drafty old mansion. Why, I should be living in the palace. Oh, yes, I should be the queen with musicians to entertain me and courtiers to bow to me. That's what I deserve."

"Good heavens," thought the fairy. "Will she never be content? Well, if that's what she wants ... that's what she'll get." And to the old woman she said, "When you go to bed tonight, turn round three times and close your eyes. When you open them again in the morning, just see what you shall see!"

The old woman could not wait to go to bed that night. She turned round three times and closed her eyes. When she opened them again the next morning, she found herself in the palace and she was the queen, with musicians to entertain her and courtiers to bow to her. "Oh, yes! This is what I've always dreamed of. I know I will be so happy here!" But not a word of thanks did she give to the fairy. The fairy went north and the fairy went south. The fairy went east and the fairy went west. She did all the business she had to do. Then she began to think about that old woman. "I wonder how that old woman is getting along ... the one who used to live in the vinegar bottle. I think I'll just stop round and see."

When she got to the palace there sat the old woman on her throne ... sitting and complaining! "Oh what a pity! What a pity pity pity! That I should be queen of such an insignificant little kingdom. Why I should be Empress of the Universe. Oh, yes, Empress of the Universe! That's what I really deserve!"

"Well!" said the fairy. "There is just no pleasing some people! If that's what she wants, that's what she'll not get!" And to the old woman she said, "When you go to bed tonight, turn round three times and close your eyes. When you open them again in the morning, just see what you shall see."

The old woman hurried to bed that night. She turned round three times and closed her eyes. When she opened them again the next morning, she found herself right back in her vinegar bottle! "And there she shall stay!" exclaimed the fairy. "If she can't be happy here, she won't be happy there. For, after all, happiness comes from the heart! Not from the house!"

COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 119 - GOD MAKES MOSES SOME NEW PROMISES AND EQUIPS HIM FOR HIS TASK

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

When Moses complained to God about the attitude of the people, God answered him.  “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh:  Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”

God continued to speak; reminding Moses of a few things just in case he had forgotten:  “I am the LORD.  I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them.  I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners.  Moreover I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.  Therefore say to the Israelites ‘I am the LORD and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.  I will free you from being slaves to them and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.  I will take you as my own people and I will be your God.  Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.  And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.  I will give it to you as a possession.  I am the LORD.’”

I’m sure this conversation must have encouraged and inspired Moses.  He runs back to the poor, tired, overworked people and reports what God has promised.  He again states that he is talking to THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, and none of this is coming from Moses' imagination.  He explains to them that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew God as God Almighty, but this same God Almighty has many attributes and each one is named.  This time the people will know him as THE LORD.  Moses tells the people they must realize the LORD will bring them out of slavery because he has chosen them to be His people.  Moses tells them that God has promised to give them the land of Canaan in order to fulfill his covenant with Abraham made so long ago.  Moses explains to them that they will one day be free and possess that land that was promised.

The people are tired.  The people are hungry.  The people are overworked and under fed and longing for nothing more than death.  They are not listening to Moses whom they think may have been hiking up a mountain having imaginary conversations with God while they have been confined to so much hard labor.  Who was he anyway?  He couldn’t even stay in the palace and run the country when it was offered to him.  That would have helped them out a lot!  He was a fool.  He would never be Hebrew like them; who did he think he was kidding?  What was this talk of the God of Abraham hearing their cries?  That story was beginning to get a little old.   Surely God had forgotten them long ago or they would not be here in the first place. 

So once again a discouraged Moses goes back to the Mountain of God and falls on his face and says to God that the people do not believe him.  God doesn’t worry about that.   Instead of joining Moses's pity party for himself, God  tells Moses to get up and go straight to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelites go out of his country.

Now Moses must have been super perplexed this time.  God was repeating the same things again.  Last time he listened to that nothing had happened and Pharaoh had only become angry with the people and punished them by giving them harder and longer work.   It had started this huge communications problem with them, because they had become angry with him for misleading them.   

So Moses speaks to God and says, “The Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?”  Some scholars think this meant that Moses stuttered.  That really could have been the case, or it could have simply been that the people did not have any confidence in Moses's ability to speak to Pharaoh since the last time had brought them only deeper into bondage.  

Here is where there is a pause in the scriptures and the genealogy of Aaron and Moses is spelled out, name by name.  The twelve sons of Jacob are repeated along with their son’s names and some of their wives names.  It is like God is reminding the two; (Moses and Aaron) of their heritage.  Moses may have desperately needed this lesson since he had been living like an Egyptian, then a Midian Shepherd.  He probably did not have a good clear understanding of the twelve tribes of Israel.  Aaron was probably just getting a refresher course.  Whatever the case, it confirmed that God thought this to be very important.   

Every little detail of the lineage is noted and spelled out.  God was dividing up the tribes and explaining to Moses and Aaron that they should bring the people out in divisions by families.  God was instructing both Moses and Aaron, and Moses was again complaining about his lack of speaking abilities.  I’m sure that the people not being willing to listen to him  had heaped more and more feelings of incompetence upon his already too low self esteem.  God saw this.  God included Aaron in the instructions.  Aaron had great powers of persuasion over the people, especially the elders.  Aaron had good self esteem and he would get their attention and persuade them that Moses was right.  If anyone could make the people listen to Moses, it was Aaron.     

So with the family history lesson fresh in his head, and Aaron at his side; God again told Moses:  “Tell Pharaoh to let my people go!”

SEASONS - THE LOVLINESS OF SPRING

 

(PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHEILA GAIL LANDGRAF)

Spring is such a beautiful time of the year.  This year is passing by so fast.  Here are some of my favorite photos of Spring from this year as well as from Springs of the past.