by Cathy Baker | Tiny House |
There it was in all its glory.
One moment, I’m handing Brian tools and the next, I catch sight of the glorious sky framed for a private viewing.
Working on the tiny house this summer has offered moments of both victory and defeat. At times, it’s easy to become bombarded by the details of the build. A break is needed and mine is taken in the doorway-to-be because mountain breezes have a way of making a person feel at ease.
But tiny frames of glory do too.
Like the bright violet patch I discovered behind the house that flooded my mind of grandmother’s backyard all those years ago. Or the day we saw a fawn run across the yard, not so far from where we stood. And then there was the bee that thought he was a hummingbird. Turns out it’s an uncommon sort of bumbler that’s found only in particular regions. We never know what we’ll see while working on our tiny house on the hill.
These days, we’re busy nailing down mega sheets of plywood in preparation for the metal roofing. One by one, the sheets slowly obscure the framed sky which I’ve grown to love over the months.
Yes, the sky is wide open and hard to miss when you step outside, and yet, there’s something about having it framed in all its glory that makes one pause to take notice.
It makes me wonder how often I go about my day missing God’s framed moments of glory.
Yes, stop and smell the roses, but for goodness sake, let’s not stop there.
“…to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord…”
Psalm 27:4 NIV
What’s one beautiful sight the Lord has framed for you this week?
Next Tuesday, September 18th, I am scheduled to re-launch the blog with:
- A NEW title (Hint: If you enjoy Tiny House Tuesday I think you’re gonna LOVE it!)
- A NEW image
- A NEW gift for subscribers
- A NEW monthly letter
If you’re wondering what will stay the same, I will prayerfully continue to:
- SHARE creative ways to connect with God and others
- INSPIRE creativity in daily life
- INVITE meaningful reflection on the small {seemingly insignificant} moments when God makes Himself known
Join me next Tuesday to celebrate the re-design! There will be {tiny} fun giveaways and a NEW gift for subscribers. And if you happen to be as excited as I am, I’d love your help in sharing it! {Thank you}
by Cathy Baker | Faith, Wellness |
Ice cream has always been my downfall.
Not just any ice cream, mind you. It must include sweet morsels of cookie dough, thin mints, or chocolate chips⏤sprinkles, syrups, or anything fruity are simply not invited to the party.
Recently, while wiping minty green deliciousness from around my lips, the words Where is your self-control? rudely interrupted the moment. The words stunned me even more than the fact that I was returning a half-eaten pint of my favorite meal snack to the freezer.
We know when it’s time for a change. And this was that moment.
Scenes from the last two years darted past.
Let’s see. There was the stress of prepping our old house to sell, then the move, writing two books in one year, the heartbreak of returning a beloved puppy on Valentines Day, and struggling with a couple of ongoing medical issues that wiggled fingers from their ears, double-dog-daring me to just try and lose the weight.
Hmm…turns out, it wasn’t ice cream I tasted. It was my emotions. If only they were fat-free. *sigh*
Convinced I couldn’t gain control of my eating habits, or the expanding waistline, I gave up. I grew comfortable buying one larger size after the other, but way down deep, I knew my lack of self-control was costing a lot more than 4.99 a gallon.
So I whipped out my favorite sketchbook, turned it sideways, and drew a line down the center of the page. Each column claimed a title.
The left column: Results From Eating Poorly. Keeping it real here, folks:
- Avoiding people I haven’t seen since the added weight.
- I’m not reflecting the power of self-discipline.
- Feeling dumpy.
- Slave to sweets.
- I run away from the camera and videos.
The right column: Benefits from Eating Healthier
- Live unashamed!
- Healthier body, mind, and spirit.
- Attention and energy will shift more to others (instead of worrying about what people think about me.)
- I won’t shy away from the camera, whether it’s snapping shots with my family, fun selfies with friends, or video opportunities.
- This time next year, I will be healthier, stronger, and more energetic. (One of the reasons we moved closer to the mountains was for the convenience of kayaking and hiking.)
There I sat, comparing the two columns and circling key words, like avoid, slave to sweets, not reflecting⏤followed by⏤live, unashamed, won’t shy away.
For the first time in two years, I saw my life choices for what they really were, as well as their cost. Two scripture verses quickly followed:
You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12
[Truth is, I had given food way too much control over my life. It was my comforter, my be-happy-for-ten-minutes drug, my thoughtless activity. I want my life to reflect what I believe, not what brings me relief.]
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 6:22, 23 NIV
[I agreed with the voice that had rudely interrupted me only minutes prior, saying aloud, You’re right! I have no self-control. God said, “Wrong! I have given you everything you need to exercise self-control. My power lives in you. Depend on Him, not yourself.”]
- I prayed for help, wisdom, and a desire to eat healthier.
- I came up with a simple plan to focus mainly on my eating habits. If I tried too much at one time, I would be overwhelmed. I re-started Weight Watchers, looked back at this post in 2015 for tips, and instead of finding ways it wouldn’t work for me, I found a way to make it work. Now I make a weekly menu and stock my fridge with all the right things (I use my extra points on the weekend for a cupcake — and I enjoy every bite!)
- I dedicated the plan to God with open and outstretched hands, confessing I can’t do it without Him.
So why am I sharing this journey with you at ten pounds down instead of waiting for a whopping victorious number?
Because it’s the small, strong, day-to-day choices we make that are to be celebrated.
It’s not about arriving at a certain number on a scale, or making “x” amount of money, or gaining “x” amount of social media followers.
It’s about arriving at the feet of Jesus.
Is there a situation in your life that might benefit by drawing a line down the center of a page?
by Cathy Baker | Tiny House |
The windows, that is.
I couldn’t imagine a more exciting moment on our tiny house journey than when the walls were raised. But I was wrong.
Seeing “windows” punch through solid walls brought out the inner cheerleader in me (and I do mean inner!) I shouted as if it were the last lap of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s career. Oh, you didn’t know I was a closet NASCAR fan? I watch it from my air-conditioned, non-smoky, fuel-free den with a frappe in one hand and a book in the other. I am a fan nonetheless.
But I digress.
It’s one thing to measure, draw, and pluck a plumb line in all the right places. It’s a whole other baby to catch sight of toppling wood chunks the size of windows.
My favorite window, all 8′ x 4′ of it, will sit to the left of the front porch. The desk will run its length to make way for mountain views and guest writers. Here, Brian finished cutting one of the back windows in the reading nook. Next up, the desk window.
And now, the desk window view, seen from the inside out.
The windows that will sit to the right of the porch are tall and slender, giving a nod to the windows of yesteryear. It is a Victorian tiny house, after all. {Not pictured}
The three back windows will be larger, giving readers a plentiful place to perch as they turn their pages.
Minus one tiny corner gap that was soon covered.
The newly cut “windows” allow the warmth that was once tightly held within the walls to flow outwardly.
“…in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippian 2:3b-4
All we have⏤health, home, family, spiritual gifts, talents, ministry⏤are to be released, not clutched within the walls of our wants.
I {often} have to ask God to cut through my selfish tendencies that hinder my ability to see those He places on my path.
Is there anything hindering our ability to see⏤really see⏤others?
by Cathy Baker | Faith, Prayer |
Since returning from the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, my days have had more twists and turns than Disney World’s Thunder Mountain.
On my ride home from the conference, I could barely see the ground for all the clouds. Two weeks later, I was sniffing dirt.
Two weeks after that, I was back to downing coffee, tweaking chapters and polishing an introduction, only to dust the dirt off my dreams once again. I think the word disappointment sums it up pretty well.
Somehow I feel like I’m not alone.
Disappointment is one of the most common emotions we experience. A dream job fizzles, friends let us down, or life simply takes unexpected detours. One doesn’t have to look far to find unmet expectations.
And yet, it’s what we choose to do with this disappointment that determines our next steps, and even our future.
“Don’t ever let today’s disappointment cast a shadow on tomorrow’s dream.” – Unknown
From Genesis to Revelation, we read of the disappointed. Moses, David, Rachel, Hannah, and poor Elijah was so downhearted, he asked God to take his life. Disappointment can dim our perspective, resulting in long-term discouragement, the too-early release of a ministry, the loss of relationships, depression, etc.
Perhaps it’s my own struggle with depression that alerts me to its danger, inspiring me to remember the following. I hope in some small way, it will help you too.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF
Imagine telling a friend to “get over it” when the disappointment is so new it cries when spanked. So why would we treat ourselves any differently? I gave myself three days:
- Day 1: Embrace the numbness. It tends to clip the heels of disappointment.
- Day 2: Engage in prayer.
- Day 3: Write down the next right thing to do and the specific steps required to move forward.
This structure proved helpful for my situation. Obviously, there are no time constraints for those who grieve or a 1-2-3 formula for deeper disappointments.
Maybe you’re wondering why I didn’t devote the first day to prayer? It’s not that I wouldn’t or didn’t want to, but in a way, I couldn’t. Numb is numb. Instead of beating myself up for it (which I’ve done in the past), I embraced it as tightly as I did my heavenly Father’s love.
God knows the time required for filtering our emotions down to the point of an offering.
PRAY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
On the second day, and the following few, I noticed how my prayers were laser-focused on writing. Such as, What can I learn from these experiences? How should I proceed with the book? Should I proceed with the book?
There’s nothing wrong with these prayers. And yet at that moment, I realized my focus was more on the writing and less on the Author. I paused, thanking God for reminding me that He’s not nearly as interested in my writing as He is with me, His daughter. It’s my heart He desires above all, not my fingertips.
REMEMBER, GOD WASTES NOTHING
My disappointment quickly faded and I’m now working on new projects. Every word is for His glory regardless of the type of book that holds them. And if I had to do it all over again, I’d still climb into the rollercoaster because some lessons can only be learned from a heavenly perspective.
- How do you handle disappointment? Please share in the comment section. Encourage away!
- If you’re the one struggling today, know that I would count it a privilege to pray with, and for you.
- Or maybe you know someone who would be encouraged by this post. Feel free to forward it and/or share.
Thank you for stopping by!
by Cathy Baker | Tiny House |
The tiny house sat flat on the hill.
It sat this way for a few months. We didn’t want to rush the foundation and who could forget the tropical monsoons that blew through our area in May?
But then came June and with it, the first wall.
With one hefty hoist, the tiny house began to take shape in all of its 9′ x 16′ glory.
Then came the second wall and with it, the first corner of the house.
This is the corner where I’d planned to place the mini-fridge and above it, the mini K-cup coffee machine. But it quickly became evident that this corner would give just enough room for the kids to climb the ladder to their loft, and no more. It’s funny how space seems so much larger on graph paper than in real life.
A week later, the third wall and with it, my 8′ window facing the mountains.
This hoist was the heaviest of all because of the bracing required for that size window. Thank goodness for our neighbor who was kind enough to come over and help.
And finally, the day came. The fourth wall was put into place, and with it, a dream began taking the shape of reality.
Sometimes our circumstances can feel like walls. They close in, suffocating the very life from our lungs, not to mention the peace from our mind. At every turn, we’re reminded of the what if’s, the could be’s, and the plan B’s. It’s often when we feel surrounded with no way out that we look in the one direction where our circumstances don’t cloud our vision: Up.
To you, I lift up my eyes, to you whose throne is in heaven. Psalm 123:1
I recently had back-to-back situations where I felt enclosed by my circumstances. In the first situation I was completely helpless. I’d done all I could do to fix a situation but the results were out of my control. After a day of pure panic, I finally looked up. And what came down was a strong sense of security, strength, and peace. Being assured of God’s love and presence allowed me to not only scale the wall of circumstances but to also tear them down.
Are there circumstances in your life that feel like they’re closing in? Lift up your eyes, my friend!
