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Love and Dirty Windows.

January 30, 2019 By Melissa Beene Ford Leave a Comment

If you’ve followed me for very long, it’s no surprise that I love old houses. I mean, take a gander at my Instagram if you don’t believe me. I’m obsessed with 1930s architecture, vintage tile, worn hardwood floors, glass doorknobs… Sigh.

I’ve had a not-so-secret desire to be a real estate agent since way back when I graduated from college, because I love houses. I also (mostly) love people, and I suspect matching the people up with the ideal home would be the most satisfying job on earth, if I weren’t completely terrified of surviving on straight commission, but it’s on the bucket list. I mean, I’m the girl who cries actual tears at HGTV episodes when the makeover is revealed at the end and the people get exactly what they wanted.  

I’m just kidding, of course. Who would cry over HGTV? Psshhh. NOT ME. Because that would be ridiculous. But I digress…

OLD BUILDINGS thrill my soul. I’ve been known to put my life on the line to break and enter, I mean, snoop through an old, abandoned hotel. AND IT WAS THRILLING. Trespassing? Those laws are for OTHER people, man. I LAUGH in the face of danger. *not really, dad, if you’re reading this

I see potential everywhere.

My favorite cousin, Old McDonald’s Wife, shares my love of all things OLD, and has driven many-a-mile through the backroads of East Texas with me to stalk the PERFECT old farmhouse that I JUST KNOW IS OUT THERE SOMEWHERE, traipse through tall weeds to peek through dusty old Victorian windows, and drive my favorite realtor insane touring homes that nobody in their right mind would want… but *I want. BECAUSE OLD HOUSE CHARM, y’all.

See: Exhibit A ,The Blue House.

Being the ENFP, Aquarius, Enneagram Type 7 that I am, I LIVE in the world of ideas and dreams. I mean, I would LOVE to live in the world of ideas and dreams, but I’m often restrained by having to be a mature adult, against my wishes…

So recently, I was just out doing what I do, and peeking through the windows of a vacant old house. I could see, literally, four inches of hardwood floor through the crack in the curtains in the living room, and by teetering on a cinderblock I found in the backyard and dragged to a high window and stood on end, I could sort of see into the kitchen, enough to see an old 1940s sink and ORIGINAL 1940s hex tile…. and y’all….

That was enough for me.

I knew that I knew that I KNEW that THIS HOUSE IS MY SOULMATE. I mean, it was 1) old, and 2) had hardwood floors, and 3) IT HAS THE 1940S KITCHEN SINK, OK? Location? Meh. I wanted this house. This house NEEDED ME. It’s THE ONE and I KNOW IT’S THE ONE because I could feel it in my gut, and who really cares about logic at a time like this.

I thought of this the other day when I was reading through 1 Corinthians 13.

That’s the chapter about love. There’s so much wisdom in that short chapter, but the verse that says, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror…” jumped out at me.

The King James version says, “For now we see through a glass, darkly…”

And I love how The Message puts it,

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

I know God isn’t talking about the logic (or lack thereof) in pinning all your hopes, dreams, twenty percent down, and a thirty-year mortgage on an old house of which you’ve only seen four inches of the living room floor. PART of me was ready to go ALL IN… call the bank… sign the papers… BET ALL MY CHIPS AND MY KIDS’ COLLEGE FUND ON THIS ONE. Based on four inches of living room floor. Oh, and that cute sink.

A glimpse through the curtains doesn’t show me whether the wiring is an eighty-year-old fire hazard, whether the sewer line under the house is intact, or whether, say, it’s full of ghosts and raccoons. I could only see an IDEA of what was in there…

BUT … basing all of our religious doctrine on something we THINK we can deduce from God’s word, is sort of the same thing.

We can’t really see it all… just glimpses, through a dusty Victorian window.

I see so many well-meaning Christians stirring up strife and dissension and boycotts on Facebook over things that at the end of the day, don’t really matter all that much.

I feel so sorry for NOT ONLY the non-Christians, but all the Christian authors, bloggers, and musicians who are being raked over the coals BY CHRISTIANS over issues of doctrine… when NONE of us really see it clearly and the Bible even says that we don’t see clearly.

And we can tell we don’t see clearly, because OUR OWN doctrine changes as we grow up.

For most of my own life, for example, I would have died of thirst before I dared drink a drop of alcohol. I would have been the one posting scathing anti-alcohol, “you’re NOT GODLY if you drink,” articles all over Facebook, had it existed then. It’s not a hill I’m willing to die on anymore. It’s not worth alienating the PEOPLE to spew my opinions about it on Facebook. BUT WHAT DOES JESUS THINK OF ALCOHOL?! Gosh, I don’t know… I’m just teetering on a cinder block trying my best to see the whole picture.

I DO know what IS important to God, because 1 Corinthians 13 says it’s important:

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

That’s from The Message version of the Bible, which is one of those proverbial hills that some Christians are apparently willing to die on, because it isn’t the holy King James version. So for those people, here’s the same thought in ‘Godlier’ language:

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Love God, and love people, basically.

I Corinthians 13 goes into more detail about HOW to do it, but those are the highlights. I’m trying to do a better job of showing love to people, even if we disagree on doctrine.

I’m better at loving old houses, hardwood floors, glass doorknobs, and vintage sinks, if I’m honest, but I’m working on it.

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Hi, I'm Melissa! Texas Girl. Single Mom. Old house fanatic. Welcome to my corner of the internet! I hope to bring you all my deep thoughts about life, Jesus, health and happiness, and decorating my little home without breaking the bank. I will try my best to make you laugh. Or cry... but only for a minute or two. We'll see how it goes. Anyhoo, thanks for being here!! Follow me on Instagram (link below) to keep up with my daily stories. And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a post.

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I love Saturday. 💕 Saturday’s my favorite. 😁 Projects going down today, starting with three gallons of white paint from @sherwinwilliams. What in the world should I paint first? 🤔 What’s happening at YOUR house today?
Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️ Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️
It’s a beautiful day if you’re solar powered ☀️ like me. It’s also a beautiful day for napping in the sun ☀️ if you’re like @sophiejunethedoodle. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I feel SO fortunate to get to work from home where I can sit by a window and even open it when the weather is right 👌🏻 even tho I can hear #goldendoodle snores from my home office... 🤔 Working from home has been on my #visionboard for years and it finally happened. 👏🏻What’s on YOUR vision board for 2021? 👉🏻Answer my poll in my stories! 👈🏻 #theresnoplacelikehome #workfromhomelife #iloveworkingfromhome
The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics ri The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics right here. I believe every word is true. After church this morning I decided these words needed to be added to my chalk wall. 👉🏻 In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope without light
Till from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfil the law and prophets

To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died

And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored

And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out the cat houses made of all the Christmas boxes and blue tape, or do we have to wait for epiphany? 🤔 Wishing you ALL the blessings of a brand new year! 👏🏻 May the Lord crown the year with bounty so that even the wagon tracks overflow with abundance. Psalm 65:11 🌱
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My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These all make me happy to look at ~ I do love this little home we have ~ but none of these represent my top moments of 2020, which would be memories I made with the people I love the most. 💕 It’s been a year of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but still, the person I am at the end of 2020 is better than who I was back in January in so many ways. Lots of lessons learned. Lots of figuring out what I want and what I don’t and who I wanna be and who I need around me. Can’t wait to see what 2021 holds but I know for sure there will be love and grace and mercy and peace. #topnine #topnine2020 #theyearinreview
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I love Saturday. 💕 Saturday’s my favorite. 😁 Projects going down today, starting with three gallons of white paint from @sherwinwilliams. What in the world should I paint first? 🤔 What’s happening at YOUR house today?
Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️ Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️
It’s a beautiful day if you’re solar powered ☀️ like me. It’s also a beautiful day for napping in the sun ☀️ if you’re like @sophiejunethedoodle. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I feel SO fortunate to get to work from home where I can sit by a window and even open it when the weather is right 👌🏻 even tho I can hear #goldendoodle snores from my home office... 🤔 Working from home has been on my #visionboard for years and it finally happened. 👏🏻What’s on YOUR vision board for 2021? 👉🏻Answer my poll in my stories! 👈🏻 #theresnoplacelikehome #workfromhomelife #iloveworkingfromhome
The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics ri The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics right here. I believe every word is true. After church this morning I decided these words needed to be added to my chalk wall. 👉🏻 In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope without light
Till from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfil the law and prophets

To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died

And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored

And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out the cat houses made of all the Christmas boxes and blue tape, or do we have to wait for epiphany? 🤔 Wishing you ALL the blessings of a brand new year! 👏🏻 May the Lord crown the year with bounty so that even the wagon tracks overflow with abundance. Psalm 65:11 🌱
Instagram post 17875671470084040 Instagram post 17875671470084040
My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These all make me happy to look at ~ I do love this little home we have ~ but none of these represent my top moments of 2020, which would be memories I made with the people I love the most. 💕 It’s been a year of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but still, the person I am at the end of 2020 is better than who I was back in January in so many ways. Lots of lessons learned. Lots of figuring out what I want and what I don’t and who I wanna be and who I need around me. Can’t wait to see what 2021 holds but I know for sure there will be love and grace and mercy and peace. #topnine #topnine2020 #theyearinreview
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