The Pantry

My kitchen didn't come with a pantry. So, the hall closet became the pantry. My husband, bless his dear heart, just built me one....in the kitchen. It has been so exciting watching it come together and being in on the planning....if you've ever not had a pantry in the kitchen...you will understand my excitement. I couldn't wait to move all of the contents of the hall closet into my new pantry in the kitchen...to organize it and just open the door and stare at it with satisfaction.

Well....that was about 5 days ago. I started the move...but began rethinking the practical aspects of my kitchen accessories and the such and what should go into the hall closet now, which resulted in cleaning out the china cabinet (full of all kinds of things), and then the hard to reach places underneath my kitchen cupboards, which resulted in finding all kinds of tupperware and (you can't get rid of tupperware can you?...even if you haven't used it in 5 years because...well...its tupperware). A little while later, I found my self "sorting" through all my cookbooks and cooking magazines....an hour later, after looking through all of the recipes that I'm going to make..."someday".....with a dining room table, a kitchen table and a kitchen countertop overloaded with all of my reorganizing endeavours...I looked around and realized that what started out as one little home improvement had me all of a sudden overwhelmed with all of the other areas around me that needed work.

Then my girlfriend called...and saved me. Talked me through a little bit of the mountain I was describing to her...gave me some help with what to get rid of and what to keep. Then another girlfriend stopped by and encouraged me. Hope restored...... and although I'm not done....the tables and countertops are clear and everything that needed a space now has one.

It so reminds me of my heart. Sometimes Jesus wants to do a home improvement in my heart...He sees something that needs fixing and reveals it to me and then begins the work. Sometimes seeing something in my life that needs fixing...opens up other doors or areas of my heart and I start noticing all kinds of things about me that need fixing. When that happens, I can become overwhelmed and burdened and even discouraged at the woman I see in me. I start pulling it all out and looking at it and my whole life becomes a mountain.

But Jesus...He just takes one thing at a time and deals with it and puts it where it needs to go. He is patient with me. He reminds me of the woman He sees in me. He sends me people that care for my heart and can speak truth into me and encourage me in my journey and my hope is restored...I can get through it.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17