Mosaics for Missions!

Welcome to my 3rd Annual Mosaic Raffle!  Yep. I'm raffling a new mosaic window to support my upcoming mission trip to Kenya -- and by donating just $10 to the trip, you'll get one entry into the July 13th drawing.    Somebody is taking this original "Palmetto Tree" mosaic home with them!  It might as well be you!

This window is 36" tall and 21.5 " wide -- on a very cool vintage window with original hardware.   The window is lightly sanded to show layers of old cream colored paint.    It intentionally incorporates both red, orange and yellow -- to reflect a very neutral college football bias.    The window took about 20 hours to complete.   The design was hand drawn.   Individual pieces of glass were cracked, applied and grouted to this vintage window.   Mounting hardware will be provided to the winner of this raffle.     It should be hung in a window or on a porch where sunlight is abundant.  

I'll be traveling to Segera, Kenya with my church -- NewSpring -- September 26th - October 5th!
The total cost of the trip is about $3650 plus the cost of immunizations, malaria medication and pocket money for traveling through the airports & souvenirs.   This year, I'm especially excited about my trip because I'm traveling with two very special friends --- Heather Paul and Chrissy Kinney. (You can meet them below - they are wonderful - and our team will be stronger because of their heart for Jesus and His people -- and their love for Africa missions.)    

Heather Paul about to pop an ambien on the 18 hour flight to Kenya in 2011.

It's been longer since Chrissy & I were in Kenya together; celebrating the 4th of July in Nairobi, 2007.  

We'll be getting more details about our work in Segera as the trip gets closer.  We've done medical clinics,  construction projects for schools and fresh water,  home visits,  teaching,   work with special need children and evangelism.   More than anything, we just come with a willingness to love on the children and people of Segera.

If you've got an arm or hand to hold, there's a child who wants it.     Mbogonia, Kenya 2012

No wonder I go back as often as I can.   This will be my 5th trip since 2007.  

So.......

The drawing is set for Saturday, July 13th at 8:00 a.m.    The winner is responsible for pick up.  

Mail your donations to Kathy Dublin, 211 Fawnbrook Drive, Greenwood, SC 29646.    And watch facebook on July 13th.   Your name may be pulled!

Here's a look at last year's winners:   Patty & Jim Stafford -- winners of the "Patchwork Tree" Mosaic.

Stay tuned for this year's winner & mail in your donation!  You can't win if you don't enter!

My Place in this World

At what point in life do you determine.

That this is your place in this world?

I know.

Deep question.

It's been that kind of week for me.

I gave up my obsessive house hunting, what can I say?

Now I'm posing deep philosophical questions.

If you said, oh, brother.

You would be right.

So, confession time.

I've been in a long season of waiting.

Not so patiently.

Waiting for God to tell me what's next.

But, He seems to be taking His time.

He really seems to be taking His time.

True.

He's God.

He can take all the time He wants.

He's not about time.

He's sure not about my time.

But He is about timing.

Still.

In the interim of waiting for direction.

I've been wrestling with this question.

Is this how I will live out my life?

Am I okay with that?    That this may be it?

Even putting that question into actual words makes me a little uneasy.

Because it implies I'm not completely satisfied.

Are we ever completely satisfied?

With our life?

When I was younger, my life always seemed to be somewhere in the future.

When I was in high school, life was definitely going to begin in college.

When I got to college, I thought life would begin when I graduated.

When I graduated, it would begin after I got married and had a family.

When that happened....

You see a trend?

The "future" never quite got there.

But my life, certainly......did.

It's been underway the whole time.

When I was a kid,

I thought of life........maybe like you did.

I was the center of the universe.

Everything revolved around me.

I never wrapped my mind around the concept that one day I wouldn't be here.

How could there be a here, if I wasn't in it?

There's been a gazillion of generations that have come and gone since the beginning of time.

And when I think of ALL those people.

Surely they must have thought the same thing about their lives.

But they all came.    

They all lived out their lives.    

And they passed on.

Part of growing older.

Is reconciling to that truth.

That we have a limited time on this earth.

This tendency to believe that life is somehow going to start......after......(fill in the blank)

Is a lie.

Straight from the enemy, most likely.

Intended to rob our peace and contentment.

While I'm waiting on direction for what's next.

I need to be mindful that there is a purpose in where I am today.

And a difference I'm called to make.

I'm working through that.

My place in this world.

House Hunting Obsession

I have totally no excuse for this.

For the last month or so, I have been......what I can only describe.........as totally out-of-control
.......with a house hunting obsession!

If I've been in front of a computer at home.....I've been searching.

Lakelandsbyowner.com.

Forsalebyowner.com

And multiple real estate websites.

I've driven into neighborhoods I've never ventured into before.

And onto streets I've never seen.

Watching street corners for any evidence of the treasured "For Sale" sign!

Totally out of control.

Here's the thing.

We've only recently paid off our mortgage.

Which is a phenomenal blessing, right??

But....

You would think that someone had lit a

F*I*R*E

under me to go and search for another place.

It makes no sense.

I have no explanation.

I don't even understand it!

And the thing is.

I love my house.

It's cozy and friendly.

Not too big.

Not too small.

We've invested  MANY hours

....updating our kitchen and bathrooms.

Painting walls.     Changing light fixtures.  

Screening in our back porch.

Putting our personal "stamp" on everything.

I have all my favorite colors in this house.

Celery green.     

Terracotta.     

Cappuccino.     

Mustard.

And all my favorite things.

Art.   Books.   Vintage Clocks.   Bead board.

Pillows.      Baskets.       Sea Shells.      Plants.

Antique pieces.     Africa carvings.

Candles.    Pier One "green apples" in a bowl.

It's totally adorable.    To me.

But for some reason.

I've been on the hunt.

And what I've concluded today.

After God has patiently closed EVERY single door.

To each serious (okay.......somewhat serious) inquiry with a realtor.

What I got from Him in return was......"no.....not yet."

To be perfectly honest.

I've had that sense for a while.

But I didn't want to listen.

It was too much fun looking.

So I did.

And yesterday,  I arranged to see another house.

Today.

And then I woke up this morning.

And had my coffee.

And my time with Him.

And He got a little more pointed with me.

I'm reading in Genesis.    Chapter 3.

And it just so happens, I'm reading about the temptation faced by Adam & Eve.

My study notes read:

"are you struggling with temptation because you have not learned that looking
 is the first step toward sin."

Okie Dokie.   

(Yes, He gets ALL UP in my business sometimes!)

And while there's nothing wrong with house hunting, it became wrong for me.
Because I knew He provided me with the blessing of a paid for house.
But instead of focusing on the blessing, I immediately looked for what was next.
I felt Him say to me.
You might find something very nice.
But I want to give you something infinitely more valuable.

And, sorry.

It's just hard to argue with that.

So, today.

In a moment of strength.

I enlisted my husband to call me out.

To speak truth to me in no uncertain terms.

No more house hunting.

For now, anyway.

And nothing like putting it in a blog before my readers.

For complete accountability!

Hmmmm.

I may regret this.     But there it is.

And the 1:00 house showing appointment I set up for today.

Big surprise.

The realtor forgot the appointment and didn't show up.

Door Closed.

And He whispered over me with such patience......told you.

home sweet home ♥