Spontaneous Generation

As you all know, I've had a deep love for science growing up. One of my most memorable science lessons (aside from the 8th grade final project I did on neurological disorders where I handcrafted a brain-cerebellum, brainstem and all- with wads of green play-dough) was that of spontaneous generation. Spontaneous Generation is the idea that living organisms develop from non-living matter. Take old rice for example- and this is something I believed in for many years. Say you dispose of old, cooked rice in the trash bin one day in the summer and a few days later, you see little maggots (gross, I know) in that same bin where the rice was placed. Because the maggots are the same color and relatively the same size as the rice grains, it might seem as though those little buggers morphed from the grains of rice. But in reality, several factors attributed to their appearance:

1. the heat of the summer months
2. flies being in high abundance during this time, and
3. flies laying their eggs close to a food source (the disposed of rice) to feed their young when they hatch.

Now, let me tell you that for the longest time, I believed spontaneous generation was a thing. I believed maggots were frankenstein rice grains. Oh! And those little insects that look like twigs and leaves? I thought they were as a result of this phenomenon as well. 

Fast forward to now, when I can finally accept that spontaneous generation is indeed a theory. But I can't help but wonder where all the dust in our house comes from. I dust, sweep, swiffer, mop and in a matter of days, the place is dusty again. (And it's been a crazy cold winter, so it has nothing to do with having the windows open) Three months into living here, I seriously regretted wanting wooden floors through-out. What in the world was I thinking?! When I allow myself to think about it long enough (as I have now since I am writing this post), my mind always drifts back to the possibility of spontaneous generation. That just has to be it. Granted, dust is not a living organism. But the way that thing shows up in our house, that thing seems very much alive.

So, this post was more than random. Beau often wonders what goes on in my mind because my analytic process is apparently "off the rockers". But honestly, this is how I am. This is how my brain/thought-process works.... And now you know.  

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One Year in Our Home

 

One year ago today (literally like one month and one day before our wedding day), we purchased our first home. It's a quaint little row home on a somewhat busy street in a borough right outside of Philadelphia. I don't think we knew it at the time  (not sure how), but it does get extremely busy and noisy during the morning and evening rush hours. Our street connects two major roads, has a middle school at the end of the block and two large high schools in close proximity, so I guess it makes sense. It was difficult trying to sleep with the windows open once the warmer months rolled around, but I got used to it.

Our neighborhood is diverse. I love it so so much. Since I'm a homebody, I haven't really gone out to speak with our neighbors, but I see them walking by. I remember the first weekend in our house, I saw all kinds of people walking by, and I thought "oh my goodness! we have Asians in our neighborhood!". haha. It seems silly, but I grew up in Philly and the inhabitants of our block were predominantly Black. We did have a mixed race couple living on our street, but then they moved a couple years later. In any case, I am really glad to have the diversity here. Our immediate neighbors are- I think- Liberian, Eritrean, and Indian, and we see many other people of various racial backgrounds taking a stroll down the block on a nice, sunny day. I really think that is the highlight of living here. I no longer feel like I am stuck in a box where demographics are concerned, and I can honestly say that I feel pretty safe living here as well. (Although, the neighborhood my mom lives in Philly is also relatively safe).

Now for the house itself, it has it's ups and downs. Firstly, who knew that hardwood floors throughout would be so challenging to maintain?! This was one of the top things on my wishlist when searching for a home, and when we got it, I really wanted to renege. The house is a dust magnet! It's okay though. I prefer dust congregating on the floors than in the carpet. My allergies and sinuses also prefer it.

Our home was in move-in condition when we purchased it. But of course, that came with hidden faults (eg. wall accents in the bathroom falling down, taking patches of paint with it. The previous owners used Command Strips to hold them up. What in the what??;  Crazy draft during the winter months; a broken thermostat in the fridge leading to a super cold freezer and a lukewarm fridge... goodbye orange juice, eggs, and milk). Overall, it really is a good house. Mishaps and breakages are to be expected when owning a home.

In regards to decor, we have yet to get the ball rolling on that. Right now, we have the basic necessities: bedroom furniture, dining set, bookshelves, and a desk. We also have a set of recliners in the living room that Beau's parents gave us. To be honest, I dislike the things, but they work for now.  It is really hard, financially, for us to get other things to furnish and decorate our home to my our liking, but I know that the opportunity will come-- slowly, but surely. We've been told many tales of our family and friends getting their first place and having to furnish it piece by piece and finally getting a desired result years down the road. They always say that it is discouraging at first, but it is also very rewarding to look back on where they started to see how far they've come. Their stories are such an encouragement because being a part of the blog community, I see so many young couples who get married, purchase their first home and are then able to (what seems like) fully furnish it within weeks. I am fully assured that we will be able to do the same in no time, so no worries here.

So, that is an update of where we are one year after purchasing our first home. I've recently had a sense that we won't actually be residing in this house for long. Strange, I know. I'm not sure why I feel that way, but it was a feeling I got a couple weeks ago while thinking about our home and what it would be like once fully furnished. I don't know if or where we will be headed to, but I am sure the Lord will provide- just as He has this past year.

Filling Empty Spaces

The bedrooms: the master is full of furniture gifted to us the day before our wedding. It was such a blessing. The closets are full of clothes and shoes that hardly get worn and a music stash evident of a true audiophile.The walls are bare. 

Our Living Room: with the twin set olive green recliners his parents gave us, the off-white loveseat my mom offered to us, and the pink lamp stand I had in grad-school, and the TV extending around the bend to face us during meal time. There’s nothing else in there.

The dining room: with built-in shelves, a painting of The Last Supper that needs to be hung, our first dining room set, and a door that leads to the back deck. There’s nothing else.

Our kitchen: tiny and cozy as can be. The space is narrow. The shelves, though few, are all occupied with small electrical appliances. But, the cupboards are packed, the fridge is full, and we have enough.

This, is our first home. We’ve been looking for the perfect one since 2010. Gave up for a little while and finally found it when the time was right. 

There are some spaces that need filling, but it will come. The means to have all that we desire will come. I often plan in my mind what kinds of painting and pictures we will have strewn across the walls of our house; or the kind of sofa we’ll have in our living room, along with shelves, mirrors, rugs and accent pillows too! I often wonder if we will ever hang the painting of Jesus and His disciples, or find a more visually appealing location for our television. But for now, everything is where it needs to be. Over time we will begin to see the empty spaces filling up and the decoration desires of our heart will be met.

This observation about our home helps me to put things into perspective. Since I moved in, I’ve been thinking of all the things we can do with the living room: once we get rid of the recliners, olive green curtain panels, and pink lampstand. Maybe a neutral colored sofa, with pops of red or yellow... paint that lamp post some metallic color... get a pretty area rug... And not to mention finding some way to build these awesome honeycomb shelves I’ve seen floating around the internet.

I’ve been focused on what I hope to acquire (what I want) and not on what I have now. This is my biggest flaw. I often say here that I am learning or have learned lessons from certain situations in my life and this is no different. I grew up living with excess of all things materialistic. The empty spaces in our home were filled with more shoes. more clothes. more handbags. More. More. More. My mother supported me financially every week right up until my final year of graduate school. If I had a job, it was because I wanted more and not because I was required to have one. I had not yet learned what it was like to be in want. I honestly believe that this is the lesson I am currently being schooled in. Instead of filling up the empty spaces with more things, I needed to fill it up with more of God.

This past year, I have found myself doing just that. I purchased my first study Bible in July 2012 and that has been the best purchase I have ever made in life… way better than 100 pretty dresses. I spent more time in prayer, reading the Bible and understanding the words written on the pages. Doing this has brought so many blessings-- more than money can buy. It has given me more faith, joy, peace, comfort and contentment… And even more so, eternal life through Christ. This is what my spiritual empty space is being filled with.

As for our home, that is another lesson in and of itself. I am learning to be content with what we have now. When our increase comes and we have all that we want, we can look back and see where we've come from and appreciate it even more.

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

~Colossians 3:2~

"...while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 

~2 Corinthians 4:18~

Closing Time

Bright and early Tuesday morning, Beau and I went to take one last look at the house we would be calling ours and then proceeded to settlement.
We now own a home!

Beau will be moving in gradually and I will officially move in once we are married. I can't wait!