Bush

I am not a political person at all.  My only political claim to fame was helping my Dad and my Cousin in  local elections. I helped them not because of political agendas or affiliations, but because I love them. 

However, my daughter lives and breathes politics.  She knows her stuff too.  A retired politician, and now owner of the “Grilled Cheese Bar”, in Washington D.C. offered her one piece of advice that stuck with her I think.  He advised her to not talk unless she could back up what she was saying.  Oh, she does that well!

I say this because my intentions with this column are not politically motivated, but stem from my love of family and perhaps pearls, although I do not own a proper pearl necklace or even a set of pearl earrings. 

The passing of Barbara Bush caused quite a stir the past few days. I did not personally have the time to watch the funeral or even much of the news coverage.  I was occupied with prom happenings.  Two of my kids attended the Fairfield prom.  The hours and amount of money spent on this particular event are not worth mentioning.  I will only say that I took a good nap today and recovered much of my sanity and needed rest.

One quote from Mrs. Bush popped up several times on social media. It really seems simple, but is quite profound. “Your success as a family…our success as a nation…depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your own house.”

My own house…I often laugh out loud and wonder what someone would think if they were a fly on the wall inside of our house.  We come and go, but when we are all home, it is quite a show and far from perfect.  We fuss and fight.  Thankfully though, we also laugh and play jokes on each other.   

Today when my husband was attempting to install a new dishwasher, he pretending like I shocked him. His acting skills are not the best, but I fell for it.  He asked me to press the start button to make sure he flipped the right switch to disconnect the electricity.  When I hit the button, he managed to scream at just the right time.  We both laughed uncontrollable.  We sometimes forget to laugh in the constant care and chaos of taking care of our family. 

This Barbara Bush quote means something to me because my heart too is tied to my family and my house. My house is my favorite place in the whole world.  I have walked on a glacier in Alaska, ventured to the top of the Eiffel tower, and made my way around the canals of Venice, but nothing compares to the comfort of being home.

I personally believe the LORD loves our homes and our families more than anything else too.  The family is the core of creation; therefore, the family is under attack by the enemy constantly.  How can we possibly make it these days when raising kids, managing a home, and staying married seems impossible?

Psalm 121 offers some advice.  “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Ask the Lord for help this week.  Look to Him, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Maker of your home.  Give thanks if your home is peaceful and calm at the moment.  Pray and call out to Jesus your home is anything but peaceful and calm.