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People often ask me how I like living at our tiny cottage these days and I have to admit after living in luxury for so many years there are many adjustments that have to be made. One of them is “laundry day”. Since we no longer own a washer and dryer I have to look for alternative ways to complete the task of getting our clothes cleaned. And as always, God provides.

Our friend Dick, and builder of two of our previous houses, has a huge lake house near us. Once when visiting with us he just shook his head as he observed how my husband and I were now living. I know he envisioned in his mind the two beautiful houses that he had constructed for us in years past. I sometimes too allow my thoughts to return there, but then I am reminded this is exactly where God wants us to be at this time. However, there is still the laundry problem that must be dealt with. That is why we were so grateful when Dick offered us his place where I could go and do our wash.

Dick’s lake house is what I would describe as a mansion. When I go to there I often find myself daydreaming wondering what it would be like to own something of this magnitude. That is when I remember that one day I could know what this is like─of course, not on this side of glory.

"In my Father's house are many mansions. if it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:2-3 KJV

To be perfectly honest with you the journey from living in luxury to where we are at today, has been quite a process. I still remember three years ago when my husband Kirk, announced to me that God had prepared his heart for us to live at the cottage. Since Kirk was still employed at Ford Motor Co. at the time, I could not imagine doing such a thing. Kirk then asked me where I was at in the letting go process. My answer: “I’m not there yet”.

Then God began His powerful work in me and through me. He continued to reveal to me what His desires for my life were. Slowly I released my desires for His desires and that is how we ended up here.

Over the past three years God showed me what He wanted me to focus on. People. Mostly on how to help people. Last year Kirk introduced to me a new slogan for us, and we have tried to adopt this motto in everything we do. Use things to gain people; rather than using people to gain things. We want to focus on eternal things rather than on temporary things knowing that our days on earth are slipping away fast.

According to the Bible, each one of us are going to be rewarded individually and differently in heaven according to what we have done here on earth. In other words, what we do right now is going to make a difference on how we spend our eternity. Therefore, at this stage of my life why would I waste my time building earthly treasures when I could be busy working on my heavenly ones?

So if you want to know what I am doing these days: I’m working on my mansion. For after all, I have a lot of catching up to do! How is your heavenly home looking these days?

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

Mercy and not Sacrifice (Sept. 30, 2010)