This Old House

THIS OLD HOUSE

The reality is that old houses built a hundred years ago were built by actual craftsmen, people who were the best in the world at what they did. The little nuances in the woodwork, the framing of the doors, the built-in nooks, the windows—all had been done by smart, talented people, and I quickly found that uncovering those details and all of that character made the house more inviting and more attractive and more alive.”
― Joanna Gaines, The Magnolia Story

They say home is not a place, but a feeling. It is where love resides, memories created, friends and family always belong, and laughter never ceases. Though made of wood and beams, it is so much more than that. There is no other place quite like it, no place that can wrap its walls around you in warmth and comfort and soothe all the world tries to disquiet you with.

My husband and I have had the experience of living in two brand new homes. Each of those homes were the foundation for many memories, ten years in the first, and 30 years in the second. The walls of those homes could share stories down through the years, both good and bad. Life happened in those places – joy, sorrow, trials, tribulations, celebrations, and memorials.

Recently, we sold our large house of 30 years and moved into a modest but comfortable bay home in the tiny town of San Leon, population around 5,000, located in Galveston County. As stated in the advertisement of the sale of the home, it was built in 1931. We later learned, after purchasing the tiny yellow wood-sided cottage with its blue shutters and manicured landscaping, it had been moved to the property in San Leon from Galveston by waterway in 1974. I wish I knew the history before that time, but we have no way of knowing.

One thing we can state for sure, since 1931 and now, the little house has seen a lot of hurricanes, tropical storms, and flooding both in Galveston and in San Leon and has withstood them all, as proven by its original hardwood floors. One does not have to look for a stud in this home to hang a picture, the walls are solid shiplap. When the inspector inspected the home before purchase, he stated it was a solid little house. At the bottom of his email, he wrote, “If you don’t buy it, I will.” They simply do not build homes like that anymore.

I would like to be able to say I have been as sturdy and unshakeable as this house has been over the years. My story, however, is one of ups and downs, hills and valleys, tragedies and triumphs. I have been brought low and I have been raised up. I lose my faith and I gain my faith. But taking an overall assessment of my life, I have gained much ground, learned many lessons, been forgiven much, and have been given much. The common denominator through it all has been my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He may not keep me from the storms, but He always helps me through them and even, as they say, helps me to dance in the rain.

It is my hope that this old house and I both live to be a hundred years old, at least. And if it is not to be, may we at least die of old age and not from some storm that took us out. May we each stand the test of time as a monument to a solid structure built on a firm foundation – this old house and I.

Matthew 7:24-25 – Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. (ESV)