I had an interesting experience the other afternoon as I went out to work on the car we bought back from Princess One for one of the girls. It is the same car that I purchased the week of her wedding three years ago this month. Here is a post where I mention that.
As you know if you have read much of my blog, I am a "doer." I don't like my house or yard to be in disrepair and not having many funds often time, I have learned to do most things on my own. Even if I did have the money, many times, I would do it myself as I am a bit of a detail oriented person and want things done the way that I want them done.
I have hired people over the years to do thing and after I pay them, I end up redoing what they did or "cleaning" up what they did. So, many times, I will just do things myself rather than be frustrated that I spent money on something and then it wasn't done how I wanted to have it done.
With that, I would say, fixing cars ISN'T one of those things I enjoy doing myself. I can do much of the work but wanting to do it and being able to do it are two very different things.
I have shared several times that Princess Five used to ask me why all the other houses could have Christmas lights and ours never did. I explained to her that it is always such a busy time for us with concerts, recitals, and other performances and that being single, I only have a limited ability to fit everything in. Putting up lights that then need to be taken down a month later when I am still working on winterizing the yard, figuring out how to pay for Christmas, driving to dance competition every weekend in December and planning family parties etc doesn't leave me much time or energy to put up lights.
I am sad that she hasn't ever seen my Christmas decoration or had lights on our home as she lights up herself when she see's the neighbors houses all lit up. One of the casualties of divorce has had to be some of those more frivolous things.
So, I was pondering on this as I was masking the bumper of the car to spray paint it and cover some chipping. It was getting cold fast and there was a rain cloud coming in and my neighbors husband was outside putting up Christmas lights. He just sold his business for an undisclosed HUGE amount and they are building a castle on the other side of town now that he has retired. I have never seen her mow the law, work in the flower beds, shovel the walks, on the roof, pruning trees, work outside the home other than making crafts for a boutique. They went on a few week vacation with another neighbor recently to an exotic location and had a wonderful time. (Don't get the wrong impression here, she is AMAZING and kind and a wonderful mother etc...)
I thought to myself, "I wish I had someone to take on all these things and I could enjoy being a housewife and mother and not have the stresses. I could drive the new cars, I could visit my grandchildren or take them on fun vacations like they did last year for their entire family. I wish I could travel around the world with my friends for weeks at a time."
About this time, the clouds were coming in fast, I could see the sheets of rain over their home as you can see in the top picture. The sky was getting dark and I was spray painting the bumper in near darkness.
The song "Little Girls" from Annie came into my head the portion that says, "Some women are dripping with diamonds, Some women are dripping with pearls. Lucky me! Lucky me! Look at what I'm dripping with, little girls!"
I actually laughed out loud there in the dark with it being cold and looking at my neighbors house all lit up beautiful and perfect. I had to run in and get the camera right then to capture the moment to remind me of that event.
I KNOW God was laughing with me that night. He was letting me know that "Yes", she does have money, new cars, a wonderful husband, travel, diamonds and pearls and many other nice things. But, I am blessed with amazing blessings in my own right and to have the ability and talents that I have to be able to maintain a beautiful home and yard and decorate it so that it is beautiful to me and comfortable to my children.
To have health enough to get them done even though I don't feel well much of the time. The ability to budget and live on a small income and purchase things with help from guardian angels who show me deals, bargains and help me have inspiration on the best way to use what I find.
I'm blessed to live in a free country to worship God freely and sing praises to him at will and carol singing about Christ at Christmas. And, in a country where women can own property on their own and vote etc.
I am blessed with a wonderful and supportive family who care about me and my girls, and help where they can. I could put twenty links here on posts where my family has helped me in different ways.
Friends, who also help and support me and my girls. Neighbors who lend me their extension ladders, help me in my their shops on my projects, bring me vegetables and fruit and allow me to share mine.
Most of all though, when I count my blessings, at the top of my list are my girls. They are healthy, beautiful, talented, charitable, honorable, and they honor me.
So, I gave gratitude as I went in the house and looked out to see the beautiful "diamonds" twinkling in the neighbors yard and I smiled to myself thinking about how I am dripping rich with Beautiful Girls!
Thanks Heavenly Father for that humorous reminder to be grateful for what I am "rich" in.
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