Monday, March 19, 2012

I paint furniture because my real job is hard!

I paint furniture because my real job is being the mother of four boys!




I love being a mom. I love being the mom of four boys. God knew exactly what He was doing when he gave me boys. I love that I start and end almost every day exhausted, but with a very full heart. There is always something going on and some place to be, some days I don't do it very well at all. My oldest is 15, so I have been at this for a little while. But, I am often unsure how I am doing as a mom. Unfortunately, there is no quarterly progress report or notes home from the teacher. My assurance comes in other ways, when I see the kindness they show to others and their generous hearts, I know that things are going well. Other days, when they can't keep their hands off of each other and are annoyed by the sound of mere breathing, I wonder how I am doing.


DISCLAIMER  1) I did not take this picture 2) this was several years ago and he is still alive :-) 3) they have gotten MUCH better at cleaning the toilet and their aim is better now! 4) I painted that vanity and it looks approximately 4,000 times better.


Beyond confidence in my own abilities as a mom, I have the ultimate confidence that these are children loved and fearfully and wonderfully made by the Creator of the World! That, though my husband and I do play an important part in the men they will become, they were made in the image of God. It is our job to encourage them, point them in the right direction and pray hard for them. And to break up the fights before they become deadly. Sometimes, that is a BIG job.


So, I paint furniture. Because I can see results quickly. In a matter of just hours, "potential" is reality and I am finished. I get to be a little creative and, if it's awful, (and it has been at times) who cares? It's only paint! I can have a do over! It is not like I am warping a child! When I can make someone happy with a piece of furniture, that is confirmation that I did alright. And then I am done. Painless really.


I am anticipating that as I navigate through the rest of the teenage years in this home, that there will be much more painting of furniture to come.


As we go from here




To here


There will be a lot more of this


Because, after all, painting is cheaper than therapy!

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10 comments:

  1. You are so funny! That picture is hillarious. Way to keep it real. I just love your fabulous furniture makeovers. I found the picture of the armoir shown above on Pinterest and used it on my blog. It's so beautiful! I'm your newest follower.

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    1. Shannon, I have been to your blog and love, love, love and want to marry the piece you made with plumbers pipe! I pinned it on Pinterest and immediately had something like 4,000 repins. It is awesome!

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  2. Your hutch is gorgeous--

    My son who is 12 and my daughter who is 13 fight constantly! I am always afraid someone is going to get hurt and usually someone gets grounded everyday. Thank goodness I'm not the only one dealing with this. I keep hoping it will get better!

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    1. The confidence that it HAS to get better is what gets me through the day sometimes. Well, that and coffee :-)

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  3. Hahaha. That toilet picture is priceless! Yes, more gorgeous hutch pictures!!

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    1. I will say that it was not quite as funny when I found it on my camera as it is today. The really funny part is they say it was just to freak me out, which it did. The picture after this on my camera is my youngest with wet hair. I sure hope that the water came out of the sink!

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  4. Painting is so soothing...it grounds you (and me) and gives us something we can control....
    Nancy

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  5. Such a great post thanks for sharing

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  6. Great post, love your pictures and my favorite hutch. I can definitely relate to painting therapy:)

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  7. A cheers to motherhood! Where did you get that cabinet, I love the details... You're so blessed, painting- well, that's art therapy!

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