My heart goes out to all those folks in Texas that have lost loved ones, and also to those that have lost their homes.
The loss of a life is devastating. The loss of a pet, equally so for those of us who count our pets as our family.
And the loss of a home is without a doubt also a tragic thing.
Today I thank my lucky stars for this warm and cozy place I call home.
But it's perfect for me.
Think about how your home makes you feel when you walk in the door after a long day.
If you love your home as much as I do, it's like stepping into a warm and cozy hug.
Let's face it, we work hard to make our homes a place we are comfortable in, and a place we are proud to call home.
There are often times I am bouncing around blogland and I see photos of perfect rooms.
Yeah, I can sometimes feel envious over that perfect kitchen, or the ideal living room layout.
But then the sun shines in and lights up the corners of my simple little mountain home and I know without a doubt that I am in the place I am absolutely meant to be at this point in my life.
I don't need a perfect home. I don't need a perfect, updated kitchen. I'm happy as can be puttering around in my little country kitchen, making both meals and memories with those I love.
Sure, my tile counters get stained sometimes and bug me. But it's nothing a little bleach won't take care of.
Someday I might change things up in here. I think of how easy a solid surface counter would be to keep clean, and I've always wanted a bright, white kitchen.
But today is not that day.
Today I thank my lucky stars for this warm and cozy place I call home.
Today I think of all those poor people in Texas that would give anything to be back in their homes, surrounded by those they love.
Today I thank God for the many blessings he has bestowed upon me. My family, my sweetie, my friends, my home. My sweet furbabies.
In truth, I do that every day.
I walk into my house after a long day, turning on all my little lights, lighting my candles, fluffing the pillows, and know that I am truly blessed.
My home is far from perfect, that's true.
But it's perfect for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Texas, you are in my thoughts and prayers xo
So well said, Debbie! I feel the same way about my home. It is far from show-worthy or updated (I still have oak cabinets and laminate butcher block countertops that are 30 years old), but my home is my nest and safe haven. I try to make it as pretty and comfortable and cozy for my family and friends. I want it to be filled with love, peace and acceptance. I can't imagine losing my home due to any disaster. My prayers are with those in Texas who are suffering through this devastation.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, Melanie, I have never had an 'updated' or trendy home, yet I have loved and cherished each and every home I had, and made them as cozy as possible. Granted, I did do some renovation when I bought this house to create an awesome master suite, but even that isn't a large space, just a cozy place to snuggle under my down comforter at the end of the day. I think a lot of us bloggers feel the same way about our homes, we are truly 'nesters.'
DeleteI love your home, it is so welcoming and inviting. I feel so blessed to have our new home too. I can't even imagine the unthinkable sorrow that some are having to bear right now. God Bless, they are all in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marty - and I love your home also, it's so polished and pulled together but still warm and cozy!
DeleteI know how proud you are of your home! I don't blame you. I love it too!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I would love to have more time to get on top of some of the projects that need to be done at this point, Brenda....oh well.
DeleteSuch a lovely post! It's so true and we must always remember to be grateful for what we have in our lives because it can so quickly change (in a heartbeat). God bless those poor families in Texas!
ReplyDeleteSo true, Janice, we just never know what lies ahead, do we?
DeleteYour home definitely gooks like a warm and cozy hug! When tragedy strikes elsewhere, it's a good time to remember how much we have to be thankful for, isn't it? I used to live in Houston, so I have a special place in my heart for Texas.
ReplyDeleteWow, Leigh, no doubt you're glad you are not still in Houston, those poor folks!
DeleteOh, Debbie, how true your words are! We are so blessed to have our homes. Did you know we moved three years ago from Galveston to New York? I can't imagine being there during all of this. We talk to friends of ours and they said the groceries are almost gone, water is gone and gas is gone!
ReplyDeleteWell, I love seeing your sweet home and your heart shines through it all.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
How frightening, Shelia! What drove you to move from Galveston to NY? I'm curious...
DeleteLove this post and the pretty pictures. Your home is lovely, warm and welcoming and THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT---not the "trendy" or "updates" etc. I do believe so many people have just become wrapped up in all that instead of RELAXING AND ENJOYING what we do have. I could never live in a show worthy or perfect home because people are not show worthy or perfect, we all just need to be loved and to have a place that feels safe and like home to us, a place where we feel love. To even have a home at all is a wonderful and precious blessing and we should be ever so thankful.
ReplyDeleteTruer words have never been written, my friend!!
DeleteYour home suits you and that's really all that matters.
ReplyDeleteEver since going through Hurricane Andrew way back when, I have had a better appreciation for my cozy nest, wherever it was. There's nothing like losing your home to help your sense of gratitude. It never left me.
Enjoy your sweet place.
Hi Daisy, I was just thinking of you the other day, hoping you were ok! Same here, we went through Hurricane Irene 6 years ago and it was terrifying!
DeleteRight now I am an evacuee...not from the hurricane, but from a wildfire. Ugh - just when we thought we were going to be able to build our forever home. So, I know exactly what you mean. The good thing is that we haven't actually started building yet. The bad thing is that the trees and views and land that we fell in love with may be gone by the time this whole thing is over. All we can do at this point is pray. Que sera, sera...
ReplyDeleteOh no, Vickie, you just can't catch a break, can you? Oh boy, praying the fires don't touch your land, please God.
DeleteDear Debbie ~ I always love seeing pictures of your home sweet home. It is lovely, inviting, comforting.
ReplyDeleteSeeing all of the devastation from Harvey and the displaced families and pets is heartbreaking. It definitely has made me feel more appreciative than ever for my little place. It's nothing fancy, it's certainly not up to date but it is my haven from the crazy and sometimes frightening world that we live in.
I have much to be thankful for.
Keep enjoying your lovely home and thanks for sharing ~ FlowerLady
So true, Lorraine, our homes although not even close to perfect are most definitely our havens!
DeleteVery well said, Debbie. Your home is perfect and it is a haven. I can't imagine what these poor people are going through. I have weathered my share of hurricanes and some were very bad, but that water...there is no way to fight it. Enjoy the weekend in your sweet abode.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you have, Kim, living so close to the water - I remember storms when I lived in Long Island - I was inland and they could still be FIERCE!!
DeleteWatching the flooding and rescues live is nearly over-whelming. To even envision this happening to my home is not something I ever even want to imagine. And as for the animals left behind.... my heart breaks for them.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I am terribly affected by the thought of the animals being left behind, those poor things that can't help themselves and they don't know what's happening. I could cry just thinking of it.
DeleteMy heart breaks for the people and pets in Texas who have suffered from this awful storm. The loss of lives, livelihoods and homes is totally overwhelming. I have been trying to keep in touch with friends there to make sure that they are all ok. They have had damage to their homes, but they still have a home to return to...so many do not.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear your friends homes are ok, Debbie. Our chef's best friend in Texas lost his home....the chef is doing whatever he can from here to raise money for his friend, who had no flood insurance. I'm sure many are in the same boat, I can't even imagine it.
DeleteHi! It is so sad what those people in Texas are going through. Makes me think we should never complain when we are so blessed. It would be so hard to lose a loved one and hard for me to even lose my furbaby. May God help them all. Nancy
ReplyDeleteSo true, Nancy. We are truly blessed, without a doubt.
DeleteWell, I absolutely love your tiled counters. I want a white or washed gray kitchen. Maybe when I one day move to a smaller cozier home.
ReplyDeleteI depresses me to hear all that's going on in Texas. I wish I was there helping.
Lisa
You love my tiled counters because you don't have to clean them, Lisa, ha ha!! Only kidding, they aren't that bad. Occasionally I spray some diluted bleach on them and let it sit to whiten the grout. I'd love the same counters in the kitchen that I put in my bathroom - they are so easy to keep clean! It's a quartz product that looks like a soft marble (not too busy) and I seriously love it.
DeleteI love your home Debbie. The devastation of WV in 2016 barely touches the enormous tragedy upon Texas now.
ReplyDelete#Prayfor Texas
It seems the storms just move around the US and the rest of the world, Rita, landing in one place for a while and then picking up and moving on to another. I wonder if our politicians still don't believe in Global Warming???
DeleteEvery prayer, good wish and out pouring of help is appreciated by my fellow Texans. (We were far from the storm.) They are so strong. I know exactly what you mean about home. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you were far from the storm, Katie - my heart truly goes out to all those folks who lost so much.
DeleteSo much devastation, so much out pouring of love! I am blessed to the core to live where I do and I am blessed to have a cozy little home to come home to. I can't even imagine what the people of Texas are going through. We had a chimney fire once and I thought of all the hard work my husband had put into our little cottage and the thought of losing it was breathtaking. I wish I could hug and help each and every one. Thank you for saying what I wish I could.
ReplyDeleteThe thought of a chimney fire scares me to bits, Cindy - I do get my chimney cleaned every August but still, it can happen!!
DeleteAnd as a side note...Did you see that JJ Watts who plays for the Houston Texans, raised $15 MILLION for disaster relief. Started out trying to raise $200,000. God bless him.
ReplyDeleteAmazing, what a wonderful thing to do, Cindy!! God bless him is RIGHT!!
DeleteThis is a well written, heartfelt post. I think most of us are very grateful that we have our homes and are praying for those affected by the hurricane in Texas.
ReplyDeleteSo true, Donna, we have so much to be grateful for!
DeleteI'm sure the people in Texas who have lost their homes would give anything to have a kitchen with dated oak cabinets and laminate countertops. Their monumental losses really put things in perspective. Such a terrible tragedy, and yet, there are still many politicians who either don't believe in climate change or refuse to believe.
ReplyDeletexxx
Absolutely, Doreen! They'd love to have a place to call home no matter what the countertops were made of!!
DeleteI know what you mean friend. Perspective. It's so devastating to even imagine what they are going through. Heartbreaking. There is nothing like your own home and it's comforts.
ReplyDeleteThat's what gets us through the rough times in our lives, Jen - home and those we love, who lend their shoulders to cry on and their hugs to comfort us.
DeleteI do agree with you, we don't need a picture perfect home, we need a perfect for us home.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Magali! Lord knows my home is anything but perfect, but it still makes me so incredibly happy!
DeleteI can't imagine what those people in Texas are going through. I am so thankful for my home and it is far from perfect. Great post!!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine, as we had Hurricane Irene here 6 years ago. Many people in our area lost everything as homes were washed away. Some of the villages never rebuilt, the homes that remain just sit there empty, with a 'condemned' or 'inhabitable' sign on the door. It's heartbreaking, for sure!
DeleteBeautifully said!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lori!
Delete