When my Renaissance Man and I began our latest old house renovation, we made a promise to each other:
No matter what, we will do things right.
RIGHT. It’s an interesting word. In the example of our century-old home, it doesn’t translate to “purist” restoration choices. It doesn’t presume a specific timeline or project order. It doesn’t even imply high end/top dollar spending.
For us, it means we won’t take shortcuts.
When rotten, improperly-repaired porch floor joists are discovered, “right” means replacing them. (Click the pic to see more of the porch renovation.)
When selecting optimal reclaimed flooring for the front porch results in a jumbled pile of castoffs, “right” means taking time to re-sort and re-stack to prepare for future projects.
On those days when we’re tired and “over” a project and ready to find the end, we won’t risk doing sloppy work by hurrying. We’ll step back, if necessary, and start another day. Trust me, it’ll still be there waiting . . .
When you get a bad bag of grout mix—and the grout hardens waaaaaay too fast–and you can’t quite clean it all fast enough, “right” means taking time to clean every grout joint. It’s a dusty mess that’s hard on the back and shoulders, but it’s the only choice. It’s our current reality, but we’re not going to let it get us down! (Click the pic to see the guest bathroom project.)
We’ll DIY to the best of our abilities. We’re certainly not 100% skilled in everything, but we’re pretty darn good as a team. And when we need more skill than we possess, we know the “right” thing to do is call in the pros.
RIGHT is the word prompt for today’s Five Minute Friday where writers are encouraged to free write for 5 minutes. (Click the pic to see how other writers tackled the word
START
Getting things right. No pressure. When renovating an old house (or making Life choices), there’s a lot to consider. But in the end, many times there’s no “right” answer. Instead, there are many possible “rights”, and whichever is chosen will impact the rest of the project (or your Life). Again . . . no pressure.
But in truth, perhaps that’s freeing. Perhaps knowing that whichever choice we make has the potential to end satisfactorily is a good thing. Perhaps living in that grey area of adventure opens us up to seeing things from new perspectives.
What if we stop being paralyzed about making the “right” choice and embrace one? Claim it. Move forward on the path of that one thing that we choose for ourselves, our family.
What if we stop worrying about what others think and find comfort and acceptance in our own place in this world, our own reality, our own likes?
What if?
STOP
I perpetually overthink decisions. I blame the walls in my livingroom, but the truth is it’s been happening much longer than I’ve owned this house. When we moved in, our house needed a full repaint inside. Our favorite color was just too dark for the livingroom, and so we wanted a light, subtle beige. We were presented with thousands of paint samples (ok, maybe not, but it sure felt like it), and ultimately chose one. When we walked in for the first time, we both hated it. We were out of money and out of time, so like it or not, that was what our walls would look like for the next eight years. Here I am, eight years later, with grey walls. When “right” doesn’t happen, “wrong” can often be corrected. It’s not without consequences, but things can change.
Amie, FMF #21
Amie, beige can be such a tricky color! I’m sorry you weren’t successful on your first attempt—and now it’s grey walls so many people want. It’s your last two sentences that really struck me, especially in light of today’s world. Let’s not give up on each other! There are certainly consequences, but let’s keep working toward “right”!
I agree, it’s easy to overthink decisions. I think it can be especially hard as Christians because we really want to follow God’s will for us and sometimes that’s not clear. I think if we’re really seeking him that’s what matters and if we do make a wrong choice he’ll help us get back on track.
So true! Sometimes we miss blessings (and blessing others) because we’re too worried about not feeling equipped rather than letting God equip us as we make ourselves available. And yes, that’s the voice of experience!
There are no right choices here,
no outcomes that are good;
all around I’m hedged by fear,
lost in hells’s dark wood.
My sun may never rise again,
and stars may never shine,
but through it all I will remain
and keep hold of what’s mine:
a heart that still could last to here
a soul still in one piece,
eyes that are yet bright and clear,
and spirit that won’t cease
to offer glad and joyful praise
even in my end of days.
Andrew, what a joy to see your comment tonight! I’m honored by your visit. Neither of us may see tomorrow’s sunrise, but in the meantime, having a “spirit that won’t cease to offer glad and joyful praise” is a goal to which I aspire. Thanks for setting such a wonderful example for me.
Beautiful. This reminds me of one of my favorite verses in Isaiah 30:21: “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” God just wants us to keep walking, and trust him to work out all the details as we go.