Erik and I have been together long enough now that the rhythms of our annual rituals are recognizable. After Christmas is a time of a renewal of energy and focus. Each year, we spend January and February refining the way our house serves the mission.
Today, we cleaned the dining room, living room, and kitchen all the way to the corners. We cleared everything off the butcher block counter and fed the wood. I scrubbed the corners and margins of the kitchen floor while Erik mopped the majority of it.
When we were cleaning, a romantic jazzy tune came on the radio. At first I saw it with humorous irony, but then I thought “No, actually, this is part of romance: find someone that fills your life with joy, even if you are scrubbing the kitchen floor!”
This house is good to us. It is big enough for our needs and small enough to keep our appetite of wants in check. And I appreciate feeling it break in, year on year, like a comfy pair of shoes perfectly shaped to my step.
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