Look Up!

(All nature photo credits go to Liberty Reidt)

Disappointment and sorrow sneak into our lives at times and take us by surprise.  Over the year I have had multiple conversations with dear friends that are on the cusp or in the midst of situations that are “uncomfortable” or should I say “down right painful!”  I know these times well, as I wonder in and out of these days, I whisper a prayer; “Is THIS part of your plan, the way I feel at this moment? THIS does not feel like you.”  Friends and family have shared their deep thoughts, things like: fear of the approaching empty nest, or the unknowns of if their kids are REALLY going to grow up to be profitable members of society that serve others and God, or the financial situation that seems insurmountable, or could it be that relationship that always seems to be strained, and unrepairable, or the unsettling heart wrenching decisions being made due to the terminal illness of a loved one?  It’s these melancholy thoughts or realities that keep many of us awake at night.  And it’s in these moments we must learn to take the necessary time to recognize the pain, to grieve, cry, process, and then look up. Yep, look up.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

No, our help does not “come” from the mountains, it comes from the Lord.  Yet looking up and seeing his masterful creation reminds us of His greatness.  It puts perspective back into sight.  Living in the Idaho Mountains, gives me the opportunity to hit the trail, when I feel downcast.

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11

I am always amazed at just the simple fact of getting up and going out into nature that refocuses me on His ability in my seemingly inability to climb out of despair.  If you are downcast in spirit, look up and let His creation return praise to your heart.

 

  

I write this because I need the reminder.  I am feeling a bit melancholy today.  I have dear loved ones that are riddled with huge life changes due to illness.  And paling in comparison to that, we have hit the four year mark of work on this big lodge.  We are weary. We are very close to being done with phase two, but phase three (the basement) follows close on it’s heels.

As I shift my eyes upward I remember we have also benchmarked some important and joyful family dates this summer.  Our youngest, Liberty, is entering high school and our oldest son, Brent is newly engaged to an incredible precious Bobbi Jean.

 

And, while reveling in how quickly time passes, It dawns in me I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for 26 years!  This in itself makes me reflect upon so many memories.

Life seems so short lately. Sometimes it’s hard to come to grip with the station we are moving into in life.  My new found prayer is, “Lord, may I live life with gusto, and really live!”  I don’t want the melancholy days to suck the morrow out of me.  I want to live and breath the beautiful that He surrounds me with.  The precious friends and family, the glistening sunset, the quietness and stillness of a summer evening.  So it is with this whispered prayer that I leave you to see what Idaho beauty Liberty has captured on camera this summer (all pictured in the text above), as well as some pics of our newest accomplishments on The Lodge.   Jared has definitely transitioned this big empty Styrofoam concrete house into something so very gorgeous.  Enjoy the views!

Landscaping still needs to be done, but other than that, the exterior is shaping up nicely.

The trellis popped up in just a couple days.

Wilson finished the rocks around the trellis.

Max stained all of the deck and trellis boards

Preparations for winter are in full swing. Wilson and Max splitting and chopping firewood. By the time of this writing we have a full wood shed!

If you look just past the frisbee golf goal, Jared got a new toy. He spends his evenings laying gravel on the driveway, burying the water tanks or anything else he can find to dig or shove around.

As for me, I have kept busy discussing with the county future business plans for the Lodge and updating and overseeing the rental of the carriage house (formerly called the loft).   The Carriage House VRBO.  And uh… lots of project planning and cleaning. 😉

Now for Jared and the boys’ indoor accomplishments, namely, the master bathroom and pool…

 

Jared completed the master bathroom in April. It turned out lovely.

 

Yet another labor of love, Jared wainscoting our master bath.

Wilson and Max removing the basketball court floor, in preparation for the pool.

The hoop is coming down.

Jared plastering the pool walls

Waterline tile is in place and the paster is going up.

Asher helped out a bit this spring when he first returned from GCU. He plans to pick up his studies in the fall at NIC.

Pool room clean up day. Libs cousins, lucie and Zoe, helped repaint the room and scrub the concrete floor.

Pool complete! Now to get dehumidifier and solor heater working.

Jump on in!

Just last week the guys began framing the remainder of the basement.  Here we go into phase III of The Wolf Lodge project!