Creative – Person of Purpose

My Life as a Renovator

I recently made a two week trip to Euless, TX to oversee a remodel of one of our houses. This house was in need of foundation repair, a new roof, exterior brick and stone repair, landscaping, and general modernizing.

My husband, who has many talents in the construction field, suggested, “You should stay in the house while it is being renovated.”

“Are you kidding me? No one, I repeat, no one would think that is a good idea.”

So, I texted a bunch of friends and told them my plans. My friend asked, “Where will you be staying?”

I said, “With you?”

“Sure, come on down!”

And so, I stayed with her and her children, four dogs and a cat. One child graciously gave me her room, which, as it turned out, it was for purely mutually beneficial reasons. I got a private room, and she liked sleeping with her mom.

Another friend made an observation, “You sure do a lot of renovations.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, you did that house in Dallas.”

Oh yeah, that house. It was a rental in the “hood” as one realtor described it, and it took me an hour to drive there. That was a grueling renovation with foundation repair, painting inside and out, and new everything.

But the sale of that house enabled us to buy another house in Euless, which turned out to be another complete rehab.

Gasp, I really do a lot of renovations!

So, realizing now that renovating houses has defined me, the blog will take a new turn: My Life as a Renovator.

Stay tuned for my search for the perfect property in Columbus, OH, which will be, what else? A rehab.

Spending Your Wedding Anniversary Apart

Every year, since our 25th wedding anniversary, I have chosen a song as a gift for my husband. This year, we were in two different states, so we had to make do the best we could. This year I chose the Patti Austin song “Through the Test of Time”

“For the first time in my life, Boy, I’m not afraid to say it, How I really feel inside, We don’t have to go on waiting just think about it, together you and I.

“I could never try to write a better story, From the pages of my life
You must have written for me ‘Cause every line, found a way into my heart.

“So we’ll take it one day at a time. And leave all our worries behind.
No matter which road that we choose, As long as we got each other
No way we can lose. We can make it through love.
Through the test of time.

“When you look back on the days When you tried so hard to reach me
But I never saw the way ‘Til you took the time to teach me
And I found out, what it’s all about.

“So we’ll take it one day at a time. And leave all our worries behind.
No matter which road that we choose, As long as we got each other
No way we can lose. We can make it through love
Through the test of time.

“And again I must say How lucky I feel to have found you. Oh, and I pray every day that this feeling goes on Forever and ever.

“Oh and I pray every day that this feeling goes on
Forever and ever.

“So we’ll take it one day at a time. And leave all our worries behind.
No matter which road that we choose, As long as we got each other
No way we gonna lose. We can make it through love
Through the test of time.

“We can make it through love
Through the test of time.
Through the test of time.

“Oh if I’ve got you and you’ve got me Then we’ll be happy as we can be.
If I love you baby and you love me too. Well, there ain’t nothing that we can’t go through.

“Through the test of time.
“Through the test of time.
“Through the test of time.
“Through the test of time.
“Through the test of time.

Source: Songwriters: David Pack / David Robert Pack / Jeff Pescetto

How to Make a Romantic Playlist

Have you ever made a playlist for someone? What reaction did you get? When I made a 25-year wedding anniversary playlist for my husband, he was visibly moved. He said it was the most romantic gift he had ever received. I did good.

You too can make a playlist for a friend or loved one. Here are some suggestions:

Choose songs from the Billboard Chart’s Year-End 100 chart for a particular year.
Choose songs in chronological order.
Choose all his/her favorite songs.
Choose songs for significant moments in your shared life.

I used the fourth method to make my playlist. From our courtship to our wedding and honeymoon, our missionary assignment, and the birth of our son, each song brings back beautiful memories.

Click on the links to see some fantastic performances from official videos, The Midnight Special, Live From Daryl’s House, and other concerts.

September—Earth, Wind & Fire 1978

Find Yourself—Brad Paisley 2006

It Might Be You—Stephen Bishop 1982

Had I Known You Better Then—Hall & Oates 1973

Through the Fire—Chaka Khan 1984

At Last—Phoebe Snow 1991

Ribbon in the Sky—Stevie Wonder 1982

This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)—Natalie Cole 1975

Here We are—Gloria Estefan 1988

Groovin’—The Young Rascals 1967

Dance with Me—Orleans 1975

How Deep is Your Love—Bee Gees 1977

I Can’t Imagine—Aaron Neville 1996

You’re the Biggest Part of Me—Ambrosia 1980

Sara Smile — Hall & Oates 1975

Love Will Keep Us Alive—Eagles 1994

You’re All I Need to Get By—Michael McDonald 2004

Strings—Kenny Rankin 1980

Reasons—Earth Wind & Fire 1975

Overjoyed—Stevie Wonder 1985

Let’s Stay Together—Al Green 1972

Eyes for You (Ain’t No Doubt About It)—Daryl Hall 2011

I Love You More Today Than Yesterday—Diana Ross 2006

Evergreen—Barbra Streisand 1976

Reminiscing—Little River Band 1978

Now, my husband and I have been married for 31 years, so to keep up the tradition, I added to the playlist for years 26 to 30:

Do It for Love—Hall & Oates

Something to Talk About—Bonnie Raitt

All of Me—John Legend (cover by Luciana Zogbi)

Baby I Love Your Way—Peter Frampton

Endless Love—Lionel Richie & Diana Ross

For year 31, I chose the following song:

Thinking Out Loud—Ed Sheeran

I have not yet chosen a song for year 32, which comes up in mid-September. Stay tuned.

For the Love of Hand-Made Greeting Cards

My vast collection of greeting cards includes hand-made ones too. I used to make them regularly and owned many stamps, inks, and embossing powders. When I visited Liberia, I made wedding favors to attach to pens that said: “A true friend is a priceless treasure.” I was told to make plenty because people were going to stampede to get them.

Then, I moved back to the States and had a baby. I envisioned that my child and I would make crafts together. When my son was younger, we would make our greeting cards by using cut-out pictures from magazines. One, in particular, was a baby on the front, and inside it said, “Thanks Mom for potty training me. I can’t tell you how often that comes in handy.” My son didn’t cultivate an interest in card-making, so I stopped doing it.

When I moved to Columbus, I found out my friend makes cards, along with a couple of sisters in my congregation. I had found my kindred spirits!

The first card-making party I attended was during Winter Break with a group of teenagers. Heather asked them whom they would like to get to know better, and they said: “Sister Singleton.”

AWWW!!!

When I arrived, the girls were already making their cards. Heather had prepared a few projects for them to make, or they could do whatever. It had been a while since I made cards, and I discovered I was in the company of zealots. There were papers, envelopes, stamps, inks, markers, pens, pencils, burnishers, embossers, punches, scissors, knives, trimmers, glue sticks, glue dots, tapes, rhinestones, a die-cut Cricut machine; you name it they had it!

I was overwhelmed, so I just stuck to composing quaint sayings they could use for their cards and commending them on their work.

Card making party!

Cards

And more cards

The second card party was with the die-hards. I decided to stamp some envelopes that said, “You’re Invited” because of all the parties I like to throw.

What do you do when you make a mistake? You run with it. One envelope stamp impression came out looking like double vision, so it seemed applicable to write under the “You’re Invited” “To my nervous breakdown.” Sorry, I don’t have a picture of that one because it was one of the first ones I used.

So, if you love giving greeting cards but don’t want to spend much money, have fun, get crafty, and make your own!

For the Love of Greeting Cards

Do you love giving and receiving greeting cards? I do. When someone gives me a card, it makes me feel thought of, special and loved. With a physical card, I can touch it and read it again and again. I still cherish a card a friend gave me when I moved to New York 37 years ago. It was a drawing of a girl, cradling the gigantic head of a sleeping dog in her lap. I framed it, and it reminded me of my sweet friend Cathy.

I’m obsessed with buying and collecting cards so much that I have dedicated a filing cabinet drawer to them. Blank cards, thank you cards, anniversary cards, get well cards, sympathy cards, party invitation cards, postcards, envelopes, stamps, stickers, each category nicely organized in their hanging files.

Gasp, I am organized sometimes!

Don’t get me started on the boxed sets, which take up an entire shelf in my dresser. Sometimes I get them out to gaze at their beauty and lovingly caress them. I go to the post office to see if I can match Forever stamps to them.

Boxed sets of cards

If I find out you’re a cat lover, boom, one kitty cat card is coming your way! If you just had a baby, welcome little one!

Usually, I like to get cards on discount, or free, like last summer when all Hallmark Crown Rewards members could come in and get a free card every Friday from their Just Because line. Free Card Friday is coming again, folks, so sign up!

Just Because card from Hallmark

Giving greeting cards is a wonderful way to show you care and recognize the people around you. You don’t have to wait for a special occasion to give one.

So, whether you have a collection like mine, or you walk into a store and buy one, know that your card carries great meaning and brings you closer to the receiver.