Crowded Camper or Empty Castle?

I guess the illness the rest of the family had is finally catching up to me! Jonathan has all three boys helping him in town today, and after some sewing on a nightgown with Hannah, I sat down to do more editing on Jonathan's and my courtship story that I hope to publish some day. I hate to waste time doing nothing, even if I am not feeling well, which is how this blog got started and continued for years as a means of doing something useful even in my down time.
But anyway, here is a plaque that I purchased for Jonathan for Christmas, after our wonderful one-night visit at Glen Eyrie castle.

Glen Eyrie wasn't the only uppity place we were inside during the Christmas season.
Two weeks ago, Jonathan had to travel all the way to Menards in Cheyenne, WY, to pick up oak doors for a remodel job.

For a little family outing, several of the children and I accompanied him that afternoon.

We even got to meet up with Tim Anderson at the governor's mansion where we all got a one-hour tour together.

It was good to get acquainted with Tim, who had been at Hobe Sound until just recently, and who had gone down with a team to the Bahamas to work on a home that had been badly damaged.
Jonathan asked him about accompanying us on another trip to  Bahamas in January, with the 16 of us who have tickets, but Tim will be busy with online classes.
The dining room in the old governor's mansion (no longer used by the current governors). 

 The staircase

Then we had a supper together at Burger King and did the necessary shopping at Menards where Jonathan loaded the doors. Tim Anderson accompanied us everywhere (that's him on the right in the above picture and on the left below) and we enjoyed the fellowship.

It's always fun to visit sturdy old mansions or castles.

Every day, the nine of us live in a humble little house on the prairie, a bit crowded sometimes, but we trust with room for the Savior always.

We try, however imperfectly, to make room for the Savior born that Christmas Day.

Though there is quite a different thought that came to me yesterday as I read Psalm 15.

"Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?

Who may dwell in Your holy hill?"

It's not just about us making room for Him in our little camper.

It's about Him making room for us in His castle.

And how do we become the kind of person who is allowed to dwell with Him in His castle?

What kind of person is allowed to dwell with HIM?

"He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart;

he who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, 

nor does he take up a reproach against his friend."

A lot of how the Lord will receive us is based on how we speak about and treat our relatives and neighbors and friends behind their backs. 

Castle or camper, may there be room for Him,

and in turn, may there be room with Him for us.