Mural Madness: Are you living to conquer or living to discover?

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

—Jeremiah 29:13

Spotting another mural, Maryellen quickly jerked the wheel to turn into the parking lot. Just as quickly, I jumped out of the car to snap a photo and then we were off once more to capture another scene.

There were 23 murals pictured on the Hobe Sound Murals Locator Map and we were out to find them all, documenting each with a picture. We learned about the mural project at the local Chamber of Commerce, where a representative told us that the artist had hidden something in each painting.

Searching online, I tried to find out exactly what was hidden, but to no avail. Instead, I would have to search for the treasure in each beautiful scene without really knowing what I was searching for.

Is Your House Ready For Company?

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

—Psalm 139:23

“I should have company more often,” I heard myself say, as I recounted to my friend my efforts to make my house presentable for my family dinner.

I had stressed over hosting the event ever since my siblings and I came up with the idea back in March—the idea of taking turns hosting a dinner for all of us, including Mom and Dad. With October being my month, I had seven months to get used to the idea of opening my home to everyone. Usually, I don’t entertain. My house is small, which makes it difficult to accommodate large groups. But there are other reasons. My house is not in tip-top shape. All summer I agonized over what needed to be done before my family came knocking: paint, install new flooring, yard work, clean the siding, stain the deck, scrub the porch, and more. All summer I agonized over not having the money, the energy, or the know-how to do it all. I realized that some of the jobs had to be crossed off the list. But still, I wanted my house to look nice for the get-together.