An easy way to make the place feel like yours and make you more content where you are… paint!

I’ve never painted any walls in our homes {we’ve been fortunate to have neutral walls for the most part like here and here}, but I sure have painted lots of furniture – almost every piece actually.  Paint is an inexpensive way to brighten up a space and who doesn’t love a clean, fresh start in a new home?  If you do consider painting the walls, make sure you talk to your landlord first and get a green light on your project.

Have you ever painted a rental?

Both times we’ve moved, I’ve made a big effort to get boxes unpacked as quickly as possible.

I find it hard to feel like I’m at home when I’m staring at cardboard and newspaper that once wrapped breakables.  And if I don’t feel comfortable in my environment, I get frustrated rather quickly.

But that’ just me. 😉

With our last move, I decided to keep all of our boxes in the guest room, and one by one, I was able to make them disappear over our first few days in the space.

Some people will find other ways to begin settling in, but for me, unpacking is one of the quickest ways to start really enjoying new home.

I know we won’t be renters for forever.

Or maybe we will.

Either way, I want to be thankful. Thankful for this time that we are enjoying and learning about the money God has given us and how He wants us to use it.

I also want to be thankful for the lesson He keeps having to remind me about: My identity should not be in anything but Christ.

A little over a year ago, I was without a job for nine months.  While part of my unemployment was by choice, there was still a longing for something to say when people asked me “So, what do you do for a living?”.

Through that season, God revealed to me my pride, and how I had put alot of self-worth into what I did for a living.

And sometimes I find myself slowly slipping back to that place, but instead of boasting that I’m employed, I want to shout say, I’m a homeowner.

So instead, for now I’ll choose to say proudly, I’m a renter, not because I’m prideful, but because I want to show gratitude that God has given us this place to call home and a beautiful community that surrounds us.