The Refuge

Sometimes a messy house is proof of it being lived in, other times a messy house is just that: a messy house. Occasionally, hidden by the mess, is evidence of comfort and an invitation to stay a while and add your piece to the mess that tells the story of the house. The LaCore home is never meticulous, but it offers something few other places have. It welcomes a guest in to stay and enjoy this refuge for as long as its protection is wanted or needed.
The LaCore house is snuggled as far from Duluth as possible while remaining part of the Duluth area. The property spans a broad section of countryside, the house far-removed from the thin dirt road. Pine trees stand sentry on the land as a border, swaying in the wind, bending with the ice, and standing proud in the sun, unchanged through the seasons. The tall grass on the right of the driveway hints at a field of wildflowers in summer, while the newly erected chicken coop and expanding vegetable garden nearer to the house tell of growing self-sufficiency. As soon as any car pulls into the driveway and nears the house it will be accosted by Danny, the hyper-active yellow dog, who will play fetch with such gusto he will not even stop when his teeth begin to bleed. Danny is the first inhabitant to offer welcome, and nearly always the liveliest, in his desperate attempt to find a new playmate. Danny is the newest resident at the LaCore house, but remains the only dog.
Danny is strictly an outdoor friend, but the LaCores will open their doors to all types of people, which they have been doing ever since they built their home nearly two decades ago. The joint product of a family and its friends and relatives, the house was built with loving hands to offer shelter and comfort to the family living within it. Over time, other than just housing Mark and Casey and their children, Jon, Bryan, Tim, and Anna, the LaCore’s have shared space with three friends for extended periods of time. Jon and Bryan had two friends who were brothers and needed a place to live while they transitioned. The LaCore’s opened their home readily, wanting only to offer what they could. Years later, Anna had a friend who needed somewhere to stay for a couple of weeks. Again the LaCore’s offered a place at their house, a place for her to organize her life and get back on a straight path.
Although those residents, along with Jon, Bryan, and Tim, had bedrooms in the basement, the soul of the house has always been in the large communal area that serves as living room, dining room, and kitchen all in the same space. Walking in the side door of the home, while struggling to keep Danny outside, one will notice immediately the clothes and toys strewn over the furniture and floor and the other random objects that are always left around a place where people feel comfortable. After adjusting to the disarray, it is fairly easy to see what is actually going on. Straight ahead sits a white-tile table, always covered in papers, books, and dishes, unless it is being used for everyone to eat around together, in which case it would be cleared off and set neatly, even though the utensils and dishes might not match. When not used as a dining table, it is used by Anna for a place to do college homework, Mark to do an early morning Bible study, and Casey to organize her schedule. Casey is the Executive Pastor of the Duluth Vineyard Church, and so is always busy setting up events and making sure things will run smoothly, along with her other pastoral duties. Across from the table is a sliding glass door through which the forest can be seen, as well as the beautiful pink sky at sunset. The door makes the space feel very open and allows so much light to flood in that the overhead lights are rarely used during the day.
In the living room, a set of three adjacent windows overlook the driveway and open space of the yard. Occasionally it is possible to see the majestic Aurora Borealis, shimmering colors in the night sky, from a small loveseat leaning against the windows. The stars in the night sky are extremely bright that far north, and cuddling with a blanket to admire God’s handiwork is a favorite pastime. A large and sinking couch makes an almost ninety degree angle with the loveseat, but faces the TV, which is often tuned to a Twins game. Unsorted baskets of clean, dryer-scented clothes sit next to the couch, practically overflowing, but not urgently calling to be put away. An antique wooden box sitting next to an old yellow wing-backed chair in the corner holds toys for Brijette and Adelynn, Bryan’s daughters and Mark and Casey’s first grandchildren. Although Bryan has not lived at home in years, having moved out and started his own family, he and his still visit ‘poppa and grandma’ quite often. The girls take out their favorite toys which do not always get returned to the box immediately after they leave, so watch out for plastic toys that are painful to step on.
The end of the carpeted area signals the transition into the kitchen, which nearly always has some container filled with fresh vegetables or fruits sitting on the counter, a satisfying testament to Mark’s many hours spent taking care of his growing garden. The dishes in the sink are kept under control, and the cabinets are rather organized in contradiction to the rest of the house. When food is cooked, it is often a home made meal as well as an experiment with different organic foods and seasonings, the scent wafting lazily through the entire house. The results are always tasty and later replicated for friends. Looking up at the walls, it is important to note the types of pictures that hang. Each picture is of family, with the only exception being a stunningly detailed depiction of a bunch of flowers painted by Mark’s mother. All of the pictures on the walls, other than the painting, are photographs that either Mark or Anna took, most of which are of Adelynn and Brijette. It is obvious how important family is to the LaCores.
Even more important to the LaCores is God’s will. Since building their house, both Casey and Mark have been youth leaders at their church. They have always felt that it is important to offer their hearts and homes to those in need. For as long as Anna can remember, there were always teenagers at her house. They had an open house so people could come as they wanted or needed to, and someone would be there to talk to or watch TV with or to help them get a meal. The LaCores are not the type to tell a person how to live, they are more likely to show a person how to do something and then let them decide for themselves if they will or will not. Casey raised four exceptional children and is not about to start babying people now. It is best for people to be able to think for themselves so that they can function out in the real world when that time comes. Spending time in the LaCore’s house can help prepare someone for that difficult transition.
In the future, the house will remain unchanged. Neither Mark nor Casey are making plans to move, and with so much history already in the house and family nearby, it is unlikely they will ever change residencies. Anna will eventually finish college and move out, as will Tim. Brijette and Adelynn will continue visiting their grandparents, and all of the kids will stop home every now and again to see their parents. But even with an ‘empty nest’, the house will not be empty. Friends will still stop by, and maybe another person, a new church member perhaps, will need a place to live for a while. It is guaranteed that the LaCore house will be there and be ready and willing to help shelter and comfort anyone who calls upon it.