PROCESS

I'm going through a process right now.


PROCESS: a systematic series of actions directed towards some end; a continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking place in a definite manner.


My continuous series of actions? Painting...directed towards finishing each room of this house! The changes that happen each week are making definite marks. 


Keith asked me the other day if I miss our other home. I said, "I miss our home, but not the house." This house renovation business is a PROCESS. Each action and task pushes us forward towards making the house into a home. I came across our framed family pictures the other day while working on the dining room. It reminded me how those photos help a house feel more comfortable and cozy. Yesterday I hung a few of them. It feels better that way.


This weekend the dining room was our project. Note the series of actions we took below. What a PROCESS this one was!

This is how it looked the first time
we walked through the house.
(looking towards the living room and entry hall)

And another view...(looking towards the kitchen)

During the demo phase...we opened the wall between the kitchen and dining room. Note the dust in the air from taking out all the plaster and lathing.

Now you can see right through the wall into the kitchen.

The floors were covered with tar paper backing from layers of linoleum. 12 grit sandpaper and lots of muscle took it off, revealing old pine flooring...with evidence that there was a lovely inlay around the edges at one time.

And now...(looking towards the kitchen)

Another view...(looking towards the living room and entry hall) We moved the chandelier from the living room into the dining room. I'll talk more about that in a future blog.

Those double doors into the entry hall are still in process. They'll be painted white eventually.

So, as always, with an outward process comes an inward process... 

This morning in church our sermon was about transformation. This is the work of God. Transforming us. The house is teaching me about the PROCESS of transformation in our spiritual walk. Each action and spiritual discipline carries us towards the end...to be like Christ. I heard it said that it is not the destination that matters, but the journey. I am trusting God to carry me on this journey of life. And along the way, He is transforming me to be more like Him. I must embrace this PROCESS.

How about you? What about your journey? Are you aware of the PROCESS? I'm glad we are in this together.

"And we...are being transformed into his likeness 

with ever-increasing glory, 

which comes from the Lord..." 

2 Corinthians 3:18

Father, today I choose to embrace the PROCESS. Change me to be more like you. I trust you to handle each circumstance and use it to transform me on the inside. It is for your glory that I live and breathe. Amen.

FINISHED

Don't let the title mislead you...no, we're not finished! But we use that word alot these days...

"All we need to do is put these knobs on and that part will be FINISHED."

"If I would have a week off work, I could FINISH unpacking that pile of boxes."

"I'll be FINISHED painting this room by 7:00."

"Let's FINSH this room before moving on to the next one."

"Before I put these things away, you have to FINISH putting shelves in the closets."

No, we are NOT finished. However, there are a couple areas that are ALMOST finished. It is in these places that I like to pause...to reflect...to be quiet.


Let me show you the first room, a small un-used bedroom in the middle of the second floor, which is basically finished. I think it is one of my favorite spots in the house. It will likely be used for a guest room...

This is what it looked like when we first bought the house.
At one time it served as a kitchen to the apartment located on the second floor.
(the house was broken into 4 apartments in the 40's or 50's)

After demolition, drywall was hung. It added more insulation to the bay window.

Then we tackled the floors. There was a terrible layer of linoleum on the floor. Our floor refinishers uncovered a lovely yellow pine floor.

And now....
Imagine spending time in this finished space.

I've learned more about myself in the last week. I have a desperate need for order and tidiness. And if I am faced with things that are not that, a stamina rises up from within which compels me to put things right, to clean, to organize. Outward orderliness brings me a sense of inner peace. But currently I am being stretched and challenged to make adjustments. While my preference would be to adjust my environment, right now I must adjust my mindset. This is what I've been reflecting about lately.

How do I live? How much do I protect myself from the chaos of life by retreating into my own organized comfortable world? Might God want to teach/train me to exist in a lost chaotic world and yet have an inner peace in spite of what I see on the outside?

My morning walks are no longer in fresh country morning air. The path I walk is not quiet and peaceful. Instead, I walk on uneven sidewalks, dodging people going to the bus-stop, noisy town busses and Do Not Walk street signs. I no longer enjoy the sight of early morning mist floating over the meadows. Instead I see persons sitting alone after what appears like they've spent the night on the street or at the nearby mission.

So with a new house comes a new mission. Currently, I'm trying to figure out what that is. And in the meantime, I'm trying to FINISH...not just the house, but I also want to FINISH well in God's school of life. I want to pay attention to the areas that need adjustment.

CHANGES

Needless to say, the move into this house has brought many changes. 

our Landisville home is ready to move...

I've never been one to resist change. I often invite change, however this move into a new living space has thrown me a bit off balance. I've been pondering unexpected feelings of being overwhelmed, discouragement and a general lack of initiative. 

On my way to work yesterday I was talking to the Lord about all this. He immediately brought the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel to mind. If you've read my other posts and the page on this blog containing a diary of "our work", you know that this journey has been marked by the hand of God. Last weekend was a kind of altar, a celebration of the miracles He has done for us as we were granted occupancy. My heart was bursting with praise and gratitude.

However, in such a short time, I began to feel discouraged and perhaps even sad. Don't misunderstand...I am happy in this new home, thankful and confident we are in the right place. But this swing of emotions has been puzzling. So I remembered Elijah. God demonstrated His power to all the prophets of Baal by consuming the Elijah's sacrifice and the altar itself with fire from heaven. In the showdown between the pagan gods and the One True God, victory was won by Elijah's God. Elijah acted in obedience and faith. God proved himself  faithful and powerful.

But in spite of this great victory and display of God's power, Elijah became afraid, weary and goes into hiding in a cave. This has always been puzzling to me. Why, after such a miraculous victory, would this man be afraid and hide?..... And why, after so much faith and hope; after seeing God provide time and time again, would I feel so empty and unmotivated?

As I shared this with a friend, she encouraged me. The story of Elijah continues...an angel sent from the Lord told Elijah to "get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." So this I will do. It is time to "feed" myself now. It is time to strengthen myself with God's presence. I will listen for His gentle whisper so that I can continue to walk in obedience.

CHANGES...take a look at the changes we are living with.

We are still living out of boxes; closets don't have shelves yet, paint is not on the walls, some floors need to be finished yet...but all is well.

Be encouraged by reading the whole story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18 and 19.

OCCUPANCY

That's right...OCCUPANCY!


More pictures and details soon...but you can read more about the past week on the other page of this blog entitled "DOING - Our Work"

PROVISION

My mind has been more keenly aware recently of God's PROVISION. Many times as I bow my head to pray, my heart is filled with gratitude for his PROVISION. He provides all I need in so many ways. He is teaching me to simply say "thank you" and receive things from his hands; my food, finances, material things, safety, friendships...everything.

The journey with the house renovation has also put me in a place where I must look for His PROVISION every day. The project has been much larger than we ever expected and I want to go on record saying that He has provided all our needs along the way. In this final week before we hope to live in the house, there are so very many details that have to be coordinated. It is actually quite overwhelming when we make daily task lists and when we walk throughout the house assessing jobs that still need to be completed.

Today, I was reminded of Moses and the people of Israel as they were standing between the threat of Pharaoh's army and the Great Sea. They were caught...wrestling with thoughts of why they ever left the comforts of Egypt in the first place, fighting fears of being killed by the enemy or drowned in the sea. They were powerless. But the Lord spoke..."Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today...The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:13-14)

An email from a friend brought similar encouragement this morning... "Relax and let me lead you through this day. I have everything under control; My control. You tend to peer anxiously into the day that is before you, trying to figure out what to do and when. Meanwhile, the phone or the doorbell rings, and you have to reshuffle your plans. All the planning ties you up in knots and distracts you from Me. Attentiveness to Me is not only for your quiet time, but for all your time. As you look to Me, I show you what to do now and next. Vast qualities of time and energy  are wasted in obsessive planning. When you let Me direct your steps, you are set free to enjoy Me and to find what I have prepared for you this day."

We are trusting God to provide for us as we face the unknown...we need to move out of our current house by noon on Friday. An inspector has to give us a "certificate of occupancy" before we can move into the newly renovated house in Lancaster. To date, our general contractor feels encouraged and hopeful that work on the house is progressing in such a way that we will be able to move into the house this weekend. 

I am thankful for God's PROVISION of grace today; grace to face whatever situation comes my way. God is faithful. He will make PROVISION. I need only to stand firm and still because He will fight for me.

Here's a peek at where things are in the renovations...

Electricians installing lights

Plumbing fixtures are appearing

Bathrooms are taking shape

Trim is being put around windows and flooring

Appliances installed

the master bath has a tub....

...and a shower

Powder room!

radiators are cleaned and painted awaiting installation

WALKING

It has been entirely too long since I've written. I'm so glad for a few minutes this morning to share a few thoughts that have been processing in my mind...and I'm excited to show you more pictures of how renovations are progressing at the house. 

I was really looking forward to taking our morning walk the other day. Several things had interrupted this routine in the past days and I realized that it is during our morning walk that Keith and I can talk, pray and connect - I was missing that. WALKING matters to me.

Work at the house in the past couple weeks has been focused on flooring. The phrase that has been going through my mind is, "It matters what you WALK on." Maybe it's not very profound, but it is true. So we have been focusing on floors that are level, floors that are smooth, floors that are clean and floors that will look beautiful. I have discovered that when the floor of a room is lovely, clean and level, the rest of the room looks and functions a whole lot better.

uncovering the simple beauty of wood floors

Many hours were spent with loud vibrating floor sanders. The diningroom floor was very challenging!

The look and feel of this bedroom changed the minute the wood floors were sanded and exposed.

This little space at the top of the stairs has been transformed at the hands of a friend who installed a beautiful hardwood floor.

...and the livingroom floor's inlay design has been gloriously restored.

So the Lord has been asking me some new questions... 

Who am I WALKING with? 

What am I WALKING on? 

Are my paths level? 

Is my WALK with Him beautiful? 

I have been challenged again to focus on more time spent in His Word so that my feet are firmly planted on Truth. This month has been filled with opportunities to trust Him more and He has been good and faithful.

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who WALK in the light of your presence, O Lord.

Psalm 89:15

HEART

We've enjoyed having friends and family stop by every now and then to see what we've been doing at the house. I like to welcome them and give tours. It's fun to talk about what the finished product will be like, and I invite advice and opinions on the details. Recently, a friend made a comment to me as we stood watching the kitchen cabinets being installed. He said, "I find it interesting that the kitchen is the first room being completed." Truly, like the old saying goes, the kitchen is the heart of the home.

The first cabinets going up.

We'll be able to pull up some stools at the island.

A big island will be a great place for serving buffet style meals.

A pantry has always been on my wish list. The desk area will serve as a work station, the heart of scheduling, bill paying and record keeping.

I pondered this concept and thought more about HEART. What do I want for this kitchen? How might God want to use this space?  

There are many definitions for this word HEART. It is also the part of our physical body that gives us life. And we all know how much everyone seems to gravitate to the kitchen when visiting. We share joys and sorrows over coffee, snacks and meals. Whether we know it or not, food can affect our emotions. I have lots of good memories of preparing meals and eating together. I also have memories of late night talks while eating a snack when my kids were teenagers. It has been a wonderful place to train our young children to listen and share in conversation and to serve others. As our children grew, we spent many mealtimes laughing together and encouraging each other. 

I look forward to the days ahead. I pray that God will use this space to communicate his heart and to give life.

How might God be asking you to use your home? Your kitchen? How might you create an atmosphere that invites conversation and promotes life?