PERSPECTIVE

With drywallers coming in a week or so, we find it necessary to make sure all the walls are prepared. Nails have to be pulled out of all the exposed studs and the plaster walls need to be assessed. Loose plaster will have to be knocked out and cracks and dings will need to be smoothed over. That also means that all the wallpaper must be removed. I'll be repainting the walls that are in good condition.

Do you know of anyone who actually enjoys stripping wallpaper? With 10 foot ceilings and a stairwell that goes up 3 floors, the task seems huge. Every hallway and bedroom was wallpapered. After doing some research, I decided that I should purchase a steamer for the job.

 I've done a fair share of wallpaper stripping in my lifetime and I have to say that a steamer is definitely the way to go. With the steamer in my left hand and a scraper in my right, I simply moved across the wall, row by row, section by section, right to left.

This process provided me with a lot of thinking time; a lot of praying time. 

 After a section or two I needed to look around to see how much I had done...and how much more I had yet to do! That stairwell loomed ahead of me. And of course at the top of those stairs were hallways, bedrooms...and a 3rd floor too!

I was very tempted to be discouraged. But I was determined to keep working steadily...

...back to thinking and praying...

What about this process relates to my life? God, what principle could possibly be learned from this job?

The Father began to speak to me; to encourage me..."Don't dwell on what has not yet been done. Look how far you've come! Live in the moment. Trust God with what is ahead." 

As Keith and I were taking our morning walk and praying together, we realized that God wanted us to keep His PERSPECTIVE. He will always encourage us. We can trust Him with our future. We worry too much and begin to get discouraged because we see huge tasks ahead which seem impossible to accomplish. How will it ever work out? How will we ever be able to do it?

We were reminded today to place our trust in Him once again. 

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear...but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself..." Matthew 6:25-34

...and by the way, there's lots more wallpaper stripping to go. In five hours, I was able to do the walls in the main foyer and up to the top of the stairs. I think I'll be doing a lot more thinking and praying.

SYSTEMS

Out with the old and in with the new. That has been the theme in the past week as we concentrate on stripping the old wires, pipes, wallpaper and even walls and ceilings. My to-do list has mainly been to "strip" each room down to the studs. The bones of the house have proved to be good, but the mechanicals need to be replaced and reorganized.

Activity has increased dramatically this week as plumbers, electricians and HVAC workers descended upon the place. Scattered debris settles in every room as workers do their jobs. And as we arrive at the end of the week to put in our day of work, we enjoy seeing the progress as well as doing our part by cleaning up. We recently spent a day hauling out old pipes from the basement as plumbers installed a whole new system.

We discovered that there is some value in these old pipes. Keith spent some time sorting and cutting...brass, copper, iron.

Then we carried it to the truck. My father and Keith took the load to the salvage yard where it was turned into cash...

...over $600 worth!

While taking these trips back and forth from the basement and out to the truck, Keith and I were pondering the meaning of these actions. We prayed..."Lord, as we carry out the old, replace it with a new system. May fresh water flow through us; living water. Bring life to this house and home. Flow through us Lord!"

When Jesus becomes Lord of our lives, he installs new systems; new ways of thinking, talking and living.

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

the old has gone, the new has come!"

2 Cor 5:17

While this truth happens at the point of salvation, it also seems I spend a lifetime living it out. I carry my debris out daily, so that He can flow through me in a clean and fresh way. I ask Him to give me His system of thinking, talking and living. I need His grace daily to rain down on me; to cleanse and empower me.

"Father, today I give myself over to you again. Thank you for your grace; for the undeserved riches you bless me with. Open my eyes, give me your peace."

PREPARING

Yesterday I spent the afternoon doing some homework and research. I've been trying to stay ahead of the game with decisions I know I will eventually have to make. Things like...What color will I paint the living room, the kitchen or the bedrooms? What kind of light fixture will I hang in the foyer, the dining room, the hallways? What kind of tile will I use in the master bath or the kitchen floor? It's a big house with many rooms. I need to be prepared.

So I set out with a list of stores to visit and a clipboard for note taking. I also took my sample of granite that will be the kitchen counter and a sample of the wood that the kitchen cabinets are being made of. The more I looked at paint samples the more they all began to look the same. Finally, I simply told myself to decide! I found it best to pick about 4 or 5 colors that coordinate in a color scheme and simply use them throughout the house. There are 20 different rooms/areas in the house and there is no way I want to choose that many different colors. By using the 5 colors wisely, I can make all those rooms flow together and feel cohesive. For me, this is the fun part of caring for the house. It's fun to lay it all out on the table and put all the pieces together.

Jesus also said that He is preparing a place for us. I looked this up...John 14:2, 3. He told us not to be troubled or concerned, but to trust Him. "In my Father's house are many rooms...I am going to prepare a place for you." This thought intrigued me. God's house has many rooms and He is preparing a place just for me! "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." He wants me to be with him; to live with him.

I looked this up in a commentary..."The universe is the dwelling-place of my Father. All is his house. Whether on earth or in heaven, we are still in his habitation. In that vast abode of God there are many mansions. The earth is one of them, heaven is another. Whether here or there, we are still in the house, one of the mansions of our Father, in one of the apartments of his vast abode. We ought to continually rejoice that we are permitted to occupy any part of his dwelling-place. And it shouldn't matter whether we are in this mansion or another. We shouldn't grieve if we are called to pass from one part of this vast habitation of God to another. Jesus shall still be in the same universal habitation with us; still in the house of the same God; Jesus is going for an important purpose - to fit up another abode for our eternal dwelling."

The mansions and rooms being prepared for us are going to beautiful and colorful. What we are given on earth is only a sampling of something much more amazing. (see Revelations 21:15-27)

Thank you, Father, for preparing a place just for me. Your desire for me to live forever with you is. . . hmmmm. . . What a wonderful loving Father God!

LISTENING

It has been humbling and exciting to share this journey with so many people. To hear how God is using what He speaks to me to also speak to others warms my heart. He is an amazing God. How grateful I am to be his child and to be part of a great big family.

This past week has flown by. At the house, we just keep doing the next thing in the midst of other activities and responsibilities in our lives. Last week I took one day to retreat from it all by reserving a little art studio at Herrbrook Farm Retreat so that I could explore another dream of mine - watercolor painting. It was a wonderful get-away where I could be quiet and learn techniques in watercolor painting from a spiritual director and artist friend. 

While it was rainy and cold on the outside, the little studio cottage was warm and cozy on the inside. I enjoyed reading through a couple books and playing in paints. I also had some time to be quiet and meditate on God's Word and LISTEN. 

I am learning that as I listen to what is inside of me; my thoughts, my dreams, my longings, I discover that God wants to use those parts of me to affect the world somehow. He is showing me the purpose for which I was created.

Likewise, while working at the house, I often found myself asking God, "What are you saying in this?" In the past, he gave me illustrations and inspirations as I worked. And you have been reading on this blog some of those things He taught me. But this week there was more silence in my work. I was disturbed by that. My desire is to be in communication with the Father in the great and in the mundane.

Today, He says to me..."I am happy to have you sit with me in quietness and simply listen. Life doesn't have to be filled with learning and doing all the time. It is good to come away and simply be. There will be time for work later. But for now, I'm happy that you just LISTEN."

"Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46

So, it was good to be quiet in the midst of the work. . . and many of you have been asking how that work is going. I thought I'd give you a picture of where things are by now in the demolition. Framers come tomorrow and we are very excited to get past destruction and into the rebuilding phase. 

The following pictures are not very pretty. . .

looking into the dining room and kitchen from the living room

standing in the kitchen looking into the dining room towards the front entry

standing in the second floor hallway...the "room" to the right will be a master bath

the bathroom on the third floor is totally destroyed...debris is ready to be hauled out.

Stay tuned for prettier things ahead. 

Keep LISTENING. . . Take time to be quiet so the Father can speak.

SHARING

Because Keith had some previous commitments, I worked at the house for several hours alone last week. I was looking forward to this week when we could work together again. I made the comment to him, "It's much more fun when there is someone working with me. It goes much faster." Profound, I know. 

I would tear down part of a wall and then have to stop and haul out the dirt. This became drudgery all alone. I worked slower and my thoughts would discourage me. When Keith was helping me, a rhythm developed. I would do my part; he would do his. When one was tiring, the other encouraged. We set goals for ourselves and enjoyed a couple snack breaks together, feeling refreshed and ready to go again. We could even share laughs when we'd make silly mistakes or made discoveries.

At one point, I was working upstairs while Keith was removing plaster in the dining room. I heard him call me to quickly come a see what he discovered...

Walnuts! We had some laughs as they tumbled out of the wall as if in a bubblegum machine. He filled a 3 gallon bucket with them! Once upon a time some squirrels must have been storing up their treasures...

And today, we were honored to have more friends join in the work for several hours. Our work was made easier. More was accomplished in less time. We enjoyed conversation and worked hard together. Their help encouraged me.

I asked God what he wants to say to me...the word SHARING came to my mind. Sharing our lives with others is what God wants us to do. 

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:16

Thank you, Father God, for showing me what pleases you today. Bless our friends for their generosity. Increase generosity in my heart. I want to do good and share with others for your honor and glory. May this house be a place where sharing with others happens; a place where you are pleased; a place where you are praised.

LABOR

While shoveling out piles of old dust and plaster after demolishing some walls, thoughts of "hard, common labor" came to mind. Nobody really sees or appreciates this part of the renovation work. Mostly, they will enjoy the finished product; the fruit of the unseen difficult labor. But it is necessary work which needs to be done in order for our dreams and goals to be accomplished. I was covered with dust and dirt, wearing a dust mask to prevent it from getting into my lungs. My back was tiring from lifting and carrying. "This is hard work!", I thought. Load after load of trash was carried outside. The dumpster was filling fast.

Demo means piles of garbage...

The dumpster is sitting at the back of the property...a longer walk than hoped for but the soft soil in the yard prevented it from being brought closer. We're thankful for a wheelbarrow.

After one long day of clearing out the 1st floor after demo...another day's worth is yet to be deposited.

With this task, God reminded me that someone has to do the dirty work. Someone has to "carry out the trash". In that moment, He prompted me to begin praying for friends and acquaintances who are longing for freedom and healing in their lives. A teacher once said that part of praying of others is like being a garbage collector. When we pray for and minister to people in need of God's touch, we carry their "garbage" to the cross and give it to Jesus to carry and dispose of. This word picture has helped me understand my role in the Kingdom of God. It is a labor of love. It may not be glamorous work, but it is necessary work.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain." 1 Cor 15:57, 58

I am challenged in this. My labor in the Kingdom does not always need to be something extraordinary. It may mean doing a lot of behind the scenes labor. In that I am fulfilled. As I carry "garbage" to the Father, He takes it from me and disposes of it. In this we find victory. My labor is never in vain. Thanks be to God!

WALLS

Today I'm thinking about WALLS. Walls are built for many reasons. Some are good and some are bad. In a house, the walls create rooms and boundaries which contain certain tasks or events in our daily life. I'm glad there are walls around my bathroom for obvious reasons. The walls around the space in which I sleep create a safe quiet place for me to rest at the end of the day. The outside walls of my house protect me from the weather, keeping me safe and warm and dry. Walls are good.

But sometimes, walls are not so good. This weekend we began to knock out walls in the house we have just begun to care for. For the "new" spaces to take shape, old walls need to come down.

 ...making room for new spaces...



Other kinds of walls exist in our lives too. We build walls in our mind and in relationships. These walls can also have a positive or negative influence in us...the way we think, act and relate to others. While at times these kinds of walls can protect us from pain and hurt, most of the time they hinder us from living in freedom.

While I was pounding my way through a wall in the house, the words to a song came to my mind. "We will break dividing walls; we will break dividing walls; we will break dividing walls in the name of Your Son..." 

There are so many walls that divide us. It takes hard work to break through and tear them down. It takes perseverance and strength. I want to trust Jesus to do this work in my heart. I want those walls that limit a victorious life to come down so that there is new space for more of Him.

Will you join me in this demolition work?