Crisfield 3- The end

We've been back almost a week now and I thought I better send out the last reports about the trip.  First, though, a mighty big Thank you!!!! to everyone that was praying for us and supporting us financially and socially and everything.  You are a huge part of the story and we wouldn't do it without you.  

In the last email, I said that Bob wanted to do a debriefing, and that I would talk about that in this email.  Sometimes things don't go the way we want them to.  When you put your guts out on social media or the internet for all to see, it's easier to sugar coat everything and try to avoid offending people or making them feel uncomfortable.  But it isn't the truth and I think it's worth it to be transparent.  

Our team is mostly from the Upper Midwest, where things are done a certain way.  We dig basements.  We put ice guard on our roofs.  etc.  The agency we worked for asked us to do something that some people on our team felt would be ineffective and not achieve the best results.  Which led to some fundamental questions about what we do and how and why.  

A few years ago, we worked on a house in New Orleans that I had a hard time reconciling the "why" question.  This house was half of a duplex that the owner was living in the other half.  So this was going to be rental property.  And the guy was a plumber.  He knew how to do things.  Seemed like a bad use of our time. I reconciled it in my mind by remembering that we volunteered to serve the agency we were working through.  And if they thought that was needed, then I had to trust those whose authority I was under.  And the same applies here.  

AND-  

Yes, it's done differently here.  We are not in the Upper Midwest.  We are in the Mid Atlantic.  We voiced our concerns, offered suggestions, and they were heard and rejected.  We are not the ones who live here and it would be arrogant and disrespectful to tell them they are doing it wrong.  They are doing it differently than we would.  Again, we are under their authority.  We are in their sandbox, we'll play by their rules. I think we struggle with this because we put so much of ourselves into it.  Our way was rejected, so we were rejected.  After the last round of emails from Marquette, I was talking with a friend who doesn't live in the US anymore and he said, "I remember everything in the States was about being accepted... (is it still?)  and if one gives any kind of criticism, then that is seen as rejection. It's actually quite shallow. " 

And since then, I have tried to cognitively separate criticism from rejection.  I'm seldom successful, but at least I know.  So I guess the roundabout point here is that rejection of someone's idea is not rejection of that person.  

And finally, we talked about the whole thing not really making sense.  If you want to have the best return on your money, then maybe we should take up a collection and send it to the areas where disaster hits.  Let the professional builders make some money and put it into the local economy that way.  But I think that God's economy is not our economy.  And what we do isn't just about rebuilding a home.  It's about sharing hope.  And community.  And faith.  And Love.  It's becoming friends and sharing connections with the people in the van on the way out.  It's demonstrating God's outrageous love for us by driving halfway across the country (paying over $200 in tolls alone) to dig out oyster shells and pour cement.  Financially, what we do doesn't make sense.  But maybe it doesn't have to.  

I don't know if what we did to the house helped it in the long run.  The floor feels better when you walk on it.  And maybe the insulation we put up around the foundation will help keep wind and water out.  And maybe the reason we went to Crisfield was bigger than that.  

The drive back was pretty uneventful.  It did snow while we were in the Allegany Mountains.  But nothing that made driving unsafe.  We were very well taken care of in Maumee, Ohio again.  The people that hosted us came in gave us breakfast.  We got home on Sunday night around 6:15pm.Central Time.  

I didn't finish my paper, but I turned in what I had.  The next installment is due next weekend.  (It's a cumulative project)

Next trip that is currently scheduled is New Orleans on April 23-May 1st, 2016.  If you want to come, we'd love to have  you.  There are five people signed up already and three or four more assumed going.  That's a big start!  For more info, See our event on our Facebook page:  (click here for info about the next trip)  Or you can call Rod or email.  

I did put up more pictures of the trip.  You can see them here:  (click here to go to our Facebook page) or here:  (click here to go to our Picasa Page)

If you would like a photo book from this trip, or one of those awesome green team t-shirts, let me know and I'll tell you  how much they cost.  

Thanks for joining this story.  Hope to see you in New Orleans!

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Crisfield3- the last work day.

What a day!  

First I'll apologize for not getting any pictures up today.  It is late and I have to pack because we're leaving first thing in the morning.  And truthfully, it probably won't be until Monday.  But I'll get them going.  

Today we got as much done as we could with skirting the foundation of the house with styrofoam insulation and then hearty board.  It's kind of like a cement board.  The hard part was putting it up under the house along the perimeter of the deck.  I know I won't explain it well, but suffice it to say that Howard and Jon and I were under the house on our bellies in a crawl space putting a wooden framework to hang the insulation, and then putting in said insulation.  I only got claustrophobic once.   Just as we were getting ready to clean up and pick up the tools, the guy in charge came by and asked us to get one part under the next porch done, so we did.  

We left the job site around 1:00pm, went back, had lunch, and cleaned up.  Bob wanted to spend some time debriefing the job, which is something he hasn't asked for before.  When I write up the final piece, I'll talk about the issues we brought up and how we have left them.  (Stay tuned!)

We went to the local museum and gift shop.  Looked around.  Bought a few things.  Then drove around town for a few minutes.  (It's not a big town.)  Had some ice cream.  And then went and parked by the dock and waited until 6:00pm when the homeowners we were working for joined us for dinner at a nearby restaurant.  It was nice to spend time with them and get to know them a little better.  

Then we were invited to the home of a local guy name Joe Pinto who offered beverages and snacks and talked with us about Crisfield history and some guesses about the future of Crisfield.  It was really interesting.  Joe is a fascinating guy and a fantastic host.  

We just got back to where we stay and are cleaning up, packing up some, and heading to bed.  We are going to get up early and try to leave here by 7:00am- which is an hour earlier than we usually do, but it's a long haul.  

Pray for safe travel with tired drivers.  Team unity with tired and worn out (physically and emotionally) people.  Pray for our home owners, Mary and Monte and the next team that will come and work on their house.  

Thank you for being with us and taking this trip with us.  You are an invaluable part of our team.  

Talk to you again in a couple days!

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Crisfield3- Wednesday and Thursday

A good couple days with progress on the house and other cool things.

On the house, we got the piers to brace up the house done and the holes in the floor covered back up.  Now we are working on putting styrofoam insulation around the outside of the foundation of the house.  I guess it is to keep the wind from blowing up and in.  After the insulation, we are putting on something they call hearty board, which looks to me like some kind of cement board.  Putting it around the outside of the house isn't a big deal.  But where the porches are, they want us to go under the porches and install it there.  The success prediction for this project is a little dubious.  When Bob and Howard are both skeptical, it pays to pay attention.  But that is what we have been told to do and have clarified that we understand correctly.  So we will give it a shot.  Might end up being easier than we thought.  

Tonight we went to one of the home owners we worked for last year.  It was a house that Howard and Lewis and Ron and Dale and I (Rod Sc.) worked on.  When we were there, we started from the foundation and laid the plate, the floor joists, the floor, framed up and covered the exterior walls and framed up the interior walls.  We made the skeleton of the house.  Tonight we went in and saw it completed.  It was a little surreal.  The house is done and furnished very nicely and they have put their unique touches on it.  You can see a few pictures of it.  on our FB page or our Picasa page-  links below.  They they told us the story of how they weathered Hurricane Sandy and the ripple effects their actions had in saving three other lives.  It was inspirational.  I have a typed copy and will try to post it once I get back to MN and can scan it in.  

OH!  And they bought us a Smith Island Cake.  Google it if you don't know what it is.  It was delicious!  

ANDDD-  a local guy donated a big box of blue crabs for us for dinner.  They are pretty work intensive, so some people had an alternative, but I thought they were pretty good.  It was a good cultural experience.  

There are so many nice people in this town.  The locksmith that came and opened the van when Debbie had the keys in her pocket for hours and the rest of us couldn't find them.  He refused to take any money.  And then the plumber who gave us a big box of crabs for our supper.  And the homeowner who gave us Smith Island Cake and let us gawk at her house.  (she was actually happy to share it with us.  They are proud of it and grateful.-  And I like they way they said, "Come Aboard!" when they were inviting us in.)  

Last work day is tomorrow.  We will work about a half day and get as much done as we can.  Ben and Gordy (from UMCOR, the agency we are working through) both said to just do what we can and that they have 60 volunteers coming next week.  So we will do what we can.  

That's all you can do, right?  

The homeowner we worked for last year that invited us over tonight said something I thought was a good image.  She said, "When you go through the water, you leave a wake.  We don't always look back to see how those ripples affect things, but you know they do."   Be the Boat.  Be the Ripples.  Be the Wake.  Be the Tool. 

R

(OH yeah-  links:  Click here for the Picasa site

Click here for our Facebook page )

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Crisfield3- the 2nd work day

Business as usual.  Dug out some more clam holes.  Cut another hole in the floor, Poured cement.  Bent some rebar.  The inspector likes it.  He will be by in the morning to see about the cement pillars we are going to pour.  There was question about how to do it.  

Tomorrow I think we are going to pour some cement pillars in a round form about a foot in diameter.  Then once that dries, we are going to put a couple 2x8's across pairs of pillars and use them to shore up the floor joists.  I'll know more when it happens.  

In an odd change of scenery, I (Rod Sc.) stayed back to work on a paper that I have due for my class on Saturday.  I am about a third done with it.  I may have to stay back tomorrow, too.  I feel odd not helping on the work site.  They did just fine without me today, though, so they will probably do just fine without me again tomorrow.  But It sure feels funny.  

Prayers for continued team unity and safety.  

Prayers for our home owners M and M.  

Prayers for our families left behind. 

Prayers for me to get this paper done.  

There are pictures from today on our Facebook Page ((click here for Facebook)-  Like us if you have not.

The same pictures are here (Click here for our Picsasa site) on our Picasa site, but there are no captions.  

Thank you for being part of this story with us.  It is good to have you with us!

R

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Crisfield3- the first work day

We started working today.  We are working on a house close to downtown.  The goal for us for the week is to shore up the house-  help make it level/raised a little and brace the flooring that was damaged in Hurricane Sandy.  

The process is:

Take out everything in the rooms we are working in.  

Take up the carpet and padding and old linoleum.  

Cut 4x8 holes in the floor in three rooms. 

Dig a hole 2'x2'x26"(deep).  - MORE ON THIS

pour cement footings.  

And then I don't know how to explain-  so more tomorrow.  

Everything was pretty straight forward until it was time to dig the holes.  The ground is made up of old clam shells.  So you can't really use a shovel much.  So it's really digging by hand.  And the hole is pretty big.  So it takes a lot.  After about 8 inches down, we hit water.  Makes it a lot of fun.  Wet clammy fun.  Took about two and a half hours to get about half done.  

We got to meet the homeowners.  They are great people and we talked about their story about what they did during Sandy.  (they were going to wait it out, but then called the National Guard for a rescue, but ended up driving their truck out because the Guard wasn't coming that close to the ocean anymore.  When they came back, there was water damage in the house, but they were able to get back in and worked on cleaning up.  

Today was a good day.  

And then I thought I lost the key to the van.  We looked for a couple hours after devotions.  Turns out Debbie had it.  But that was after I called a lock smith.  He opened the van for us, but wouldn't take any money.  He was grateful for our help in the community and said it was what he could do to support us.  We asked if there was anything we could do for him, and he said, "Just pray for me."  So we ask you to pray for Paul.  He came out in the late evening to help out.  

There are more pictures on Facebook.  Click here to go to our Facebook site

And on our Picasa site.  Click here for our Picasa photo site

Thank you for being with us.  This is a great story!

R

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Crisfield3- Getting there

We arrived in Crisfield tonight after one easy day and one harder day of driving.  Saturday morning we left the church at 6:20 am-  a few minutes ahead of schedule.  (a first?!?)  Half hour down the road, somebody I won't name called for a bathroom stop.  (It was Debbie).  We gave her a hard time for it, but EVERYONE used the bathroom and Lewis went so far as to call her a hero.  The rest of the day seemed to go by quickly.  

We spent the night at a church in Maumee, OH.  Great hospitality!  

Up and on the road by 8:15 am.  (used up the time we were early on yesterday?)  We spent the same amount of time on the road today, but it seemed to go by slower or something.  Great scenery going through the Allegheny Mountains and crossing the Chesapeake Bay.  Had dinner at some hole in the wall Chinese restaurant (same place as last year!) and then to the base we are staying at.

There is another group staying here working from here this week also.  And here is where you can see my attitude not be completely golden.  I talked to their team leader last week and told them we had some older people and needed a few bottom bunks.  Anyway, when we got here, we didn't find what we expected in terms of what they left for us.  Would it be petty for me to explain what happened?  Probably.  So the point is that God did not call us to be comfortable or have everything our way.  And as the great Polly Brantner once said, "YOU choose joy!"      And so I am.  It is good to be here in Crisfield again and getting ready to serve a homeowner with a great group of people that I love and love to be around.  THAT is the point.  

I have a few pictures that I took on the road with my phone, but not very many.  I'll post them on Facebook so check us out there if you haven't already.  -  

Click here to go to our Facebook page

Prayers for our team for safety as we get started on our work project tomorrow.  

Prayers for our relationship with the team we are sharing the space with.  May we all give glory to God and further His kingdom.  

Prayers for our friend, Sandy Helms who is having a pretty major surgery on Monday morning.  Sandy hosted us at her church in Findlay, OH the other times we came to Crisfield.  

We are so glad you are part of this story with us!

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

RE: Be The Tool on the road again! Crisfield3

Praying! Praying! Praying! Holding all of you and those you are serving close in our hearts and prayers. D&d

 

From: Rod Scofield [mailto:rod@bethetool.org]
Sent: Friday, October 09, 2015 10:42 PM
To: Of Course it Quacks <rodscof.ofcourseitquacks@blogger.com>
Cc: Debbie Fors <Deb4sgm@gmail.com>; Dort Schlientz <dort@dondort.com>; Ginger Stemme <vstemme@usfamily.net>; Jon Fors <heloves2sail@yahoo.com>; Rod Stemme <stemme@usfamily.net>; Ron Clayton <ronclayton1@gmail.com>; Howard Newton <hbnewton@comcast.net>; Robert Newton <rgbobnewton@yahoo.com>; Carolyn The Colonel Newton <celesalee@sbcglobal.net>; Theresa Whitehead <angeltheresa10@gmail.com>
Subject: Be The Tool on the road again! Crisfield3

 

Here we go again!  Leaving in the morning for Crisfield, MD.  The van and trailer are packed.  Seems like half the team is staying at my (Rod Sc.'s) house tonight.  (in reality, it is 4 out of 11)  We will be heading out bright and early at 0'dark:30.  

 

Pray for us for safe travel and good weather.  

 

R

 

--

Are you a tool?

 

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Be The Tool on the road again! Crisfield3

Here we go again!  Leaving in the morning for Crisfield, MD.  The van and trailer are packed.  Seems like half the team is staying at my (Rod Sc.'s) house tonight.  (in reality, it is 4 out of 11)  We will be heading out bright and early at 0'dark:30.  

Pray for us for safe travel and good weather.  

R

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Marquette3- Almost the end

We ALMOST finished our work project at Jill and Ian's house.  This means one more trip out there.  There are only a few things left to do and I'm guessing we could finish them in a day.  We should paint the dining room ceiling.  And we need to install some trim that didn't get done.  And paint the bathroom again.  There could be some more shelving in the basement, and there are leftover building materials in the garage that need to be dealt with.  And I suppose someone could work on putting back all the things we moved so we had room to work.  

So there may be one more update about the Marquette 2015 project.  

In the meantime, our Facebook page has captions on a lot more pictures than the Picassa page.  (It has to do with uploading them into an album and anyone with a better idea than Picasa should tell me what you recommend)  Anyway, here are the links:  

Click here for our Facebook Page    

Click here for our Picasa picture page

It was a fantastic project to work on.  A different scope than we've done before.  I would say that I learned a lot from it in terms of planning out projects like this.  There are some things I would do differently (finding the balance between buying nice things that look good in the house vs. being frugal with the money donated to the project for one, maybe charging more for two?) and things I wouldn't change (looking for reasons to say, "yes, we can do that.")  I loved bringing people to Marquette and made some great connections there.  I loved bringing people to love on Jill and Ian.  

Once all the bills come in and everything is wrapped up, I'll post one more time about this project with some totals and anything else I can think of that would be pertinent.  

Thank you a bunch for following this with us and being a part in whatever way you could.  We love that you are with us. 

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

not feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

your are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Marquette3- A home run

I gotta say, Justin's team knocked this baby out of the ballpark.  

After 5 longgggg days of work, this team finished as much as could be done for this trip.  I think this team worked five days at ten hours+ each day.  Their commitment to seeing this through and getting as much done for Jill and Ian is the stuff legends are made of.  I'll try to recap-  (If you're not interested and just want to see pictures-  scroll past the next few paragraphs)

Took out a small wall between the living room and the dining room.  Managed the transitions between the two room so it all flows as one.  Textured and painted the walls and ceilings.  Installed cabinets, countertops, kitchen sink, dishwasher, backsplash and new flooring in the kitchen.  Erin made some are pieces to put on the walls.  Ginger made some curtains.  

In the bathroom, replaced the toilet, sink and bathtub.  Reconfigured the bathroom, which meant moving plumbing around.  (This was mostly donated by a local plumbing and heating company)  Painted.  Put in new light fixtures.  Updated some of the electric.  

In the stairwell at the entrance to the house- painted the stairwell, installed vinyl treads.  Painted part of the floors.  Installed new vinyl flooring to match the kitchen in the landings of the stairwell.  

Installed crown molding around the dining room an kitchen.  Filled in a window where there was one in the bathroom.  resided and repainted the outside where the window used to be.  Changed out a window in the basement bedroom that we put in.  

And I feel like that only tells half the story.  

I think our lives could be compared to the house.  Partially because most people haven't seen the "before" pictures.  (I have permission to show them- so I'll post them on FB in a few days.)  So all we see is how nice it is now.  I know how it used to be.  I know that it was not in Jill's power to make this happen on her own.  I know the condition of my soul before Jesus.  I know I do not have the power to make the changes all my own.  Grace is huge.  And updates and remodels in a house take time and resources.  Updates and remodels in your soul takes sacrifice and hard work also.  It's almost embarrassing to think of the way Jill's kitchen and bathroom were before.  -  And sad.  But we don't have think about it.  It's much more fun to see the new kitchen and the new dining room and the new bathroom.  And I wonder if that's kind of how Jesus see's our souls?  That we have gotten ourselves into situations we can't get out of ourselves.  And Jesus comes in and renovates our hearts and minds.  Jill kept saying she couldn't believe it and how lucky she was and why her? and etc.  I think it's kind of like that with Jesus and our souls.  We get a spiritual makeover when the Creator of the Universe comes in and takes away our filth and depravity and mess, and turns us into something beautiful, and we wonder why us?  The important thing isn't the ugly thing we were, but the beautiful thing we've become and how He delights in that.  I couldn't wait to show Jill her new house.  (we made her wait outside for the "big reveal!")  I wonder if Jesus is like that with us and the Father-  "Look Father!  Look look!  Look at how these heart renovations are beautiful and fun and give such joy."  

We are not quite done.  There is a little bit of trim left to put up.  A little more paint to put on.  A tad more clean up and helping get some things organized and put away.  That'll be for another day.  

I'll have to say more about the wrap of of this trip later.  I think of all the people on the other teams that came and volunteered and were part of this service to Jill and Ian.  I'm a little in awe.  And I want to talk about the Don and Dort hospitality experience.  But for now, I just want to sit in the joy of this awesome project that is mostly done and looks great.  

Here is a link to our FB page (have you "liked" us on FB yet?) click here for FB

Here is a link to our photo page on Picasa:  click here for photo page

Prayer requests are for safe travel for our team on the way home.  

End of September-  Detroit anyone?  

Mid October-  Maryland anyone?

Here we go!

R

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

not feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

your are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Marquette 3- How things have progressed

It may not come as a surprise to anyone besides me that it is COLD here!  In August.  It was 56 degrees on one sign I saw when I drove to Menards.  That's great for March and April.  Not great for August.  

I posted some pictures on FB and on our Picasa site-  Links here:

Click here for Picasa site

Click here for our FB page

We have gotten a lot done, but it seems slow to me.  I want to see results now.  I am nervous about not getting everything done that we need to get done.  They assure me that all is well and we are on track.  But just in case, three people went back to town tonight to get some things set up for tomorrow.  

The team is good-  14 strong until tomorrow.  From Wisconsin, there is Justin, Annette, Larry, Dan L., Dan S., Marie, Bev, Hanna and Hannania.  From MN, there is me, Howard, Ginger, Erin, and Ron.  

We have done things from running electrical to hanging more sheet rock, to taking out walls, to priming, to installing linoleum, to installing toilets, to replacing windows to filling in windows and installing siding, to putting in walls, tearing out wallpaper, and rerouting duct work.  

We have been lucky to be working with some professional plumbers and electricians who have been assigned to us from Swick Plumbing and Heating in Marquette.  The owner (former owner?) of Swick Plumbing and Heating is an old friend of Don and Dort's and volunteered to help out.  That has saved us a LOT of time.  

Don and Dort did a devotion last night and in it, there was a passage about not being afraid.  (Like Peter walking on water).  I have to keep bringing that up because there is  A LOT to do in this house.

Did I mention there is a LOT to do?  

We had pasties tonight and hung out at the lodge at the RV park next door to Don and Dort's.  Fun.  (Pasties from Jean Kay's.  The bomb - diggety!)

Prayer requests-

*Finances.  The supplies are adding up fast.  

*Our friend, Troll (from Marquette 1 and 2) called with a prayer request tonight.  If we can leave it at that, God knows what it is.  

*That we can see what good use of our time is so that we can flow from one thing into another without have to wait (for mud to dry or etc.)  

*Safety for travel for Larry and Annette and Marie who are going home in the morning because they have some other commitments.  

Let us know you're with us.  We'd love to hear from you!

Also-  Anyone want to go to Detroit towards the end of September to help work on houses there which were damaged in the flood of 2014?  Last I heard they need help still mucking out some houses.  

Ok-  that's all for now.  Thank you for being here with us.

R

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

not feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

your are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Be The Tool- Back in Marquette

Well, it has happened again.  We find ourselves in Marquette for another round of work on Jill and Ian's house.  This is supposed to be the last one.  Let's see if this team can wrap it up.  

And actually, Ray and Roma (from Marquette1) and their spouses came up to the U.P. on Friday night, had a vacation day on Saturday, and worked today (Sunday) on Jill and Ian's house.  Ray and Company installed a few more electrical outlets and hooked up the light switch to the dining room light that we took apart last time we were in town.  (long story full of drama not worth repeating).  

The team this week is mostly from Apple River Community Church in Amery, Wisconsin led by Pastor Justin Hosking.  There is a long list of things we are going to accomplish this week.  

There are also some veteran Minnesotan team people here in Marquette.  Howard, Ron, Ginger, Erin and I are here.  Justin's team has Justin, Larry, Annette, Marie, Bev, John L., John S., Hanna and Hannanai.  

Most people are staying at an RV park right next door.  (they are missing out on the Don and Dort Hospitality express!)  

Did I tell you we are staying at Don and Dort's again?  With 14, this will be the the largest Marquette team yet.  Mealtimes will be interesting.  

I'll keep you updated.  

Please keep us in your prayers.  There is a LOT to finish.  We want to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and get done the things that are important.   Pray for productivity, unity, and safety.  

The new team hasn't done anything but arrive in town, so there aren't any real pictures to show.  

But here we go!  

Thanks for coming along for the ride.  

R

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

not feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

your are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Marquette2- the last work day

What a day!  

And I want to start by telling about a couple guys that stopped by to help out.  They were from a religious organization that will remain anonymous.  I'm going to call them Joe and Jim, but those aren't their names.  (I don't even know their names).  They told us the day before that they would stop by and help out for awhile.  And they did.  They got there shortly after we did and I put them to work.  They helped carry things around, putting stuff into Ian's room or helping carry up bookshelf kits that had to be put together.  (they were in the basement and heavy!)  And then after an hour, they left.  I am grateful for their help, as were Jill and Ian.  And I trust that they were doing what they have been trained by their organization to do.   But I want to do thing differently  than that.  Our plan for yesterday was to wrap everything up by about noonish and go explore Marquette.  But at 11:00 or so, it was evident that we weren't really done and needed to rearrange our plans.  It was not hard to do.  

Deb finished sanding the ceiling in the kitchen.  It is ready to paint.  

Erin and Heidi took care of almost everything that had been stored in the dining room and living room and made it look like a dining room and living room.  

Rod St. and Troll put together some of those bookcases you get at Menards and Erin and Heidi used them in their cleaning up the living room.  

Then Rod and Troll switched out the guts to a toilet that wasn't working.  

Jon installed a handrail going to the basement.  (or coming up from the basement- depending on your perspective.)  

Ginger helped Jill continue to sort out boxes and boxes and boxes of papers and memorabilia she had been saving.  

Ron tightened up shelving in the basement so it would be sturdy enough to handle all the things we were storing on it.  

Matt helped Ian bring things from upstairs down to his room and helped organize his room.  Matt also helped with everybody's "Hey Matt, can you help me here for a minute?" calls.  

The end product is amazing.  You would think I would have pictures, but I think I left my camera at Jill and Ian's house, so I 'll have to post pictures tomorrow.  

Today we are going to stop back there one more time to check the toilet and make sure it isn't leaking.  (and grab my camera).  

I started this email talking about Joe and Jim, the two volunteers that showed up to help out for an hour.  How cool is that?  That two guys stopped by to show support for this family and helped get them another step closer to being able to get their house under control.  Some people are called to stay for an hour.  Some people are called to stay for a week.  It would be easy to end this with "What are YOU called to?"  But the question bears more importance than a flippant (and maybe arrogant) challenge.  At first, I was not grateful for the hour these two guys offered.  I thought it was just a shallow demonstration of service so that they could have more opportunities to share their message (which is different than ours) and that they didn't really want to do the hard stuff of getting messy with this family.  I got all fluffed up by OUR willingness to stay a few more hours to get everything done.  OUR willingness to spend a week.  But the hour they gave us (really gave to Jill and Ian) was great!  Who knows what they had to do to their plans in order to make that hour work?  Regardless of their motivation, they felt called to share.  And so they did.  

So what is God calling YOU to?  (Now I can ask that.)  Which neighbor could use a plate of cookies?  Or a hand mowing the lawn?  Or an invitation to the movies?  Or a ride to the store?  Or help with their project?  Or to sit with them while they hurt?  Or (fill in the blank here.)?  Or maybe you've been wondering about the food shelf or Habitat or Feed My Starving Children or Second Harvest or your church committee that has been trying to find someone for months.  To be clear also, though, one of the wisest things my Aunt said to me once was that "every need is not YOUR need."  You don't have to save the world, or fix all the problems.  But if you press in and pay attention to what God is nudging you toward, maybe take that step and see what happens.  

We will be home later today (Saturday) and I'll post more pictures as soon as I can.  

We have another team coming out here the last week of August to install cabinets and redo the bathroom.  - and do some painting and other assorted stuff.  We would sure appreciate your prayers.  

Until soon-

R
--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

not feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

your are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Marquette2- Almost done!

What's this?  Only the 2nd email about this trip and we're almost done?  Well, I haven't been very good about writing updates.   

Work wise, we haven't gotten as much done as I hoped.  And this makes me nervous about the next/last team and getting everything done we are trying to do.  But let's take inventory....  

In the kitchen-  we took off the old ceiling and replaced it with new drywall.  First coat of mud and tape.  I was hoping to get it painted and the trip put back on, but that will have to wait until the next team.  We also took off the first layer of floor (which is an older linoleum)  - but with hardwood under that.  The adhesives stick to the hardwood.  We laid 1/4" luan on top of it and will put new linoleum on top of that.  If someday, someone wants to get back to the hardwood, they can, but it will take a lot of work...  We have also knocked out the wall between the kitchen and the living room.  The next team will knock out one short wall and put cabinets where the wall used to be.  Opening it up really did wonders for the house.  There are electrical issues that have to be addressed by the next team.  (Anyone want to come out the last week of August that is an electrician?-  Ray Baker?)  

The next team is going to put in cabinets and countertops.  And finish the floor.  

In the basement, we got done with Ian's room.  walls, paint, door, trim, carpet, baseboard, and we built him a bed platform.  

We did a lot of laundry today.  Lots.  

Which brings up my struggle for the week.  During the time I was doing the laundry at the laundry mat, I kept thinking of how we will NOT do laundry again.  And in fact, there should be a system in place where there is accountability, and systems of rewards and consequences and change so that this doesn't happen again.  And then I remembered that we say that we don't have any expectations or strings attached to what we do.  We just do it because it is the right thing to do and because it serves someone that Jesus loves.  That's it.  So I had to be deliberate of making sure I had no requirements about laundry (or any other response.)  

We have spent some time playing in Marquette also.  We went to Presque Isle Park where Troll and Erin and I jumped off the black rocks into Lake Superior.  It is a beautiful park and we were there at sunset more than once.  

We have one more day to work and get everything done we were shooting for.  

As always- thank you for your prayers and support.  We are grateful!  Feel free to "Like" us on Facebook.  (We're on Twitter and Instagram, but I never remember to post there- if anyone wants to come on the next trip to be the media person- talk to me-  I have an AWESOME idea!)  click here for our Facebook page

Here is the link to the pictures (which was fixed-  thank you to Ly Lor for pointing out it didn't work the first time I posted it!)  click here to see the pictures

Peace!

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

not feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

your are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Be The Tool back in Marquette

Be The Tool is back in Marquette!!  We are working on the same project we were last time.  (not the roof-  that's done-  same house- different challenges)

Troll came back for round two, but he and I are the only repeaters from our first trip to Marquette.  Also here are Rod and Ginger, Erin C., Ron C., Matt S., and Jon and Debbie F.  Troll and I rolled into town on Saturday night to get some things set up.  The first car got to Marquette Sunday around 5:30pm.  The second one around 11:30 pm.  We are staying at the same home we stayed at last time.  There are few more people and a little tighter, but Don and Dort are just as pleasant and they just seem to roll with it.  

The things we are working on are:  taking out a wall between the kitchen and the living room, replacing the ceiling in the kitchen.  replacing the floor in the kitchen, finishing the bedroom downstairs.  We have run in to some challenges that were not expected.  (knob and tube electrical, and a clogged drain pipe in the basement that overflowed a LOT) but it is going well.  Our homeowner is very excited to see the big open space between the kitchen and the rest of the house.  There are pictures online of before and after.  -  (the link will be at the bottom of this email.)  

Thank you for your prayers and support.  We are grateful!  We believe they avail much.  

Here is a link to our Facebook page:  Click here to go to our Facebook page

Here is a link to our photo page:  click here to go to our pictures page

We'd love to hear from you if you're following along!  

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

not feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

your are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.  

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Be The Tool- Marquette1- The end of the first part

When we last left our team, we were getting ready to wrap up.  We had finished the roof and were working on finishing the bedroom in the basement.  

So in the basement, we got the drywall up and the first coat of mud.  We wrapped helped clean up a little outside and inside.  

An old friend brought over some pizza for lunch.  

And it reminds me about the importance of community.  There is an African philosophy (although "philosophy" isn't really the right word and I don't know what is the right word.) called ubuntu which, in a woefully incomplete nutshell, means "we are all in this together and as you are stronger, I am stronger.  As you are weakened, I am weakened."  It promotes value in humanity as opposed to value in individuality.  Bishop Desmond Tutu said it like this:  

One of the sayings in our country (South Africa) is Ubuntu – the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality – Ubuntu – you are known for your generosity.

We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole World. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity. (taken from Wikipedia)

As Christians, we can relate to this as being a part of The Body.  We all have a part or role to play, and someone else does not have a lesser role because he or she is not the head or the hand.  The person that brings pizza or picks up shingles or does laundry or hauls brush is just as important as the person who is laying shingles and nailing them to the roof.  We all need each other.  

So when Troll told me he was coming on this trip, I was pretty excited for a number of reasons, one of which being that Troll has a gift of relating to a lot of different kinds of people, but especially people who would otherwise be marginalized and disregarded.  Our homeowners son being one of those people.  You can look at Ian (home owners son) and Troll standing together and pretty much get it.  (see the pictures- link below).  And I KNEW Troll would be a good influence on this family.  Troll was definitely called by God to this trip.  

And when Roma told me that Ray was going to come, I was really excited because Ray knows how to do just about anything construction-wise.  Before Ray joined the team, we were not going to try to tackle the roof, but leave it for a bigger team.  When he "got on the bus," we decided we could do the roof.  Ray's enthusiasm and positive attitude really helped carry the work this week.  

And when I met Annette and Larry, and heard their hearts and saw their love, I KNEW they were in the right place.  Annette did such a fantastic job helping manage the cleaning up, that nobody really knew she was managing it.  Her sense of humor, compassion, and love for God and for others were in EXACTLY the right place.  And Larry did a great job managing the second job in this project.  He had the right skill set and mentality to put up the walls and get them sheet rocked in the basement.  

Roma and Justin and I played our parts exactly like we were supposed to as well.  Justin's knowledge of roofing and roof projects AND his ability to "stick to the roof" made the project possible.  Justin could get around on the roof when some of the rest of us thought it was too steep.  

And there were people that didn't come from out of town that came by and helped out.  Don and Dort offered their home for us to stay in and made us breakfast every morning (if you're ever in Marquette at breakfast time, ask Don to make you a smoothie!).  They came to the worksite and helped out each day.  They went and borrowed tools and equipment from friends.  They ran to Menards for us.  They were "here I am. send me" people.  Don and Dort exemplify Jesus.  

Their daughter, Heidi was also on site every day.  Heidi is actually the person that has spearheaded this project.  She is the one that introduced us to Jill and Ian and was our liaison.  She coordinated some meals and got a few meals donated.  She pushed and continues to push for more serving for this family.  "Good enough" is not good enough for Heidi.  I believe her vision is a complete home make over and I wouldn't be too surprised to see her getting donations above and beyond what we can do, just to bless this family.  Not because they "deserve" it or have earned it, but because we are all people.  

Brian A. is also in Marquette and is a contractor and helped define the projects and did a lot of the initial evaluation.  He also got some materials donated.  

Bob M. let us use his scaffolding and ladders.  

Bob and Lolly M. fed us dinner and supplied another couple meals.  

The list goes on.  And on.  

The Body.  

And it's not over.  There is still much to do.  Next on the list is a bathroom renovation and a kitchen renovation.  There are no cabinets or counter tops in the kitchen.  The chimney needs to be tuck pointed.  The bedroom in the basement needs to be finished.  And there is more stuff to go through and help sort.  

Are you called to come be a part of this story?  We are trying to pick some dates now to go back.  Justin is talking about bringing another team towards the end of the summer.  And maybe another team around the beginning of August.  Let me know if you're in.  There are several ways to participate.  First-  Your support-  pray for us.  Pray for the home owner, Jill and her son, Ian.  "Like us" on Facebook.  Tell your friends to "Like" us on Facebook.  Look at the pictures.  Tell your church or group about this.  Second- Your time-  Join us in Marquette.  Third-  donations:  money or materials or meals.  To join this story, you can email Rod by clicking HERE.  

I did post some more pictures.  You can see them here:  (CLICK HERE FOR PICTURE SITE)

You can see our Facebook page here:  (CLICK HERE FOR FACEBOOK)

Thank you everyone who is and was praying and supporting and reading these emails.  You already are a part of the story.  

See you soon.  

rod

--

Are you a tool?

Be The Tool- Marquette1- Day4

I didn't take any pictures today.  I don't think anyone else did, either, but I'll get them later if they did.  

We said goodbye to Annette and Larry and Justin, who had to head back to Wisconsin.  We can't wait to work with them again.  More about them later.  

But we got the roof done at 4:50pm.  Ray is probably the hero of the roof.  His leadership and skill and teaching ability really were able to drive this project.  It looks good.  I'll shoot some pictures of it in the morning.  

Troll worked with the homeowner's son on the drywall in the basement.  They got a lot done, but not everything.  Tomorrow we intend to finish hanging the sheet rock and put the first layer of mud.  Roma and I are going to take a lot of things back to Menards (because I bought a little extra here and there-  8 bundles of shingles!!????)  

One more day.  Roma and Ray head back downstate tomorrow afternoon.  Troll and I head back to Michigan on Saturday morning.  

On a lot of our trips, Howard reminds us that while we are serving and thinking we are blessing others, the truth is that we are blessed beyond belief by the people we are serving.  This trip has been no different.  There are some things very different from our normal template of what a trip looks like.  We stayed at a house instead of a center.  We were given meals by volunteers who believe in what we are doing and want to support us.  It has really been a great experience.  W'e'll sum things up sometime next week.  But it's been a great week.  And a good team.  And a great week.  

AAANNNDDDDD....

We are going to come back.  There are still projects in the house that need to get down.  If you are interested in coming to join this story, let me know.  The plot is good and it is going to end very well.  

Until tomorrow.  

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Be The Tool Marquette1 - Day 3

There are more photos posted on our Picasa site.  (Or you can get to them via Facebook.  

Click Here for Facebook

Click here for Picasa

We got a lot done on the roof today.  I was a little surprised we didn't get further, but I think we can finish it tomorrow.  In fact, we kind of have to because it is supposed to rain on Friday.  

Larry and Troll got a lot done in the basement room they were working on.  All the walls are constructed and half the drywall is up.  Troll is going to try to get the son of the homeowner to help him do the drywall tomorrow.  

Today was Larry and Annette and Justin's last day with us.  They are heading back to Wisconsin Thursday morning.  It has been fantastic getting to know them and working alongside them.  I hope this is the beginning of a long friendship.  

Dinner was donated by a local restaurant tonight.  Same restaurant owner bought us gift cards for another restaurant for lunch tomorrow.  (Jimmy Johns!)  After dinner, we went to Presque Isle Park again.  Troll jumped off the Black Rocks into Lake Superior.  Justin and I were ready for an epic rescue in case he got incapacitated by the cold water, but all was well and Troll feels very good about this trip now.  

We can't say enough about the hospitality we have been receiving.  Don and Dort have been so fantastic to us.  And Bob and Lolly, and even the mail carrier brought us doughnuts.  The community taking care of the community.  Ubuntu.  I am well if you are well.  

What a week.  Fantastic.  

Let's keep going.  

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Re: Be The Tool- Marquette Day 2

Praying for the team.

In Christ's Love and Service,

Pastor Paul Marzahn

CROSSROADS CHURCH

612-799-PRAY (7729)

P.S. How may I pray for you?

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 9, 2015, at 11:03 PM, Rod Scofield <rod@bethetool.org> wrote:

We started early today because we had to be ready to meet the delivery person that was going to put some shingles on the roof.  So we started at about 7:30am at Jill and Ian's.  We worked and worked.  Ray, Justin, and Roma really worked hard on the roof.  Annette and Larry worked in the basement helping set up the new room.  There was another guy that came to help that is a friend of Don and Dort's.  He was a great help, mostly in getting that room in the basement ready.  Troll bounced around between all areas as needed.  

It is supposed to rain tonight, so we had to get everything covered up where had stripped shingles.  We stayed a little long to get it all done.  So we have one long side completely covered.  One short side mostly shingled, but all felt paper.  And the next long side is completely covered with felt/tar paper.  Tomorrow, we are going to strip the last side and shingle the long side.  I think Thursday we will shingle the last side and do the finishing pieces.  I think.  Maybe.  The good things is that have Friday, too.  

After working, we went to dinner at the home of a local family.  It was fantastic!  Bob and Lolly Mager were great to share a meal and share time with.  I think that's another representation of the Body sharing time together.  We share our lives with each other.  People we serve and people who serve us.  

And again, I'm going to keep this short.  I just can't stay up all night anymore.  

Thank you to the people who have sent us encouragement.  It means a lot!  

And some people found that the picture site needed approval.  I think I fixed that and you can just go look at them.  (Let me know if that's not right.)

Our picture site:  click here for photos. (but I didn't put any new ones up yet today)

Our Facebook page:  Click here for our FB page

Prayer requests for safety on the job site.  And productivity.  

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Be The Tool- Marquette Day 2

We started early today because we had to be ready to meet the delivery person that was going to put some shingles on the roof.  So we started at about 7:30am at Jill and Ian's.  We worked and worked.  Ray, Justin, and Roma really worked hard on the roof.  Annette and Larry worked in the basement helping set up the new room.  There was another guy that came to help that is a friend of Don and Dort's.  He was a great help, mostly in getting that room in the basement ready.  Troll bounced around between all areas as needed.  

It is supposed to rain tonight, so we had to get everything covered up where had stripped shingles.  We stayed a little long to get it all done.  So we have one long side completely covered.  One short side mostly shingled, but all felt paper.  And the next long side is completely covered with felt/tar paper.  Tomorrow, we are going to strip the last side and shingle the long side.  I think Thursday we will shingle the last side and do the finishing pieces.  I think.  Maybe.  The good things is that have Friday, too.  

After working, we went to dinner at the home of a local family.  It was fantastic!  Bob and Lolly Mager were great to share a meal and share time with.  I think that's another representation of the Body sharing time together.  We share our lives with each other.  People we serve and people who serve us.  

And again, I'm going to keep this short.  I just can't stay up all night anymore.  

Thank you to the people who have sent us encouragement.  It means a lot!  

And some people found that the picture site needed approval.  I think I fixed that and you can just go look at them.  (Let me know if that's not right.)

Our picture site:  click here for photos. (but I didn't put any new ones up yet today)

Our Facebook page:  Click here for our FB page

Prayer requests for safety on the job site.  And productivity.  

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Be The Tool Marquette 1 - The first work day

I'm going to keep this short and sweet because I am exhausted and want to get to bed.  

Good first day.  Ray helped lead the shingle project.  The roof is steeper than we were hoping for.  Ray says, "I can't 'stick' to this roof without help."  We got a whole side stripped and a few rows re-shiingled.  We are confident we will be able to finish.  (but it was questionable.)  We also started throwing away a lot of stuff that our homeowner don't need anymore, and sorting out what she wants to keep.  And we started working on making a wall for a 2nd bedroom.   

Saw some old friends from Marquette.  

Spent wayyyyyy too long at Menards getting supplies.  

There are a few pictures on our Picasa site.  Click here to go to our pictures site. 

And click here for our Facebook Page (where you can "Like" us!)  click here to go to our Facebook page.

Thank you to everyone who sent thank you notes.  It was good hear from several people.  

Pray for continued safety.  And productivity.  

All is well

Rod

--

Are you a tool?

Re: Be The Tool in Marquette

My thoughts and prayers are with you.  I wish I was physically with you too.  God Bless to you and the team!

On Mon, Jun 8, 2015, 12:32 AM Rod Scofield <rod@bethetool.org> wrote:

Hi all!  Tomorrow me start our next adventure in Marquette, Michigan.  We have (eventually) seven people on this team and a good project to work on.  

The project is a home we are working on for a single mom in a small home.  She has one son with some mental health issues.  He is in his 20's and because of his issues, cannot get/hold a job, doesn't drive, and a few other things.  She works for a small non-profit and sometimes she gets paid and sometimes she doesn't.  Her roof has leaked and other parts of the house have fallen into disrepair.  She doesn't have the resources to get the roof and other parts of the house fixed and has had some water damage in the house.  She also has a lot of stuff.  She isn't a hoarder.  But there are a lot of things in this house.  

The team for this trip doesn't include many of the usual suspects.  The team is Rod Sc., from St. Paul, Roma B. and Ray B. from Lower Michigan.  Mike "Troll" B., from Atlanta, GA, and Justin H., and Larry and Annette S., from Amery, WI.  Rod and Ginger, St. were supposed to come with us, but Rod had a medical issue and it became prudent for them to back out of this one.  It's a diverse and multi-talented group.  

And because of who was or wasn't coming, we waffled quite a bit on which projects we were going to do.  We have decided that we are going to work on.  We have decided to make a good hard run at the roof.  Ray and Roma brought up air compressors and nail guns and shingle shovels.  I think we are also going to try to put in the bedroom in the basement.  If we don't finish it, we don't lose anything.  Whereas if we started the bathroom redo, we are committed to finishing it and I'm not sure we could pull it off AND get the roof done.  

So far, Troll, (that's Mike B.), Ray, Roma and I have arrived in Marquette.  Justin and Larry and Annette arrive tomorrow.  They are from Amery, Wisconsin and we are excited to meet them.  

We are staying at a house in Marquette.  The house belongs to Don and Dorothy Sch.  They were not here for the first night that Troll and I got here (In fact, they arrived home just as I was starting to type this email.)  But their hospitality is sooooo rich.  They told us to make ourselves at home and by the notes they left and the food in the cupboard, the agape on our pillows and the way everything was laid out for us, you can't help but know they meant it.  

We start tomorrow.  Pray for safety for us on the roof and for Justin and his contingency in travel.  Pray for ease of acquiring what we need.  (a dumpster, roofing materials, some more equipment)-  and my friend Diane St., says it is against the grain to pray for weather, we really could use some clear days so we have enough time to get the roof done.  And pray for our homeowner.  Her first name is Jill.   

We'll post some pictures tomorrow.  

If you haven't "Liked" us on Facebook, we encourage you to do so.  Click HERE to go to our Facebook page.  

Thank you for your love and support.  We'd love to know you are following along with us this week.  

Rod and team

--

Are you a tool?

Be The Tool in Marquette

Hi all!  Tomorrow me start our next adventure in Marquette, Michigan.  We have (eventually) seven people on this team and a good project to work on.  

The project is a home we are working on for a single mom in a small home.  She has one son with some mental health issues.  He is in his 20's and because of his issues, cannot get/hold a job, doesn't drive, and a few other things.  She works for a small non-profit and sometimes she gets paid and sometimes she doesn't.  Her roof has leaked and other parts of the house have fallen into disrepair.  She doesn't have the resources to get the roof and other parts of the house fixed and has had some water damage in the house.  She also has a lot of stuff.  She isn't a hoarder.  But there are a lot of things in this house.  

The team for this trip doesn't include many of the usual suspects.  The team is Rod Sc., from St. Paul, Roma B. and Ray B. from Lower Michigan.  Mike "Troll" B., from Atlanta, GA, and Justin H., and Larry and Annette S., from Amery, WI.  Rod and Ginger, St. were supposed to come with us, but Rod had a medical issue and it became prudent for them to back out of this one.  It's a diverse and multi-talented group.  

And because of who was or wasn't coming, we waffled quite a bit on which projects we were going to do.  We have decided that we are going to work on.  We have decided to make a good hard run at the roof.  Ray and Roma brought up air compressors and nail guns and shingle shovels.  I think we are also going to try to put in the bedroom in the basement.  If we don't finish it, we don't lose anything.  Whereas if we started the bathroom redo, we are committed to finishing it and I'm not sure we could pull it off AND get the roof done.  

So far, Troll, (that's Mike B.), Ray, Roma and I have arrived in Marquette.  Justin and Larry and Annette arrive tomorrow.  They are from Amery, Wisconsin and we are excited to meet them.  

We are staying at a house in Marquette.  The house belongs to Don and Dorothy Sch.  They were not here for the first night that Troll and I got here (In fact, they arrived home just as I was starting to type this email.)  But their hospitality is sooooo rich.  They told us to make ourselves at home and by the notes they left and the food in the cupboard, the agape on our pillows and the way everything was laid out for us, you can't help but know they meant it.  

We start tomorrow.  Pray for safety for us on the roof and for Justin and his contingency in travel.  Pray for ease of acquiring what we need.  (a dumpster, roofing materials, some more equipment)-  and my friend Diane St., says it is against the grain to pray for weather, we really could use some clear days so we have enough time to get the roof done.  And pray for our homeowner.  Her first name is Jill.   

We'll post some pictures tomorrow.  

If you haven't "Liked" us on Facebook, we encourage you to do so.  Click HERE to go to our Facebook page.  

Thank you for your love and support.  We'd love to know you are following along with us this week.  

Rod and team

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Are you a tool?

Leanne's Sermon/Recap of NOLA9

This is the sermon Leanne preached at her church on May 3rd, 2015, right after we got back from NOLA9.  I left it as true to what she wrote as possible-  editing very little.  -  Anything in italics I put in for explanation.  

I hope everyone noticed in the Key about the amount of money you raised for River bend at the pancake breakfast and by donating week to week in the jar. $905. We are truly grateful for your gifts.  (This was a fundraiser done at Newport United Methodist Church in Newport,,MN)  

Riverbend Mission team was started in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  Several Methodist churches in the West Saint Paul area sent a team to the gulf for disaster relief. They, we, have continued to serve – Biloxi, New Orleans, Minot, Crisfield MD.

Riverbend has just renamed itself as a non-profit called Be The Tool. So when you hear me talk about Be the Tool, it is essentially the same as Riverbend. At the beginning of the week we were given flashlights - with screwdrivers. “Trust in the Lord”. We were told to shine God’s light into the world and pass it unto the lord. To Be God’s Tool.

Our team ranged in ages from 21 to mid 70’s. We were matched with three job sites.

1. Randy and Michelle: They both have medical issues; Randy has COPD and Michelle has several hernias. Their house was damaged in Katrina and then again in Isaac (2012). Half of the house was fixed up. A plywood wall was installed to cut off the fixed part from the unfixed part. No repairs were made to the house behind the plywood until our team arrived. They removed old moldy sheetrock and insulation; installed new insulation, new sheetrock, taped and mudded. The house is ready for texture and paint.  Our 21 year old, Dhoods, is a mechanic and brought his tools. Randy and Michelle couldn’t access medical appointments because their car wouldn’t start. “Be the Tool” donated the parts, and Dhoods donated his time - and the car now runs.

2. Patricia and Willie: 2 trees fell on their house in Isaac. The house currently has only stud walls inside. The team was installing siding and fascia.  The house was very un-square. I helped finish this site on Friday morning.

3. Lucia: The team I was on. In New Orleans – still being fixed from Katrina – 10 years.  She had an older son with severe autism, and 2 other children from her husband’s previous marriage. She also had two babies (grandchildren) when the Katrina hit. They thought they were evacuating for the weekend, but it became a 3-4 week journey through unspeakable fear. She spoke of being scammed, the National Guard keeping order with guns, gangs, bodies, sleeping in shifts to keep safe. She asked that we pray for New Orleans – most people lost their minds in Katrina and don’t have them back yet.

Lucia is currently raising her adult son with autism and 6 grandchildren as her own: two 11 year olds, a 7, a 5, a 3, and a 2 year old. The three year old has Down’s; the two year old is in the “No” stage. The older children leave just after 6 in the morning on the bus for school. They get home after 5:30. 1 ½ hour bus rides both ways.  They came downstairs and sang 2 gospel songs for us – it reminded me of “Sound of Music” – they stood like stair steps. It was quite beautiful. They were delightful and well behaved.

Lucia has a great sense of humor and is very close to God. She spoke of brown crunchy grass after the water receded and the amazingness of huge watermelons and sunflowers growing in the mud in the gutters.  She doesn’t know where the seeds came from, but they grew. She called it: God’s beauty amid the chaos.

She called us her “Miracle Squad”. I looked up miracle: an unlikely but beneficial event, often attributed to divine intervention. I also looked up Miracle Squad – which consists of angels that God uses to ensure events happen as planned.  We were their Miracle squad on Wednesday when the upstairs faucet broke.

We have devotions in the mornings and again in the evenings. I took notes all week during our devotion times. The following is a compilation of what we focused on, what was important to the presenter. The ideas aren’t necessarily in the order they were given. I tried to divide them into themes.

I.  I start with the parable of the Great Banquet from Luke 14. The master of the house was throwing a banquet, but the invited guests decided not to come. He sent his servants to bring the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. The servant did what he was told, but there was still more room. The master sent the servant to find more, make them come in, so that my house will be full.

The message is: There’s room at the table. Invite those who can’t repay you. Don’t be satisfied until the house is full, until the table is full.

In my father’s house there are many, many rooms.

If I go prepare a house for you, I will come back again.

That where I am, there you may also be

Up where the truth, the truth will set you free

In the world you will have trouble, but I leave you my peace

That were I am, there you may also be.

II.  A Super God  

Thursday, April 23rd, 2015 (Upper Room)

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

12:28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.

12:29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

12:30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

12:31 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

We all have superpowers: Our skin can heal when it’s been cut; broken bones can mend; we can see color and movement, hear sounds, taste food, smell roses, and recall happy memories.

More importantly, we have the superpowers of patience, tolerance, understanding, empathy, and love.

God has given us an astounding array of skills, functions, and abilities — which all too often we take for granted. Just like those superheroes in the comics, we can put God’s superpowers to great use with those around us every day, whether by offering physical or financial assistance, being willing to listen, or by telling someone about the God who offers these gifts to all.

III.  (some quotes):

Love God and love the peoples.

God works through the peoples.

Aim your attitude toward God.

Don’t put God in a box.

We are family and this is home.

The lord will take care of me.

God says, “I’m here – don’t give up. I gotcha.”

Lord I lift Your name on high

Lord I love to sing Your praises

I'm so glad You’re in my life

I'm so glad You came to save us

IV. (My devotion) (Leanne’s)

Mark 4:26-27   He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.

Mark 4:31-32   It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.

I spoke on the Acorn Theory (from “The Soul’s Code” James Hillman) and gave everyone a hand- carved acorn.

Our calling in life is inborn and it is our mission in life to realize its direction.

Sooner or later something seems to call us onto a particular path. You may remember this “something” as a signal moment in childhood when an urge out of nowhere, a fascination, or a peculiar turn of events struck like a proclamation:

This is what I must do; this is what I’ve got to have. This is who I am.

Acorn Theory = the idea that our lives are formed by a particular image, just as the oak’s destiny is contained in the acorn.

This theory states that all people already hold the potential for the unique possibilities inside themselves, much as an acorn holds the pattern for an oak tree. A unique, individual energy of the soul is contained within each human being, displayed throughout their lifetime and shown in their calling and life's work when it is fully actualized.

I challenged everyone to find his or her “inner acorn”.  What is inside of you that you need to share?

V.  (more quotes):

What are we doing?

Every life matters.

Look for the need nearby.

Don’t pass on the chance to serve.

We are ambassadors.

Live as a citizen of heaven.

We make a difference when we walk into a room.

Help because it seems like the right thing to do.

And from our 21 year old: Match your behavior to what you preach. Is what you “preach” just for show? Are you here just to brag about it? Do what your heart says. What is your real intention?

"Fly Like An Eagle" – Steve Miller Band

Feed the babies

Who don't have enough to eat

Shoe the children

With no shoes on their feet

House the people

Livin' in the street

VI. Parable of the 10 servants (Luke 19:11-27)

26 “ ‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given.’”

Take what you have and invest it.

Love one another and work together.

Teamwork and communication

Have the courage to keep going.

Be true to your convictions (Dead men, in fact, do bleed) (Long story-  one told by Pastor Rod in his devotion)

Say thank you

Be more affirming

Be more encouraging

Share when you appreciate someone

Sometimes life forces us to wait. Impatience can cause us to miss blessings or opportunities.

VII. Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Learn humility

Be more humble, less prideful

Offer humble service

Take help when it’s offered

Matthew 20:16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Parable of the workers in the vineyard)

_____

VIII.  There’s a park shelter on top of a levee in the lower 9th Ward. We have devotions there on Friday afternoon. You can stand on the levee and see the level of the river and the lower level of the 9th Ward. You can imagine how it filled with 9 feet of water in 4 minutes when the levee broke during Hurricane Katrina. You can pray for all the lives lost.

IX.  A story was told about a presenter that was speaking and put a fish bowl in the center of a table. She scooped in the bowl and placed a fish on the table and continued speaking as the fish flopped. Eventually one person put the fish back in the bowl. “Somebody had to do that.” It’s like sharing your faith – without that action – the fish (faith) will die.

X.  Kirkwood UMC – Lego block

Sunday’s message was about ACTION! We talk about generosity from the heart. How committed are we to take action and practice generosity? Generosity from the heart, given to God, is an experience that brings us closer to God. It pleases God and brings us into partnership with God. This partnership is a loving relationship that moves us to act and transform God’s world into the kingdom of God.

XI.

I was on a short-term mission trip.

But, Life is a long-term mission trip – it doesn’t end today.

We are the “someone else” (as in: someone else will do it)

If you don’t do it, who will?

In “Be the Tool” – “be” is an action word. We need to act today.

Posted on a sign in the Kirkwood UMC lobby:

To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.

What if Jesus had said, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

So, how is God calling you to act? What is your mission?