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