I told God–and my husband–that I was never living in a fixer-upper again. Are you all grinning yet? God has an amazing sense of humor when we throw absolutes His way… words like “never” and “always” and “of course.” Not three months after uttering those fateful words, we are knee-deep in ancient avocado appliances, bright orange carpet, and cobwebs thicker than sweaters. Yeah, gross.
Pre-redo living room:
A few months ago, we’d hit major discouragement with house shopping until finally a buyer chose OUR bid. God opened up doors that we couldn’t even find for us to get this house, and we knew it was the one He wanted us to buy. We plunked all our savings into it, knowing we had to redo it. How was that supposed to happen? Maybe God wanted to grow our walks as we lived with the dirty shag carpets and mushy roof.
But that’s not the way it’s been going. Let me tell you the amazingness that is our God. First, we get offers to help. My dad. Vince’s parents. Vince’s sister and her family, which includes 5 children. Vince’s brother. My mom and her husband Dave. Vince’s best friend Nick and his wife even spent all of Saturday helping us demo and clean.
Demolished kitchen:
Then we end up stuck with a load of gravel when the truck driver refuses to drive it up our driveway. Three tons of expensive gravel with nowhere to drop it–except the church parking lot next door. No, no no! Not a good way to start off with new neighbors. But were they mad? Not a bit. We talked with them this weekend, and they were so sweet. “Keep it here till spring if you want. It ain’t hurtin’ nothing.” God is good! But wait, He’s not done. Then we discovered the fridge and stove in the basement kitchen–the kitchen I’d written off–actually work! Yessss!!! We have appliances. Then, a day after I stare at the corroded, broken faucet, my lovely Aunt Joani says, “Hey, we have a gorgeous one-year-old faucet we’re getting rid of. Do you want it?” Of COURSE we do!
Normally I write stories of one person’s secret kindness. This, however, isn’t that. It’s sort of the story of our wonderful friends/family, stepping up to the plate and showing us real love. But more than that, tt’s the story of God caring about our lives, about every detail, and using people around us to answer prayers. It’s about God blessing us with a house and then following through to give us what we need along the way.
If He proves faithful like this in a house project, surely I can trust Him in my writing. He called me to it, and He’ll equip me. Somehow. Through the people who gather around to help, or through “chance” meetings. Whatever He wants to happen…. it’ll happen.
My God is good, and that’s why I can pursue something beyond my own strength. That’s why I can write. After all, He threw in absolutely everything we needed–even the kitchen sink.
Carol Moncado says
To be fair, it wasn’t a sink. It was a faucet.
Because you knew I had to say it ;).
But I LOVE stories like this. There was one day, [I should find the blog where I wrote it up] when I was on my way to church with 4 little kids. C was only a few months old and Matt was home for some reason. It was POURING rain. I nearly cried on the way at the thought of trying to get 4 kids inside by myself. About the time we pulled into the parking lot, the rain slowed to a drizzle, for about five minutes. Just long enough for me to get everyone inside.
Because He cares enough to make sure we don’t get drenched on days when even rain is just. too. much.
He clothes the flowers of the field and the birds of the air and knows when a sparrow falls – and when a Joanna and a Vince need a faucet.
Gotta love it.
Dawn Crandall says
I wish I lived just a tad bit closer! I would be over all the time helping out! 🙂 I love stuff like that.