Sunday, August 14, 2011

House and Friends and Thanks

To say that we've been up to our ears in house renovations would be a complete understatement. More accurately we've been up to other people's ears, as friends and family have generously offered to help with the seemingly endless stream of menial tasks that lie between us and a livable residence. I can't even say how grateful I am for all of this help- Mom, Vern, Nathan, Dillon, Tina, Matt, Daddy (and anyone else I may have forgotten due to asbestos poisoning!)...You are appreciated beyond words. We may still live in a dusty pit, but with your help, it's on its way to becoming at least a dusty house. Without your time, skill, tools, and effort, I would certainly have packed my bags for a hotel, and Dustin would likely be trapped under a pile of plaster.

So we've been unbelievably blessed. But there are two folks that have gone above and beyond what normal friendship is, and showed me again and again what the love and fellowship of Christ is.



A couple of weeks ago at small group, I was sharing that I felt completely overwhelmed, and panicked that the baby was coming too soon, and we were woefully unprepared. (A feeling that has decreased some, but probably won't ever go away...) Everyone listened, and offered to pray. But Meg and Sean showed up. That night they spent four hours stripping nursery wallpaper, and painting kitchen walls. They saw a need, and took the opportunity to love and bless us, by coming alongside us in our toil.

I have a tendency to take on too much sometimes (understatement), but rather than struggle alone, my usual tactic is to rope someone else in with me, to hopefully save me from drowning, or at least make sure I don't go down alone. It's probably not my best trait, but Dustin has gotten used to my messes becoming his messes, and subscribing to my permanent "team mentality" when in comes to getting things done. I definitely take this for granted sometimes, but give myself a bit of an out, because we are married after all, and I think that give me some sort of "two become one" license.

But Meg, without explanation, has come to understand and support this part of me, and is constantly there to pitch in and bail me out. Most times I don't even have to ask- she'll call and say she's free for the day and wants to help with whatever I'm doing. Other people would probably tell her thanks, but enjoy her day off....I on the other hand, ask her to bring Sean and lunch. (which she did, and it was helpful and delicious, respectively.)

She'll ask me questions. She'll listen to me complain. She'll spend hours constructing a photobooth backdrop that I insisted upon building (see above...we do good work). She'll pray for me. She'll scrap tiny chunks of wet paper off of crumbling plaster walls with her bare hands into the wee hours of the night.

She is a friend, of the best and purest kind. I pray that I have, and take the opportunity to be that type of friend to her and others.

...And I really hope they buy a house and have some babies soon, so Dustin and I can start this glorious mess all over again, serving from the other side.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.

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