
Praise the Lord progress has been made since I wrote “Under Construction”. After working on cars all day, covered in grease and sweat, Nathan would drive out to the house and spend hours beating tile for very little reward. Beating/ripping up/removing tile is the most difficult work I have ever done in my life and an experience I will NOT repeat!!!!
While the house was out of commission, Nathan and I stayed with my dad. I have to give my dad a public, “thank you!” for allowing us to stay with him for six weeks! When I gave the leasing office notice that we would be moving out, I never dreamed that we would end up staying with my dad! While I LOVE my dad, I have not lived with my dad for over 30 years (my folks separated when I was six, divorced when I was twelve and I will be thirty nine next month just to give y’all some context!).
As many of you know, my mom lives in Florida. On June 29, 2020 my mom arrived in Pennsylvania. So now my mom, Nathan and I are staying at my dad’s house, talk about strange!! (This is where I have to thank God that my parents are able to get along. I did not appreciate this when I was younger.) At this point Nathan and I have been with my dad for a month and all of us are ready for our departure.
On July 11, 2020 Nathan, mom and I were finally able to move in! While many projects have been completed, there are still more projects and deliveries scheduled for the Fall. There is one project that needs to be scheduled for next Spring. In all honesty, authenticity and transparency, this is the project that eats at me because I want it done now or at least in this calendar year. How sad/selfish/entitled on my part! No wonder the Lord said to Jeremiah, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? ‘I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds'” (Jer 17:9-10 ESV).
God has made a way for me with this house in ways that I cannot even begin to describe. The fact that I have any agitation about waiting for a patio is horrific! My attitude reminds me of a quote by John Hartley, “Greed prevents a person from enjoying what he has, for it drives one to spend all one’s energy on getting more” (Leviticus, 1992, p. 445). Greed causes discontentment and dissatisfaction. Left uncheck greed can cause one’s heart and mind to become desperately sick.
I want my eyes focused on our Triune God, the Gift Giver and not the gifts He gives. In all honesty, the gifts are meaningless without the Giver! How quickly I can forget this. Praise God for His conviction and for giving us the ability to self-reflect!
Lord God, forgive us for the times that our focus is not where it should be! Lord, forgive me, forgive us for all the times that we do not give You the thanks and praise You deserve. Thank You Lord God for all the things that You have done for us over these past few months. Lord God, now more than ever may we seek to align our hearts with Yours. Father God, thank You for this reader. Thank You for allowing this reader to journey with me and for not giving up on me when I mess up! Lord God, I do not know what greed, discontentment or a disquieted spirit looks like for this reader; however, I ask that they will humbly and sincerely allow You to prune any area that is hindering their walk with You. Lord God, confession is good for the soul! Thank You Lord for all the object lessons that You have given me with this house that correlates to the life of faith. Lord, reveal to us our hidden sins. May we never take Your forgiveness, mercy and grace for granted. Lead us and teach us. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.