There is a saying "the devil is in the details" which is definitely true during our elevator project, but even more true is that God has been in the delays. I am a hard-working, type-A, detail-oriented person. I can attest that being home with these slow-moving workers, watching them skip steps, and forget things, has been SO painful! They probably aren't thrilled with my constant corrections and reminders either, but I learned early on in this project that if I didn't say anything, it would just grow into a bigger problem tomorrow. If you know me, then you know I am not one to shy away from confrontation! This elevator project has had it highs and lows (or should I say ups and downs?). It has definitely tested my patience!
The whole construction process started in December with a quote, and then moved to a signed contract and deposit on January 9th. At first, there seemed to be a possibility that I could have a working elevator by Easter (which happened to be on April 1st this year.....April Fool's Day). The "finish line" soon became April 15th, then maybe May 1st, then "by the end of May for sure."
I love to take the shortest, straightest route between two points, and hurry on to the finish line. Not that I rush through things and sacrifice quality, but I don't dilly-dally. Schedules rule, and I am all about staying focused!
In life, and as well as in construction projects however, we frequently end up on a winding, crooked, indirect road, full of cracks, bumps, obstacles, hills, twists, and turns. The journey is hard work and difficult, and at times seems impassable and unlikely to end. It is in those moments that we can have real growth. We learn a lot about our selves, like what is really important to us and how we treat others when we are under stress. Taking the long way teaches us how to deal with frustration and disappointment. In the end, we can grow bitter and angry, or we can grow more patient and loving.
Life isn't a race. Just getting to the finish line isn't the point. Whether the elevator remodel took 6 days, or 6 weeks, or even 6 months, isn't what really matters at all. What really matters is that at the end of the project the elevator works, and even more so, that I learned something along the way. I need to remember that each of the workers were also created in God's image, and I am to show them love, as a faithful witness to Christ. (Trust me those workers honestly drove me crazy at times for numerous reasons)
This isn't to say we have to be doormats. I actually had a confrontation with one of the workers in which I had to tell him he was not welcome to come back into my home after he yelled and swore at me. These trying situations require us to remember that, apart from Christ, there is nothing different between "them" and "us". I can also say that because the job went on so long, I got to know a few of them on a deeper level, and had several opportunities to share the Gospel with one at length. That would not have happened if I just let anger rule when the schedule wasn't met, and the sloppiness persisted.
When things don't go according to our plans, or confrontations happen with other people, we can choose to recognize that this is an opportunity to learn and to grow, being thankful that God, The Great Carpenter, is busy sanding and chiseling to rid us of our rough spots, revealing our sin to us. He is there graciously allowing us to see our sin, repent of it and trust in Him, and hopefully even use us in the midst of the chaos to further His kingdom; to share the hope found only in his Son, Jesus Christ.
By the end of this week, we fully expect that the remaining details will be completed, the village will give us final approval, and we can take down the orange building permits that hang in our windows. After that, some finishing touches (new light fixtures, towel racks, painting, etc) should be all done by mid to late June, and this will all soon be a distant memory. We will have reached the finish line, although the path we took to get there will have been more bumpy than expected. Hopefully we will be a little wiser, having learned more about ourselves. More importantly, I hope I learned more about God and His providential care. I pray I have learned that I can trust Him more fully than I did when this all started, knowing He has steered me along this winding road. I pray that He used me through this all for His glory, and my good, and that He is at work in the heart's of a couple workers that I would have otherwise never met.
I pray you can see God at work guiding you along whatever long, tiring, and difficult path you are currently traversing. One day you can say "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7) and you will hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21)
Until Next Time~
Shari
Update: Got the keys to my ride!
