Out of town

For this week, I will be out of town helping my sister's family build a house. It also shows how strange the Lord can truly be!

This past summer, I lost my job and started working for a painting business that was owned by a friend of mine. It was great work! The labor was very hard and when we got done, everything looked great! Not to mention, I was so used to the outside heat, I didn't need to use my air conditioner. In fact, I loathed the use of AC and enjoyed what the Lord gave! I learned so much while working with my friend, it will last me a lifetime. Lets just say, everything you might know about painting, you can toss it out the window. Why? Because it's too slow and the results are no better than if you did it the way I learned. Well, everything was going great until one Saturday, August 3rd, 2005.

I was helping with a stain and paint job, doing lots of bending and stooping and I was starting to develop some pain in my left leg. At first, it was minor, but as the day wore on, it felt like someone was cutting off my left, burning it, stripping off the flesh, and pouring salt on it- all at the same time. No matter what position I was in, the pain the intense!! I also noticed, I lost some function in my left foot- I could raise it! Needless to say, my days as a painter ended.

Ever since then, I haven't been able to find a steady job, while the pain in my back has subsided- for now. Well, jump to now, Feb 6, 2006. My sister and her husband are building a house in the country and they have to get it done. The projects I have been given have been painting related. It seems they both really dislike to paint- well, my bother-in-law used the stronger word "hate", which I can see. Well, they gave me what I needed to start and today, BAM! Almost 70% of the inside of the house was primed (new walls- never been painted)! They are impressed. I am too! Why should I be? It wasn't me who did the painting, it was Jesus! He used me to do this and my back is not able to do it, but in His great love for my sister's family- who are believers- the pain in my back was turned off! Again, why would He do this?

This house is going to be used for the Lord's purposes. It was built following His direction and desire to help those who need help. To teach those who are unteachable. To train people to be missionaries and many, many more other possibilities!

I find it so hard to realize that the Lord put me through so much, just to help my sister now, because they hate to paint, and I kind of enjoy it! All I can say, He is so mysterious and so good and so loving that He would do this. Now I understand what I am going through!

- Lord Jesus! I now know I am blind to the future, because You can see it and understand the little thing I experience now will help a bigger event in the future! I cannot express how I really feel right now. I do know I beg for Your forgiveness in my lack of faith! You are the God who truly sees! You are love and You do care for us! Thank You Lord for the summer work and learning the painting! Thank You for the backpain and stopping me from going too far with the job! Thank You for keeping me free to help my sister and her family! Bless us Lord as we struggle to finish this house and put it back on schedule so it can be ready for them to move into soon! You are awesome and so loving to them! Bless them greatly Lord! Bless them with renewed faith! Holy, holy, holy are You Lord! In Your name I pray, Amen!