The House That Faith Built: A Season For Everything

(This is the fifth post in a series titled “The House That Faith Built”. You can read the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, and the fourth post here.)

With many of the major pre-construction hurdles out of the way and a new roof firmly in place, it was time to get busy. Really busy. While the contractor began bringing in supplies and tools, my husband was busy continuously working on the remaining demo, finalizing everything, and in constant communication with the contractor.

Daily you could see changes, and one or both of us were at the house at least once a day. We were hopeful the project would be completed quickly and within the budget but we knew there was always the possibility things could go very, very wrong.

A Season For Everything

Ecclesiastes the third chapter makes it clear that there is a season for everything (Ecc 3:1-8). While I don’t specifically see construction mentioned, I know it’s there. The actual rehab phase of this project was our time to break down and our time to build up (v. 3). It was our time to get, our time to keep, our time to lose, and our time to cast away (v. 6).

It was most definitely our time to weep and our time to laugh (v. 4).

It’s funny when you look at a dilapidated old building and start seeing things like new walls, a functioning electrical system, and floors that are no longer questionable. When the thing you prayed for so fervently, with all faith and in all believing, starts becoming a reality. It doesn’t quite set in. Not fully.

This was where I found myself as the construction phase really started getting underway. I could see things like insulation going up, walls being added or removed, and supplies piled sky high – but I still couldn’t see just how this was all going to work. I still couldn’t fathom that the building that I stood in would ever be more than a mess.

I kept wondering if we had made a giant mistake and if this was going to be more like a nightmare rather than a dream. 

Yet, progress kept coming. Change was everywhere and more evident with each and every passing day. And the construction crew we hired were not only fantastic carpenters they were eternally optimistic, easy going, and fun to work with. Communication with the crew was amazingly easy and laid back and we knew what to expect every day from them.

An Unexpected Curveball

One day, in the middle of winter, in the middle of construction, the primary wage-earner in our home was offered a short-term layoff from his employer. Just six to eight weeks, this would be beneficial both to the employee, who needed time to work on his house project, and the employer who didn’t need to run a full staff this time of year.

It was a terrifying proposition – how do you walk away from your primary source of income? At the same time though, how do you say no to an extra hand working on the house? An extra person to help carry the load, answer the plethora of questions the construction crew had, and extra time to simply work on the house. Instead of a few hours in the evenings, he would now have all day long. An unfathomable increase in hours to devote to finishing the house, and the ability to make that his sole focus for the time.

My husband was confident this was a gift from God and took the lay off. I was a little less confident but also knew that working full time and working on the house for more than a year was taking its toll. I also knew that the hardest parts were yet to come and we really could use all the extra hands we could get on the project.

And while I was not as confident as he was that this was a gift, I knew that God had carried us through so much more in the past. That He had led us to this house and guided us through this project. I was fully confident that He would continue to show us how to finish this project if we were simply brave enough to step out in faith and follow Him.

From Dream To Reality

It was at this point that many of the things we discussed, many of the things we had only talked about or looked at online, started to become a reality. WIth the insulation up, old walls moved and new walls added, the electrician, the plumber, and the heating company came on site. All of a sudden I found myself discussing things like where to put outlets and light switches, contemplating the size of bathroom fixtures, and discussing where heating ducts would go.

It was also time to finalize some of the big decisions. Fixtures needed to be confirmed for both lighting and the bathrooms, holes needed to be made for heating vents, and pipes were roughed in for plumbing.

The days of going back and forth, the days of changing layouts and being perpetually unsure were over. There was no time for indecisiveness. And as much as it was an exciting time, it was also extremely stressful. Now, on top of homeschooling the kids and running a house, I was also doing what I could to help with the house. Everyday projects were moving forward, and a multitude of new decisions needed to be made. It truly felt like we were going one step forward, yet two back.

Into Uncharted Territory

At this point in our adventure, it was time to make some purchases. While the contractor could handle things like replacement windows, sheetrock, and lumber, we had to get the rest. Everything from light fixtures to outlet covers, bathroom fixtures to flooring needed to be selected and purchased.

For some, the idea of spending days on end comparing prices and reviews followed by countless trips to big box stores might sound like a fantastic way to spend your time. For me though, well, I loathe shopping. I really dislike the time it takes to get there, the crowds in the stores, and the lack of selection when you get there. And the complexity that is involved in nearly every step of the process to purchase these items completely stressed me out.

And I really dislike the sheer enormity of a big box store.

Yet, it had to be done and so we tried to make the most of it. My husband finds it hysterical to embarrass me in a store – he thinks it’s funny – so he tried at every possible opportunity. He also likes to get the best deal, so many times we would jump from store to store to store to simply gather information. Prices, size, and if it was available today were all noted in each store. Only after consulting all of our options was a purchase made.

This method of shopping around made these trips long, confusing, and tiresome. However, it also allowed us to stay within our budget for each and every category. And, we did what we always do – we simply tried to have fun. Enjoying our time together, laughing, and remaining thankful for the opportunity to customize our home and the resources to do it with.

Plus, we had some great memories and more than a few fun stories to share.

The End Is In Sight

With many trips to the store behind us, the house was quickly coming together. All of a sudden all of the major components were in and the details were being tended to. There were still daily decisions to be made, but the house was transforming. Rooms were taking shape, and with it hope was visible.

No longer was this house just a possibility, just a drawing on a piece of paper and a dream. It was a reality and it was really close to being done.

This journey is not over yet! Click here to read the conclusion to this series!