The snow started to fall, we started to hear the reports! I continued to paint, plan, layout walls, spray texture the ceiling in the kitchen. More reports! More snow! I nervously waited. Still no snow, just mud. Wait, we live in the great white north, yet 4 hours drive south are inches, no feet of snow!?? How can this be?

The sunset was a beautiful splash of oranges. I watch sunrise before church. More painting! Jess cooks bacon and eggs in the little electric fry pan, we thank God, once again, He has blessed us.

When do storms matter in our lives? Jess and I sat in church (Marcel Community Church) listening to a sermon set with a theme of “Mud Run” basically, thinking about the muddy mess we make in our lives and how God can and does work with those messes to do His will. Abraham and Sarah made a huge messy “Mud Run” yet God used Abraham to be the seed of his people and bring redemption to the world!

Never forget: your “Mud Run” is just an opportunity to see Gods mighty plan in life!

Speaking of mud, our driveway is nearly impossible to get through safely! Even the UPS truck won’t try, he parked on the county road and walked up to the house, spring brings us new challenges in our very own “Mud Run”

The day started with a nice breakfast, smiles & thoughts of getting a lot done! As our morning events took form, we started on removing the chimney, enter the sledgehammer! So far? So good! Row after row, “crack” followed by a thud. Hammer swings, lands with a crack against the chimney then a thud as chunks land on the floor… time to do a bit of “training” I asked Al if he would like to help, I was met with an enthusiastic yes! Al grabs the 8 pounder with both hands and swings like a pro! “CRACK” “nice job Al! Just like that… now let’s hit the other side.”…. another crack but this time it was three coarse too low. “Ok Al, you need to hit it at the top not the bottom” swift reply of ok and another big swing “CRACK” “ok Al, stop for just a second” as Al lowers the 8# hammer… “ok Al, instead of hitting it way down here, hit it up on the top, hit it right…….” as I was uttering the word “here” I felt the “CRACK” as my fourth finger on my right hand cushioned the chimney from its impending doom!

As years in the trades, and years in the Bible collided at one moment of time, I’m proud to say the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart controlled my tongue in a two word prayer, all I could say as I thought “Lord, help me in this moment” was clearly and repeatedly “OHH GOD” … I laid down on the floor to prevent falling as the pain surged and I started to loose my balance. But God is good all the time and in some miraculous way, no blood! It hurts pretty bad still but it will heal. I learned another valuable lesson that day, and God gave the strength to continue to achieve a productive weekend.

Finding good in a bad situation is one of God’s greatest gifts! Well that and ice!