As we move along in our project of completing the cottage for Madalynne, it’s quite easy to see how putting on the paint brings about startling changes that make it all seem to be something that we’ve done on purpose. Of course…we have done it on purpose, but it’s refreshing to see the colors and how they hide all the work that has gone on prior to that phase. When I was hanging sheetrock (drywall) and trying to fill in all the gaps with pieces that would fit, I found myself thinking, “Uugghh! This is terrible. How in the world am I ever going to mud this and get it to look like anything.” This was particularly true in the bathroom of the cottage—both the walls and the ceiling, and especially the ceiling!

We finished the living room / kitchen area and then the bedroom. We left the bathroom to finish last. I just didn’t want to tackle that mess of joints and gaps and flaws that were there. But eventually I had to face the music and do the work. And so, after I got a lot of mud applied to the joints (and myself) I looked up and faced the dreaded ceiling. Oh, how I procrastinated on doing that job. But it had to be done and after several days…it was! Then came the sanding process. If only I had stayed with my former occupation I wouldn’t have had to deal with all this sanding (you remember? The ghost? Check the blog entry “One Small Step…”). But as Solomon reminds us, “there is a time for everything” and I had to face the reality that the time had come! Well, after sanding, filling some small spots with more mud, and then more sanding, the job was complete and the walls ready for primer.

What a delight to take paint roller in hand and apply the primer and then the top coat! Bonnie painted the walls and I put the fixtures into place (both electrical and plumbing) and the bathroom, with the exception of the floor, was competed! As I surveyed the ceiling and walls and just took some moments to look at the work we had accomplished, I thought, “Wow! This looks not too bad. It looks like it was done on purpose and no one really knows what lies under that paint, primer, and mud. Not too shabby!” At least the job won’t call attention to itself when people enter the room! So, sometimes it’s true that a fresh coat of paint does hide a multitude of sins, or something like that!

As I was contemplating this blog entry, I was reminded that there are those who try to fix themselves up and put on a fresh coat of paint in order to make themselves look good to others. The only problem is that while others may not see what lies beneath, our Father in heaven sees all and knows what lies beneath the paint. I’ve known some folks who have tried to put on a false front without really dealing with underlying issues. And the ugliness of their own construction remains…albeit, hidden from human eyes. Our Lord, however, knows. And unlike the drywalling project I’ve mentioned, the ugliness of our souls can only be dealt with by a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit who makes us new creatures and causes all things to become new! It’s actually far easier for us to let Jesus care for the outward appearance by changing the basic structure underneath!