Swan Lake

 

My left foot was pointed and my big toe was touching the top step of my step ladder as I twisted, pirouetted until my right leg was purchased gingerly sideways…while I reached with my drill…over my head and worked on a screw that didn’t want to start into the oriented strand board.  I was in the process of attempting to finish my window installation project…which my neighbors had affectionately referred to as “Ryan’s Rendition of Swan Lake.”  Ooohs and aaahs, filled the air around the neighborhood as I moved from position to position.

As I worked I heard the words behind me… “Do you think you could refill my bird feeder while you are up there?”

“Sure, just let me change out of my tutu belt and I will get right on that.”

I did not replace the bird’s food that day.  It was not until about a week and a half later that the suet was replaced as I was wrapping up my personal ballet.

Last winter as I was painting the kitchen cabinets, I heard the words… “What color do you think we should make the bathroom vanity?”

“Hmmm…I don’t know…maybe when I finish painting the cabinets, making the countertop, installing the flooring, installing the counter tops, painting the walls, and installing a back splash, we can talk about it. Maybe when I get the siding repaired, the outlet replaced, the window jamb painted…maybe then we can come up with a plan.

The emotions of home ownership can only be truly appreciated…by home owners.  Renters can bicker and complain about the nuances of their apartments…but it is the home owners that live the unending obligation to continue fixing, improving, wrecking and rebuilding their homes.  It is a job that seems to have no end.  In reality…IT WILL…NEVER…END!!!

Even if we sell our apparent money pit to some other unfortunate ballerina, and leave our unending list of repairs to them…they will have the unfinished job…and we…will begin again with our next endeavor.

We all have unfinished tasks.  We always will. Throughout the book of Acts we see the Apostles and followers of Christ working on the task of establishing the Church.  It is done in the power of the Holy Spirit…yet the task is unfinished.  Today, it remains unfinished.  In fact it will remain unfinished until Christ returns.  Then!...It will be finished! But until then…we will continue to work for the sake of the Gospel of Grace…testifying to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We will work at the tasks that the Lord has laid out for us…doing what has been assigned to us…to give, to pray, to testify, to love…for the sake of the Gospel of Grace. 

May we come to follow the Spirit as he leads us to tasks to finish that which remains unfinished.