When Blessings are Hard Work

We are remodeling our kitchen at my house! Finally! My friends have told me "it's about time!", because I have been talking about it for 10 years. It's true. I have dreamed of and saved for many years and it is finally time!!! So, we have begun and the only thing that has happened is that I have no counter tops, sink, only a concrete floor and dust is everywhere!!! I have heard my friends talk about how terrible this part is. Well it is worse!!! It is hard and so inconvenient. But the truth is, this is my dream coming true. This is what I have prayed for and wanted for a very long time.

I remember one of our architects saying to me during our construction at the PARC, "It is good to be busy with the things that you have prayed for." And indeed it is. I have also realized how important it is to be aware of this when God brings us those blessings. Often these blessings that we have prayed for and waited for are a lot of work. They're very inconvenient and messy. It is hard to make the adjustments sometimes that are required in order to enjoy and receive. So, instead of receiving, we complain about the work and inconvenience, when really we should just say 'thank you'. 

I find that in my kitchen I keep walking to the place where things are 'supposed' to be rather than to my dining room where all of my dishes are stacked and stored. It is indeed a major adjustment that I seem to be having a hard time getting my head around. To be truthful, it is stressful. It was the same thing when we were building the PARC. It was terrible! We had to be in a temporary building that was a little depressing and it seemed to take forever! But when I walk into this building now, I am overwhelmed with what God has done. It is truly miraculous. 

I wonder how many things that God wants to bring our way to 'bless us', but all we see are the adjustments and inconvenience. In our stubbornness and perhaps entitlement we either walk away from it or choose not to receive it. That makes me sad, yet I have seen myself do that many times over the years. What I have learned is that blessings are usually a lot of work, messy, and require adjustments on our part with increased responsibility. I think that when we pray it is important that we be ready to receive what God brings to us so that He can truly fulfill the desires of our hearts.

This big ole' beautiful building has indeed been a MAJOR adjustment. We have so many more people. There are a lot more steps to get to wherever we are going. The maintenance and expenses are a LOT more. I will take it!! The results of this messy, inconvenient blessing with increased responsibility, have far outweighed the 'hard times'. Last month alone we had 258 unique people walk through these doors into the most beautiful, peaceful, and loving environment they will have all day.  We host so many more people every, single day so that many, many are being impacted and changed. It was so very worth it. I pray that I don't ever miss the blessing, because I thought that it was too hard. Good grief.