Sunny Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland
The weather was absolutely dreamy this morning with the sun shining brightly, robins bouncing around the grass eating their early worms and the air fresh and crisp. The coffee even tasted better with the sunny spring morning. It was the perfect morning to go and grow with spring, create and nurture something.
So I put on my bleach and paint stained pants, layered 3 shirts and a chunky old sweater and took off to help build a house with members of my parish volunteering at Habitat for Humanity. On my drive there I thought of the family we would be building for and what they might have gone through, and what it must be like to see their house being built. I offered up a rosary for them....for the mom, the kids and the dad...I counted the prayers on my fingers (as I drove since I forgot my rosary at home) meditating the Joyful mysteries for Saturday, and lifting up this unknown family in prayer. The Joyful Mysteries seemed so appropriate today with the birth of this house, visiting with friends with Christ as the center and finding a new chance at life.
As I arrived I saw the homeowner who was there to help build. She was happy and timid and as sweet as pie. Her story is hers to tell, an uphill challenge that is amazing, and she is thrilled to have this beautiful house built for her and her sweet family. And the house is picture perfect for her, really something from a little dream. It is on a little hill with three small rooms, a cozy fireplace room, and 2 bathrooms. The little house gets beams of sunshine from all sides and will be a wonderful place for this family to grow into a new phase of their lives. I'm so excited for her and everyone was honored to work along side of her in the build today.
The team from our parish consisted of a good mixed bag of nuts of various ages, backgrounds and abilities but all there to have a great time building together and eventually talking about our faith.
It was encouraging for me to hear a few of the older men talk about their experiences with conversion and re-conversion. I always assume men are more hesitant to talk about something so personal and vulnerable but a couple of these guys were quick to share their joy and love for faith and the mysteries of having faith, how it changes with time and situations and how it has helped get through some really hard moments in life where you have nothing but faith and that little bit of faith is enough to keep you buoyant. When offered to listen to music we all declined quietly really just wanting to chat it out while working together! At our parish we kind of like each other and knowing that we all share something similar but different depending on where we are in life. It's beautiful. No music needed to enhance that. That doesn't mean that next time we won't want to dance and move with a groove!
The sun shown magnificently and warmed my body like a lazy cat. I cut the house wrap and crouched low moving slowly around the house feeling the warmth. Then one of the Habitat leaders and I started to frame a window and we were having a great time measuring and cutting the plywood till we realized we had measured 1/16th of an inch wrong and it meant that water could seep in at the open part. Some of that work had to be re-done but hopefully it turned out nicely!
At the end of the day I was so filled with happiness and joy that I went with my friend to the playground across the street and swung high on the swings and dangled from the monkey bars. I walked away convinced that we all need a playground at work to swing from and perhaps it would be nice if no one were homeless in this world...if we could all help each other live and grow a little like the spring we could all bloom in a season.
In closing news: how dare the time change tomorrow? I love my sleep and not getting one more hour will be tough. Try explaining that to Fatty and Bentley (who I accidentally forgot to count a year and thus they were 15 twice in 2016 and 2017....meaning they will be 17 this month). They don't appreciate the time change either and will have to adjust their nap schedule.
So I put on my bleach and paint stained pants, layered 3 shirts and a chunky old sweater and took off to help build a house with members of my parish volunteering at Habitat for Humanity. On my drive there I thought of the family we would be building for and what they might have gone through, and what it must be like to see their house being built. I offered up a rosary for them....for the mom, the kids and the dad...I counted the prayers on my fingers (as I drove since I forgot my rosary at home) meditating the Joyful mysteries for Saturday, and lifting up this unknown family in prayer. The Joyful Mysteries seemed so appropriate today with the birth of this house, visiting with friends with Christ as the center and finding a new chance at life.
As I arrived I saw the homeowner who was there to help build. She was happy and timid and as sweet as pie. Her story is hers to tell, an uphill challenge that is amazing, and she is thrilled to have this beautiful house built for her and her sweet family. And the house is picture perfect for her, really something from a little dream. It is on a little hill with three small rooms, a cozy fireplace room, and 2 bathrooms. The little house gets beams of sunshine from all sides and will be a wonderful place for this family to grow into a new phase of their lives. I'm so excited for her and everyone was honored to work along side of her in the build today.
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| I wonder who played with this last.....it has a story. |
The team from our parish consisted of a good mixed bag of nuts of various ages, backgrounds and abilities but all there to have a great time building together and eventually talking about our faith.
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| The ladies loved using the chop saw and the nail gun! |
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| The ladies working on extra important details! We wrapped that house like a Christmas gift! |
It was encouraging for me to hear a few of the older men talk about their experiences with conversion and re-conversion. I always assume men are more hesitant to talk about something so personal and vulnerable but a couple of these guys were quick to share their joy and love for faith and the mysteries of having faith, how it changes with time and situations and how it has helped get through some really hard moments in life where you have nothing but faith and that little bit of faith is enough to keep you buoyant. When offered to listen to music we all declined quietly really just wanting to chat it out while working together! At our parish we kind of like each other and knowing that we all share something similar but different depending on where we are in life. It's beautiful. No music needed to enhance that. That doesn't mean that next time we won't want to dance and move with a groove!
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| Father and son team! |
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| "Are they messing it up?! No? Yes?" |
The sun shown magnificently and warmed my body like a lazy cat. I cut the house wrap and crouched low moving slowly around the house feeling the warmth. Then one of the Habitat leaders and I started to frame a window and we were having a great time measuring and cutting the plywood till we realized we had measured 1/16th of an inch wrong and it meant that water could seep in at the open part. Some of that work had to be re-done but hopefully it turned out nicely!
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| Happy happy joy joy |
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| Holding the ladder steady. |
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| Up to fun! |
At the end of the day I was so filled with happiness and joy that I went with my friend to the playground across the street and swung high on the swings and dangled from the monkey bars. I walked away convinced that we all need a playground at work to swing from and perhaps it would be nice if no one were homeless in this world...if we could all help each other live and grow a little like the spring we could all bloom in a season.
 |
| My friend in the back loved that nail gun so much I wouldn't be surprised if she took it home. Me? I couldn't bring myself to touch it! I wimped out. And yes, we all wore safety glasses. |
If anyone would like to make a donation to help build this house please donate at this website for Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland! <----click on the link!
In closing news: how dare the time change tomorrow? I love my sleep and not getting one more hour will be tough. Try explaining that to Fatty and Bentley (who I accidentally forgot to count a year and thus they were 15 twice in 2016 and 2017....meaning they will be 17 this month). They don't appreciate the time change either and will have to adjust their nap schedule.
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| "Please let the editor of Time know that I am not ok with this hour change." But Fatty, Time is a magazine! They don't control daylight savings! "Type, Lunch Lady, type" Dear Editor of Time..... |
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| Happy Spring! |
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