Time for the Kitchen to Go!

Jill left for Spring Break and will be coming home to a new kitchen. Noah and Matt are here and we are having a blast. Well, at least we are enjoying being together!


Watch out for the maniac on the drill!


Out comes the sink...


Down come the old cabinets...


Gutted kitchen. Now we have to start putting stuff back!

2.5 Month Update

As you can imagine from my lack of blogging, it's been crazy busy over the past 2.5 months. Here are a few of the highlights:

Back in January, we took a trip to Abilene with our friends Bill and Jara Dubose to attend a Casting Crowns concert. It was a GREAT trip! It's been years since we travelled with friends like that and it was such a nice get-a-way. Many thanks to Mam and Granpappy who welcomed Avery for an overnight visit! The concert was absolutely incredible. I've not been to a more worshipful event that I can remember. Their music is focused on Jesus and their ministry is truly about the listener and not their fame. Towards the end of the concert every one of the groups members sat on a stool at the front of the stage and prayed over the crowd. It was really moving. So, if you get a chance, you'll be blessed to attend one of their concerts!

Over the Christmas holiday, we travelled to Albuquerque, NM with Jill's family. We had an absolute blast just relaxing and eating great New Mexican food (way different from Tex-Mex). This is Avery with her Uncle Mike and Aunt Julie atop Sandia Peak.

The vistas from the top of the mountain were incredible. It was gorgeous heading back down the tram and sunset.

While on the top, Iz and I journeyed out to a lookout point. It was all we could do to stand up the wind was blowing so strong! Since the temp was 3 at the top, the wind chill out here must have been way down there! That's the coldest I've been since climbing Mt. Kenya...

As you may know, I'm a Land Rover nut. It turned out that Land Rover Albuquerque was just a few blocks from our hotel! I went by to check it out and had a great time perusing the dealership. It was WAY different from any other car dealer I'd been to. If I were in the market to spend the value of my house on a vehicle, this would be the place to go. As it was, I bought something more in my budget - an orange Land Rover cap.

While at the Land Rover dealer, I picked up a magazine called Overland Journal. It's designed especially for those of us who appreciate travelling the backroads and dirt roads in 4x4 vehicles. This is one of the best magazines I've come across and fits me very well! Jill is so sweet - she notcied how much I liked it and I now have a subscription to it for my birthday present!

There's probably more, but that's enough for now. In case you were wondering, the bathroom was finished in time for Christmas company. I'll have to get some "finished" pictures and share them in another blog entry. I hope you are enjoying this journey we call life as much as I am!

WC Remodel - 7

More success! This has to be the slowest remodel project in the history of the world - at least in this house! We are getting so close, though, and it feels good. If you remember from installment 6, I had a few things to check of the list and I got 3 of them done this weekend, plus several other things.

The shower panel came in so I was able to get the entire shower installed!


I still need to do some trim work along the top edge and sides. The instructions were not clear on measuring how to place the panels, so I was off pretty bad. This goes all the way back to the texture stage because I had to tape off the wall so as not to have texture behind the shower panel so the glue would stick good. It didn't come out quite right, but its nothing some trim won't hide!


I guess you are supposed to pull that blue stuff off the chrome at some point. We'll wait until its good and finished!

This picture doesn't really show it, but the grout is finished and I also got the light covers put on. Now the plumbers need to come do the toilet and some trim work will be all that's left.

All that was done on Sunday and Monday evening because I spent Saturday doing other projects - like getting Avery's new bunkbed put up! Thanks to Uncle Vernon's donation of his childhood bed, she is one happy little girl! She has slept on the top AND bottom - quite possibly in the same night, but I'm not sure about that.


We also got our Christmas tree and some lights put up as well - that was really fun with Avery this year. She was so excited to get the ornaments hung it was hard to keep things under control! She's been quite disappointed that we didn't make a paper star for the top. After all, Caillou (her best cartoon friend) made one for his tree this year. She even suggested that since we obviously didn't know how to do it, we should travel to his house for lessons. We told her we were pretty sure Caillou lives in Canada and she thought that sounded like a fun weekend trip!

One other thing - on the way to buy the Christmas tree, Avery was looking over Jill's new cell phone and reviewing which number called who on speed dial. She said, "Mom - number 1 calls you voicemail." Voicemail?? How does she even know what voicemail is? So we asked her how she knew that and she gave us the most ridiculous look while replying, "Well, it does have an envelope on the button, you know!" Oh my. Reckon what our phone bill will be when she is 13?!!?!

Membership Class - Harvest Christian Fellowship

Over the next couple of weeks I would like to post some of the materials we have covered in the membership class at Harvest. I want to do this for two reasons:

1. It helps me to process the information if I can try to restate and/or explain it to you, and

2. I would like your honest opinion on the materials. If you read something that causes you concern - biblically or personally - I want to know. We have not committed to this church yet and should we choose to do so, want to make sure we are making a well-informed and biblically based decision.I should have posted this material immediately after receiving it, but I did not. So - it may be a little dusty in my mind as I try to reconstruct it for you here.

The class was divided up into 4 sections:

1. Who is Christ?

2. What is the church?

3. What makes Harvest unique

4. Ways to get involved - specific ministry opportunities.



We were also given some preliminary information about the church and that is where I want to start today. Please give me your honest opinions/views about this.

Harvest Christian Fellowship - Statement of Faith

• We believe the Bible to be the revealed will of God, the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice.


• There is one God, externally existent in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  God the Father has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God became man to reveal the Father to us and to save us from our sins. Forever He is fully God and fully man.


• Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, became our atoning sacrifice through his death, and was raised from the dead bodily, ascended to His Father and will personally return in power and glory to the earth.


• Although we are created in the image of God, we have nonetheless "all sinned" (Romans 3:23). Until we call upon Christ to forgive our sins and become our Master, Scripture claims we are under the dominion of Satan and are members of the kingdom of darkness. Only through faith in Jesus Christ and the cleansing of His blood can we be saved. When we believe in Him, our sins are forgiven, and we are rescued from the dominion of darkness and transferred into His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13).


• The Father and the Son have given the Holy Spirit to regenerate us, transform us into the image of Christ, and equip us for service. Personal holiness, healing, the fullness of the Spirit and all the spiritual gifts received in New Testament days are available now and should be eagerly desired (1 Corinthians 14:1).


• We long for the return of Christ, at which time He will rectify everything that is presently wrong. Until then, we are to work faithfully to bring the world to Him through evangelism and discipleship. (Matthew 28:18-20).


• When Jesus returns, dead believers will be physically resurrected. Believers still alive will also receive their glorified bodies. Unbelievers will also be raised. Then there will be a judgement. Those who are in Christ will live with Him forever. Those who are not will be cast into Hell.


• The church as the body of Christ has been given special gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, etc.) to equip every member of the body to do the work of ministry. The Church is entrusted with the ordinances of baptism in water, holy communion, the anointing of the sick, the marriage ceremony, the appointment of called persons to specific ministries, and with the preaching of the World.


• Ultimately, we believe whatever the Bible teaches on any subject. it is our absolute and infallible authority in all matters of faith and conduct because God inspired every word of it in its original form.
  

Harvest Christian Fellowship Membership Covenant
Having received Christ as my Lord and Savior and been baptized, and being in agreement with Harvest's statements, strategy , and structure, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the Harvest church family. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members to do the following:

• I will protect the unity of my church by acting in love toward other members, by refusing to gossip, by following the leaders, by understanding biblical standards for correction or church discipline.


• I will share the responsibility of my church by praying for its growth, by inviting the unchurched to attend, and by warmly welcoming those who visit.


• I will serve the ministry of my church by discovering my gifts and talents, by allowing the pastors of this church to equip me for service and by developing a servant's heart.


• I will support the testimony of my church by attending faithfully, by living a godly life and by giving regularly.


• I have read and understand the biblical expectations Harvest Christian Fellowship has for each of the members of this church. I agree it is my responsibility as a member of this church to embrace and promote these standards of living. I will live by these principles and encourage the other members of this church as they do the same.
  ________________________
  Member's Signature and Date
  _________________________________________________________________
  

I think it is pretty cool the church has a membership covenant and doesn't just accept every Tom, Dick and Harry who wants in. There are high expectations of membership and from what I've seen, the membership works hard to live up to them. Worship is dynamic because everyone there is committed to the church and more importantly, to God and His service. Pew warmers are not welcome to stay for long here, and that is refreshing to me.

So - what are your thoughts? Anything here that puts a burr under your saddle? I'm all ears...

WC Remodel - 6

Jill summed up my latest "progress" quite well in three pictures.

1. Here I am thoroughly reading the instructions for how to properly install the shower wall panels.


2. Here I am doing a really good job of applying the glue.


3. Here is proof at how well I follow instructions.


The bathroom did NOT get finished as planned this weekend. Another panel is on order and so - we have to wait until after Thanksgiving for success.

I DID get the tile laid and most of the painting and caulking done!

Bado: (that means what's left)
Grout.
Shower walls and door.
Light fixture covers.
2 pieces of trim.
Reinstall vanity.
Install towel racks, hooks, etc.
Paint doorframe.
That's it!

WC Remodel - 5

And then it was the 412th day and Gabe said, "Let there be light!" And there was. So much it blinded you to be in the room! And also on the 412th day, Gabe said, "Let there be water!" And there was. So hot it was scalding!

Unfortunately, Gabe is not God and when he said "Let there be light!" there should have also been power for drying hair and charging toothbrushes. There was not. Since Gabe is not God, he can't tell the difference between two identical yellow wires coming out of an electrical box whe wiring in the outlet. Nor can he remember to read the cleverly written label on the end of said wire before he cut that extra length off. Oh well, Gabe the Master Water Closet Remodeler can't get everything right on the 412th day! There must be something left for tomorrow...

WC Remodel - 4

I was finally able to make some progress on the bathroom this weekend. It's really starting to take shape! Here's some pics...

The door is finally hung. I had to remount the hinges onto the other side of the door. While I was at it, I stripped the 10 layers of paint off those hinges - they look like brushed nickel now. I wish they could stay that way! Now I have to reverse the latch and move the catch to the proper height so it will stay closed.

I really, really wanted to show off these lights turned ON! I got all the lighting and electrical done and was ready to connect it all - only to discover I had the wrong breaker. What a dud. Lights should be functional tomorrow. We went ahead and hung the mirror to get the look going. The brown still has to be painted as does the beadboard.

In case you hadn't seen it, this was what the corner from the mirror picture above looked like before we started. Big improvement!

I was able to get beadboard up as well since the last post. I've been waiting on the plumber to do the shower, so I'm hoping the edge of the beadboard matches the edge of the shower. We'll see...

The vanity and sink are mocked up, but not installed. I want to lay the tile first and then mount the vanity to gain a little extra height. Every 1/4" helps, you know. As you can tell, it was a tight fit for the 49" vanity top. I'm not sure it will come out. I got the hardware on the vanity as well. Question here - should the hardware for the vanity and cabinets all match? I vote yes, Jill votes no. What do you think???

This is beadboard on the commode corner. You can see my biggest mistake of the weekend at the bottom left of the light switch box. It's impossible to know where the studs are in this house because of the thickness of the wood behind the sheetrock and wouldn't you know it - there was a stud right where I drilled for the corner of the box. I drilled and drilled and never broke through - this is a bad sign. Sure enough, I was square on the stud and had to move over. I guess a little patchwork will fix this easily enough. Next time, I'll be sure to drill a small test hole!

This is the ceiling above the shower and commode. I put in recessed lighting and I hope it works OK. I think I'm finally done with crawling around in the attic of this house doing wiring! YEAH!

Next time...

The plumber comes this week to install the shower and toilet.

Tile will get laid.

Caulking will be done.

Painting and finish work will commence!

Stay tuned!