A good days work!

     This past weekend was easily one of the more special weekends in recent memory for me.  I answered the call to volunteer on behalf of our church to a Habitat for Humanity project in Deer Park!  As soon as I saw the announcement in the bulletin I knew I had to help out!  Our church has picked every Friday and Saturday in the month of February to send a group out to the project and this past Saturday was the first one.  There was about 20 of us there ranging in skill level all the way from never picked up a hammer before, to the do it yourself handyman.  On the way up there I didn't know what to expect, other than the obvious which was that it was going to be cold!  The thermometer in my truck on the drive up just solidified that thought.

     Once I got there they held a pre construction meeting where the CEO of Habitat told us a little about the oganization, just one of the many fascinating facts she shared was that the Spokane branch of Habitat is the fourth largest giving branch in the world, having given away over a million dollars a year to other build projects in the world!  We then had a moment of prayer for safety and warmth and we were off.  I volunteered to go outside and help put up soffit and facia which actually turned out to be a really good idea as then sun started warming things up very quickly!  Then I came inside and utilized my learned skills as a plumber to cut in roof vents for exhaust fans and run some duct work.  One of the coolest things was that the families who receive these homes are required to put in 500 hours of time on the projects so all day we got to know them as they were working right along side of us!

     Throughout the day as I worked I couldn't help but notice how joyful everyone seemed.  Even though the daytime high never rose very far above 20 everyone was scurrying around the site with smiles on their face!  As I noticed this I realized I had the same smile on my face, it was just then that I figured out why we were all there, especially me.  I have often told Kelli and others that I thoroughly enjoy working on projects around our house, or at a friends house way more than I ever did while collecting a paycheck for my work.  I think I finally figured out why that is, I am utilizing the skills God has given me to put a smile on someone else's face!  And there's really no better feeling than that!

     So this Friday when the temperatures are supposed to be around the same, and I am having trouble getting up the energy to make the 45 minute drive up to the project, I will remember those smiles on my fellow volunteers faces and the tears of happiness that some of the homeowners shared as they watch their very own home being built with love.  Thoughts like that should easily keep me motivated to keep on driving!

Remember, the greatest joys in life are often the reward for a kind action!