Brush Strokes

Whew!  This weekend, Ren and I finished the staining of the outside of the HOPE cabin and the clearing of the inside.  We didn't do it alone.  We had the help of some good friends- and I mean good friends- who were willing to come out and do the work. It wasn't hard really- though my arms felt differently last night.  But it was more just careful work.  The clear went on pretty easy on the inside, but the stain was more difficult.  Every space you didn't get, it showed.  Every brush stroke that was against the grain, was obvious. And then to get each person staining to use a similar stroke and heaviness of hand, well that was another important thing to think about.

I've thought a lot about the lessons I learned on the ladder with brush in hand.

First off, it feels really GOOD to see a dream like this come to completion. There is great significance that we are staining the HOPE cabin, less than two months after the LEISHA'S HOPE event on July 28th!   You can read more about the journey starting with this blog http://brickhousenews.blogspot.com/2012/08/leishas-hope.html)

Less than two months!  A journey that began almost 3 years ago when we first heard of the cabins being built and that one of them would be called HOPE! We started to raise money over a year ago on Leisha's birthday, April 28th, and raised almost 1/3 of the needed amount by her birthday this year.

But we made a Garbage Pail Dinner and invited everyone we could to join us and raised more than we imagined for the project. And here we are - Less than two months from that- and we are very near a move in date!  What an incredible gift from so many!

That's the second thing I was reminded of on that ladder. This is not the kind of thing you can do alone.  It takes so very many people, each adding their own 'brush stroke' to make it work.
It takes

• Givers of money and Givers of time
• Food preparers and servers
• Wood clearers
• Foundation Builders
• Refreshment and lunch servers
• Picture takers
• Stainer- outside
• Clearers- inside
• Floor layers
• more picture takers
• Furnishing designers and purchasers
• more picture takers
• Encouragers
• Prayer Warriors
• and the staff- men and women who had VISION to see this DEEP WOODS project from the very beginning.

I'm sure I've missed some!  But please know, to all of you who made a brush stroke on this dream, THANK YOU!  THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  I am so grateful for all of you! Thanks for leaving your mark to build HOPE!

We're getting close to move in- Ren and I have already reserved the first night in the cabin. But after that, you are all welcome to set up your times.  Also, put October 14 on your calender for the HOPE CABIN dedication!  More info will be coming this week.