Barn Addition

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Acts 20:28-31 (NIV)

The barn addition is almost done. Husband still has a few things he wants to do. The top of the feed room must be enclosed to keep bugs, rats and snakes out (I’m all for that!) and molding added around the door frames, but for the most part, other than painting, the long awaited addition is complete. I moved all my gear from a variety of storage places, oldest son’s bedroom, a back yard shed, the attic and the kitchen, and arranged it in the tack room. Now, my stuff is organized neatly and not crammed into bins that required me to dump everything out to find one item. I love looking at my saddles neatly lining the walls, the shelves of medicine and grooming supplies, the hooks holding bridles and lead lines. All told, it took less than two months of working nights and weekends to get the construction finished, but it seems like years since we began. We built in stages pouring the concrete pad in one afternoon, but letting it cure for several days. Friends helped frame the walls which stood open to the air until we had time to place the sheathing upon them. The walls made us think we were making progress, but door and window installation was tedious. One week was dedicated to the garage door alone. Then, we spent endless hours caulking and sealing the cracks and crevices to make the tack room energy efficient. We were stumped by the two inch high arches created by the V crimp of the metal roof until a clever friend suggested wedging slices of fun noodles, the foam pool floats, into the openings. When I look at my barn, I am so happy, but an amazing thought crosses my mind. It looks as though it has been there forever. In fact, I have a hard time remembering that the area once had a dirt floor and no walls around it. How quickly I have forgotten how far we have come! The same thing happens in other areas of my life. Just last year, I worked out every day and was trim and healthy. I haven’t been to the gym in months and my body shows the lack of work. My rose garden is full of weeds, and my orchids need repotting. Complacency takes over my spiritual life as well. When was the last time I worked on my Bible Study? The last time, I really prayed, not just a quick request tossed heavenward? It is easy to forget how far God has carried me and how much I have to be thankful for. Not only do these verses remind me to keep watch over myself, but they charge me to keep watch over my fellow believers as well. Do not lose track of the truth. Remembering where we once were and how blessed we are helps to keep our eyes focused on the Savior who is always ready to rescue you. Don’t let down your guard!