Smelly, sticky work

4:54 Today's project was to prepare a room upstairs for our potential renter. I suppose it's actually a "suite" because the rental includes the adjacent bathroom.

At first I thought our priority would be to use the spray foam hole-filler that we bought yesterday at Home Depot, but when I looked up while cleaning the bath tub to the ceiling over it, I knew we needed to paint with some mildew stain killer first and foremost so it could dry before this evening. Steve had done this a number of years ago, but with a bathroom that doesn't have a window, moisture builds up fast.

When I returned from my caregiver support group, I helped Steve gather the paint, sheets, roller, brush and tray and head upstairs. I made the unhappy discovery that Steve had forgotten how to wield a paint roller and I had to demonstrate the rolling action to him. After a while, he only got it turned around occasionally. I think the words "vertical" "up and down," and "sideways" don't mean anything to him, so demos, including how to paint in the corners with a brush later on, worked better. But the daily discovery of new inabilities is disturbing, and hard to react to in a calm, detached manner. I'm keeping my temper in check, but patience is the virtue that's a work in progress! Add the dread that paint might get spilled all over, and I was glad to get the first coat done, have lunch, and, since Steve could paint over the pattern he'd already done, finish coat #2.

Thank You, Lord, that the bathroom looks good!

We moved on to a project neither of us had ever done, using a presurized gap-filling can of foam to close up a hole in Heidi's bedroom. I had read the instructions last night, and gotten gloves, and a spray bottle of water to help speed the curing time. Steve put on his gloves, shook the can for 30 seconds, and began.

The foam is like marshmallow creme, but hardens almost instantly, sticky to the extreme! Naturally, I had no gloves on, so after we sprayed and smoothed and stuffed it all in the gap, it took me Comet cleanser to get it off my fingers. It reminds me of Superglue between your fingers, yuck. I went back a while ago and the hole is filled, but it reminds me of the Michellin man, with one glob sticking out into the room. Can this stuff be filed down or chopped off? Meanwhile, some stuffed bears will have to sit in front of it, since our renter doesn't need a room until September 1st.

Jesus told us in John 14:2-3,

In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

We are actively preparing as nice a living space as we can, but we don't know what our renter will be like--fussy, allergic, relaxed, male or female, quiet or sociable, messy or tidy. But we will welcome them and hope we'll be compatible. But Jesus knows every last thing about you and me, believer, and is eagerly awaiting the day when He gives us the keys to our own handbuilt mansion, not just a few measly rooms! Jesus is working with us humans--smelly, sticky, stubborn sinners--and doesn't mind all of the repair and construction work He is doing on us right now. Unlike me, He is never surprised or dismayed!

I am so glad I don't have to get all cleaned up before I come to my Heavenly Father in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ my Advocate!