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Work While You Can

When my wife and I finished signing paperwork for our house, we were handed the keys, congratulated, and joined the “mortgage holders club of America”.

It was all a rushed process, and we had only been in the house very briefly before purchasing…but long enough to know that it was the best choice of the dozen or more we had walked through. When we pulled into the driveway that evening with keys in hand, I began to compile a list of necessary projects in my mind…neglected things that HAD to be addressed.

One of those things was a sunken sidewalk in front of the porch, which was pooling rainwater and rotting the concrete…probably for several decades. Six weeks ago I started addressing that, intending to lift the slabs, widen the walkway with pavers, and increase the curb appeal at the same time.

I have to be very purposed and intentional with all physical labor, as my body is besieged with muscular dystrophy. What I choose to do has to be executed properly at my own pace, because certain muscles (biceps, hamstrings, etc) are atrophied and never coming back unless God grants me a miracle.

But I’m not alone. All of us have a certain amount of strength that will only wane with time. We must do what we can, while we can, to represent the Lord and bring Him glory. What a privilege to use our lives to increase the “curb appeal” of His kingdom!

I love to see this model portrayed in my church, where the younger people use their physical strength to serve the aged…then the aged use their years of wisdom and experience to counsel the young men and ladies. Whatever you have left in life, use it for the honor and glory of our great God! The results will be noticeable!

Lots of digging to shore up and level those slabs.
Slabs leveled and supported with bricks, then gaps filled in with spray foam to lock it all together…Good for a few more decades.
Always be prepared for rainy days! (Tip: I moved those boulders myself by rolling them on PVC pipes.)
I used about fifty 50lb bags of gravel as a paver base, and about fifteen 50lb bags of sand…all compacted by hand.
Four courses of pavers laid out…it was starting to look like something!
The whole area needed better water runoff and drainage, so I cut out a four foot wide flowerbed in front of the sidewalk…in strips with a bread knife which worked pretty well. All the excess dirt was banged out of the sod strips and moved to build up other flowerbeds around the house.
Frequent breaks that day…it was in the 80’s. Can you spot the bread knife?
Here the pavers are all laid in, and I built a small brick flowerbed in front of the porch. I’ve never done any of this kind of work, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.👍🏻
Took this a few days ago, the day after adding mulch and perennial plants and boulders to the flowerbed…looking much better than two months ago.
Took this last night after filling the small flowerbed with dirt, mulch, and plants.

I thank God for His grace in allowing me to do this work AND finish it…and for my wonderful wife who patiently endured the mess in front of the house for MANY weeks and encouraged me greatly along the way.

14 thoughts on “Work While You Can”

      2. I cut several sections of 2” pvc pipe, lifted an end of the boulder and slid one under. Then I laid the rest of the pipes in front of the boulder and shoved the boulder forward until it was up on the pipes…at this point it will roll forward like on a conveyor belt.
        As the rock rolls forward, it moves past the pipes, so those are pulled from behind and transferred in front again and again until the rock has rolled to its location.

        Then it’s “WRASSLED” into place.👍🏻👍🏻

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  3. Excellent work brother Eric! 👏 The finished result is lovely, a true testimony to your patient planning and steady work. It is an illustration of faith in action indeed, and the loving provision of Father God strengthening you physically and spiritually. May He continue to guide and bless you each day brother 🙏

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  4. What a great job Eric! Not just for practical purposes but what an improvement to “curb appeal”. God is so good …all the time. He provides us with the challenges and blessings to teach us exactly what He wants us and what new changes we “need”to be more and more like His Son….

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    1. Thanks Jeff! I appreciate your encouraging words! You are correct, without trials and chores we would never learn, grow, succeed, or overcome…in everything we give thanks to our great God! Have a great day, brother!

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  5. Wow-what an improvement! I love the pics showing the progression of your work and your awesome message: “Whatever you have left in life, use it for the honor and glory of our great God!” 🙂

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