Month: August 2019

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Another beautiful day in Wisconsin. It is the one year anniversary of last year’s flooding. So sad. We are even more thankful for our beautiful day after seeing the pictures of the flooding on the news. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people who are not back in their homes or are in their homes but they haven’t been able to have them repaired. People are still trying to navigate the FEMA, SBA, etc systems.

Today Harry led the team in devotion. He used the Daily Word book again and today’s word was “potential”. We all have so much potential because we have the holy spirit living in us. He also used Proverbs 11:25 from the Message – “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed, to remind us that sometimes we need a reminder that somebody cares.” And sometimes we need to give that reminder to others. Whenever we feel that nudge, that still small voice, to call a friend, send a card, we need to DO IT because they may be in need of a reminder someone cares. Thanks for the reminder, Harry.

We then all headed back out to our usual job sites to work. Max took Anne and Nancy back to JJ’s to complete the flooring, texturing and trim. Max stayed around and worked on the floor a while while Anne and Nancy completed the texturing. He then went to Rhonda’s to check on Gary and Norm while Anne and Nancy worked on completing the floor and trim. Norm and Gary worked on doors most of the day, interior and exterior. From Rhonda’s Max went to check on Stel, Jodi and Harry. They were working to install windows and of course one of the two windows purchased for them last evening was defective. It wouldn’t open. The exterior wall is almost completely framed awaiting the other window. Progress is being made and they have another day or two work to complete our portion of this project and then it will be waiting on the plumber and electrician. By the end of the day JJ’s flooring was complete and we need to install the transition strip and reinstall the trim.

At the end of the day, we went to Dairy Island for ice cream. They have more than 20 flavors of soft serve but Anne just got vanilla, and Max had root beer. Both were very good and we would definitely go back and probably will. It was our treat for our anniversary – 37 years. We will celebrate further this weekend. It was another really good day.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Today was a mixed bag. It was very cloudy this morning but we had some nice sun this afternoon and a high of 83. We have a cold front coming through tonight which will keep temps lower for the next few days.

Today Nancy and Gary led devotion. As usual they sparked some good discussion, this time about the importance of embracing Godly relationships. We then discussed the accomplishments of yesterday and the headed back to Rhonda’s and Nate’s while Max went back to the lumber company to get more materials. After delivering the lumber to the crew at Nate’s, Max headed over to Rhonda’s to pick up Anne and Nancy. They had been staining the last of the interior doors and casings in hopes that they would be dry enough to install by late afternoon. After that was done Anne, Max and Nancy headed back to Mauston to JJ’s house, leaving Norm and Gary to work on installing an exterior door and more siding. At JJ’s there was drywall to patch and vinyl plank flooring to install. The flooring was a real puzzle. Sometime back, the basement started to flood so JJ pulled up a portion of the flooring. Now because there is no extra of the flooring we had to determine how to re-install damaged flooring. We are making progress but, it’s a puzzle sorting out the pieces and lining them back up to make complete rows. We also got the drywall patched, taped and mudded today.

Stel, Jodi and Harry returned to Nate’s and finished framing one wall and started another. That house is almost ready for the electrician and plumber.

Tonight was another great meal prepared by some of the ladies of the church – baked ziti with meatballs and a nice tossed salad and garlic bread and, of course, desserts. Tonight we also had some cheese curds and various cheeses from a local dairy. It was all so very good. Time for a bath and bed.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Another beautiful Monday in New Lisbon, Wisconsin. We were up early and got a good walk in the fresh cool morning air. We are enjoying starting our days with a walk in the cool temperatures.

We led devotion this morning using a YouVersion Bible app devotion as our basis.

After devotion and meeting, Anne and Nancy, Gary and Norm went back to Rhonda’s house. Anne and Nancy worked on texturing the kitchen ceiling, and painting the upper portion of the walls. Later they began staining boards for the door frames. Gary and Norm worked on the exterior siding and removed an exterior door and began the repairs for the reinstall. Progress was made in all areas. Stel, Jodi and Harry went back to Nate’s where they completed the subfloor, removed the old ceiling, worked on laying out walls and moved the tub into the house after it was delivered. Max went to JJ’s house, which will be a new project for us beginning tomorrow. He and Lynette, our UMCOR representative met the home owner and reviewed the scope of work. Max found some drywall repairs and repairs of vinyl plank flooring needed to be completed. It was a busy day for all. There is much work to be done and we are already feeling a little pressure. We have eleven work days remaining on this project and would love to see the homes of Teresa, Rhonda, Ilana, Nate and JJ completed.

Sunday, August, 18, 2019

There were again some storms predicted overnight but we didn’t get much rain and no storms. It has been cool, cloudy and windy all day. We actually wore long sleeves today. We will happily take long sleeves over the 98 degrees we saw predicted for home today. We are actually seeing changes in the leaves already. Nothing dramatic, but early changes. Interesting too is that the kids don’t start back to school here until after Labor Day. I guess they have so little summer they want to take advantage of it all. They are still talking about the minus 45 degree days they had last winter. They don’t get snow days here but they do get cold days when everyone stays home when the temperature is below minus 35. That is just so foreign to someone from the Alabama.

At the gathering before church this morning our chef had big, luscious fresh hot cinnamon rolls. Probably the best cinnamon rolls we have ever eaten. If not best they at least tie any cinnamon rolls we ate on our Alaska trip. For those that didn’t follow that adventure, we ate cinnamon rolls there and back and selected a champion at the end of the trip.

Pastor Deb started a new sermon series this week titled “My Big Fat Mouth” with today’s message being “My Big Fat Mouth – Complaining” and upcoming sermons on gossip, lying, etc. She reminded us of Exodus 16:8, “..You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.” We all need to recite Psalm 103:2-5 more often, “Let all that I am praise the Lord, may I never forget the good things he does for me.”

This afternoon Anne worked on paperwork, and Max did some work with Norm on the new bathrooms at the church. The ladies of the church fed us another wonderful meal and we had our team meeting. We are ready to start another week of work trying to help people return to their homes.