RVing With a Purpose

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Today began as a cloudy day but quite a bit warmer.  It was another great day for work.  Didn’t need four layers of clothing.

Stel and Jodi brought our devotion today using Galations 6:1-10.  They reminded us that God’s expectations are not overwhelming.  When he gives us an assignment he also enables us to complete that assignment.

After discussing our work for the day we all headed back to our job site.  Today Anne, Betty and Mary Ann were back at finishing the drywall.  Daryl came by an helped us too.  Great progress was made.  Max and Tom worked on transition strips today and did a great job.  Betty primed and first coat painted the major transition from the kitchen to the den – a new addition to the house.  Stel, Jim and Jodi worked on more trim work for the bath.  Gene worked on some closet shelving and rods.  We all stayed very busy and productive.  We also did some color matching for some of the walls, cleaned and made plans for next week.  It’s been a good week.  We have to say goodbye to Gene and Mary Ann and then take over leadership next week.  We will miss them and their humor.  And now it’s the start of our weekend!  Hope you have a good one.

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Today Betty and Tom continued the theme of servanthood with their devotion about serving God by serving others.  They reminded us that we are all ministers and God calls us all to ministry.  NOMADS is our ministry and we all agreed we are definitely living retirement with a purpose.

We all went back to our job site to continue working on our various projects.  Anne spent most of the day finishing drywall – lots of tape and mud.  Max and Tom installed the dryer vent and installed the trim for the kitchen counter as well as completing the installation of some bi-fold closet doors.  Jim and Gene completed the carpentry portion of the bath, and Mary Ann began finishing the drywall.  More tape and mud.  Betty also played in the mud with us today, working in the laundry room, closets and living room.  Stel, Mary Ann and Jim all worked on installing base at different times today.  Stel and Jodi also worked on doors and Jodi, as always, was there to help everyone with whatever we needed.  We have gotten so much done.  We still need to complete the drywall – maybe tomorrow – and then lots of smaller items.  When the drywall finishing is complete, Daryl, our construction superintendent, will spray an orange peel type texture to make all the new drywall match the rest of the house.  Then we will be painting and cleaning.  We really need to get this homeowner back in her home.  In January she will have been out of her home for three years!  It’s really sad that long term recovery takes so very long.  We are hopeful that she will be in her house before Christmas.  The volunteer portion will be complete by then, but the final electrical and plumbing will also have to be completed by the subcontractors and final inspection by the city.

BTW, in case you are wondering, the weather forecaster missed the mark again.  Our low last night was 33, not 24.  Happy dance!  For the non-RVers, we RVers don’t like temperatures below freezing because we have to start worrying about freezing hoses and pipes.  No worries about that for the next 10 days.  Life is good in Hattiesburg!

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Love it when the weather forecasters get it wrong – when it goes our way.  We never got below freezing last night.  However, they are predicting a low of 24 tonight.  Here’s hoping they are wrong again. 

We are thankful for the beautiful blue skies and warm sunshine today!  Today we shared a devotion on servant leadership – leading as Jesus led – and then we were off to work.  Back to our assigned house we all resumed where we left off yesterday.  Max and Anne resumed the drywall patching in the ½ bath and completed that job.  Then we were asked to cut an access to the attic in that ½ bath.  We were surprised when we removed the section of drywall and white insulation snowed down on us.  Yep – about 16 inches of blown in insulation in that area of the attic.  We also discovered that there was only about 16 inches from our opening to the roof.  So, we were asked to close it back up.  The construction manager is working on plan B.  Tom and Betty today worked on doors and drywall in the laundry room.  Stel, Jodi, and Mary Ann worked on drywall in the living room and installing the door knobs.  Jim and Gene continued work in the full bath.  Lots of progress was made. 

Chris, our volunteer coordinator treated us all to a lunch of wonderful white chicken chili that she prepared.  On this cold day it really hit the spot.  Hoping we can talk her into sharing the recipe.  Loaded with chicken and beans and lots of tasty spices.  Yum!  After lunch we followed Chris to the Wesley Foundation to look at some possible work for next week.  We will probably be able to get at least part of the team there the first of next week.  It was another great day!