Leaders Log: Trip: 5 Day: 2
Painting closets isn’t fun. Let’s be honest here, there’s questions such as, “Is this really necessary?” And once you deem it necessary, “Do I really need to do two coats?” and, “What about the hanger rod, do I paint that? Do I leave it alone?” “What about the light switch?” “I mean, really, who’s going to see the TOP of the shelf in the closet?” Unless the jolly green giant is whom you have come by to replace the light bulb in there I think it’s fine to leave it alone.
On top of all of this, how many people can you have paint a closet?
After this experience I can honestly say that I have pushed whatever number you have reasoned into an unreasonable place. (For the record we’re talking a standard closet, not a walk-in).
A lovely woman had asked us to help her around her house. That included painting a closet, so naturally all of the above questions were asked. Un-naturally, there were four of us squished in there painting, both coats.
Three lovely young ladies from Colorado and myself impractically painted the inside of the closet, with a ladder in it. What we did do, in many ways, was live out scenes similar to a Buster Keaton film, or Three Stooges episode.
I loved it.
Being in tight, stuffy, smelly conditions can tell you a lot about the people you’re with. This was no exception, and created an excellent opportunity. Because of a lack of rollers paint dripped and oozed everywhere, including onto clothes, hair, and faces. These ladies took it in stride and handled it with grace.
They laughed good-naturedly when they would bump into one another (which happened often) and when they would unintentionally drip on one another (which also happened often). Their creativity shown through when they used their hands as a way to store paint, and then scratched their noses with that same hand (Three Stooges/ Marx Brothers/ Buster Keaton moment).
I was impressed. Teenage girls get a bad wrap for being needy, complaining and unwilling to get dirty. These girls didn’t necessarily relish the smelly tight conditions, but they made the best of it, and did their best with it. They painted both the tops and the bottoms of the shelves, and the hanger rod. Throughout the day they asked questions, made conversation and communicated well.
Pretty soon the four of us were operating somewhat fluidly in that tiny smelly space. The fan helped a lot too, as did a couple of bowls to put paint into.
But as we painted the once dreary dark closet a summery yellow, it wasn’t just the closet that came to light. The strength and content of the character of the young ladies I was working with became apparent.
In that tiny space and that small amount of time a lot was accomplished. They honored me by telling me how they had met Jesus, and the closet got the first full coat of paint.
Sometimes I think Jesus really likes to show up in the tight, uncomfortable, smelly places. For instance, the upper room in Acts. They spent a long time up there together, try and tell me it didn’t get smelly. There were a bunch of them up there, and who really knows how big it was? Paul and Silas’ jail cell wasn’t a five star room with air freshener. The numerous boats Jesus traveled on, I mean, come on, salty, fishy, woody, man-stink.
Okay I’m done. Point made, moving on. Jesus also likes things that smell pretty- hence flowers and the ground before it rains and the beach and rocks by a river. Really moving on this time.
When we allow ourselves to be open to God moving in any situation, whether it is wide open or tight and confined, He’ll move. The point is to have our hearts and schedule open to Him.
Nothing like putting the thesis at the end. I like to keep people guessing and wondering what direction I’m going until the very end and then they go…oooooohhhhh.
