Mountaintop Musings: Take Advantage of the Moment

The other day as I was finishing up building a second-story deck, my thoughts ran to several projects that I needed to get to next. I mean this deck has been on my mind for almost 16 years, since we moved into our home prior to it being totally done! People had cautioned us, "Don't move in until everything is done.' But hey, we had eight people living in a friend's shop building, we were moving in asap! There were some definite concerns over how to build this deck, but once I got going it all came together. But rather than taking a moment to admire my work, and that of several of my sons and wife who helped a bunch, I was thinking ok what needs to be done next. I had to ask myself, "Why don't you pause and enjoy this moment?"

Well I have taken some time to admire the finished product and sit out there and drink some coffee. It is a real sense of accomplishment to complete a major task. Prior to starting I had drawn out some rough plans, and a list of materials needed. I then selected some Doug-fir that needed thinning and cut those bad boys down. I hired a kid with a portable mill to come mill them, and stickered and stacked the boards. Lisa and I built a 8-foot x40-foot front porch and railing; I also built a roof over a 12x10 foot deck with some of the boards. Then the remaining boards sat for about four years until this past month.

Of course, those boards had to be picked through, ripped and cut, sanded and move several times. It would have been easier for sure to have bought the materials, but hey that would require several thousand dollars. I always say I have more time than money, and with the slowdown in ministry hey...God gave me the green light and the rest is history! I am very satisfied with the way things turned out and cannot wait to have folks over to enjoy it with us. Over the years family and friends have asked when I was going to do something about that deck. I would say, one day it will happen.

Well this great inconvenience we have all experienced together gave me that time and opportunity to build a deck. I have also learned to use Facebook Live, started my own YouTube channel (Dave Carroll Ministries) where you can view my sermons if you are curious, cleaned out a bunch of junk from my office and garage, and tried to be a good encourager via phone and computer. I hope you have been able to learn many new things over the as several months. Maybe you are more patient and understanding of people. I hope you have grown to appreciate freedom more than you ever have. Maybe you have viewed some on-line sermons, saw some new movies, or tackled your long over-due deck project!

One thing I have had to learn again is that I am not in control of things as much as I like to think I am. If it were up to me, we would not have stopped meeting at the library for Community Bible Church services on Sundays. All our Bible studies would not have stopped. I would not be getting ready to suspend Bible camp till later in the summer. But like you, I have had to adjust to some things that I have not control over. Life is like that all the time we just don't usually experience it in such dramatic way.

One thing that you can always control though, is where are going to spend eternity at. Heaven is a place where social distancing will not be a problem. There is room for all. No masks are needed as there will be no sickness, disease, or death there. Shortages of food...no! Boredom, I don't think so. If that sounds to your liking then dial-up Jesus in your prayers and ask Him to forgive your sins, receive Him as your Lord and Savior, and let the good times roll!

(Dave & Lisa Carroll are area missionaries with InFaith America's oldest Christian home mission agency. You can contact Dave at 406.459.8935.)