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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
Designed to Sell
August 3, 2006
Who needs to watch reality television when you are living it? My wife and
I often tune into HGTV. Two of our favorite programs are House Hunters
and Designed to Sell. On the first program the people choose the home
they want to live in. The couple struggles with how much they can afford
to pay and what amenities they want. It always reminds me of Monty
Hall's game show, "Let's Make A Deal." Do you choose what's behind
curtain number one or take the nicely wrapped box on the table? It is never
an easy choice.
The second program, Designed to Sell, puts on display the hard work that
goes into getting a home prepared to put on the market. It is all about "curb
appeal" and what you have to do to make your home appealing to
prospective buyers. I get worn out just watching the show.
I mention this because a couple of months ago we jumped into the real
estate market. We found a beautiful home we wanted. It had the right price
and all the things we were looking for in a new home. In a period of
seventy-two hours we had a signed contract and our life became a reality
television show. With the help of our friend and real estate agent, Paul, we
went right to work doing all the things we had witnessed on our favorite
program.
In the three days between when we put a contract on the new house and
signed the papers to put ours on the market, we began a major makeover
in this house that we thought was "ready to sell." The whole first day was
spent getting rid of clutter. I felt like Captain Jack Sparrow as I uncovered
untold lost treasures in the basement, hidden in closets and buried in the
garage. I was amazed at how much stuff we had collected over the past
twelve years we had lived here.
The job of painting and making minor repairs began on day two. I began
an inspection of the house trying to see it through the eyes of a prospective
buyer who didn't have a loving association with the property. My heart
sank. I noticed nail holes, unfinished painting jobs, and a few stains on the
carpet. Where had they come from? I never noticed them before. Could I
have been that unobservant? The truth is that these things add up over
time. Life gets busy and we tend to notice whatever grabs our attention
and overlook everything else.
As I stood there with a paint brush in hand, it dawned on me that the same
type of thing happens in our lives. We pick up bad habits. We carry all
kinds of baggage. We walk around with bruised egos, and broken hearts.
In the rush of life we move on and never really tend to these things. There
is always something else clamoring for our attention. Then every once in a
while we stop and it all comes rushing to the forefront.
The good news is that God understands. He knows that life comes at us
incredibly fast and that we often stumble and let things go. That's why He
offers to come in and pick us up and put our feet on solid ground again.
He offers to come in and clean out all the clutter that we have collected.
He comes along and cleans us up and gives us a fresh start and a new
beginning. All we have to do is ask Him. So what are you waiting for? The
sooner you begin, the sooner you will be able to enjoy all the blessings of
God. Once He comes into your life it will be like you are living in a new
home filled with love and you won't ever want to move again.
God Bless! See You In Church! Cal.
August 3, 2006
Who needs to watch reality television when you are living it? My wife and
I often tune into HGTV. Two of our favorite programs are House Hunters
and Designed to Sell. On the first program the people choose the home
they want to live in. The couple struggles with how much they can afford
to pay and what amenities they want. It always reminds me of Monty
Hall's game show, "Let's Make A Deal." Do you choose what's behind
curtain number one or take the nicely wrapped box on the table? It is never
an easy choice.
The second program, Designed to Sell, puts on display the hard work that
goes into getting a home prepared to put on the market. It is all about "curb
appeal" and what you have to do to make your home appealing to
prospective buyers. I get worn out just watching the show.
I mention this because a couple of months ago we jumped into the real
estate market. We found a beautiful home we wanted. It had the right price
and all the things we were looking for in a new home. In a period of
seventy-two hours we had a signed contract and our life became a reality
television show. With the help of our friend and real estate agent, Paul, we
went right to work doing all the things we had witnessed on our favorite
program.
In the three days between when we put a contract on the new house and
signed the papers to put ours on the market, we began a major makeover
in this house that we thought was "ready to sell." The whole first day was
spent getting rid of clutter. I felt like Captain Jack Sparrow as I uncovered
untold lost treasures in the basement, hidden in closets and buried in the
garage. I was amazed at how much stuff we had collected over the past
twelve years we had lived here.
The job of painting and making minor repairs began on day two. I began
an inspection of the house trying to see it through the eyes of a prospective
buyer who didn't have a loving association with the property. My heart
sank. I noticed nail holes, unfinished painting jobs, and a few stains on the
carpet. Where had they come from? I never noticed them before. Could I
have been that unobservant? The truth is that these things add up over
time. Life gets busy and we tend to notice whatever grabs our attention
and overlook everything else.
As I stood there with a paint brush in hand, it dawned on me that the same
type of thing happens in our lives. We pick up bad habits. We carry all
kinds of baggage. We walk around with bruised egos, and broken hearts.
In the rush of life we move on and never really tend to these things. There
is always something else clamoring for our attention. Then every once in a
while we stop and it all comes rushing to the forefront.
The good news is that God understands. He knows that life comes at us
incredibly fast and that we often stumble and let things go. That's why He
offers to come in and pick us up and put our feet on solid ground again.
He offers to come in and clean out all the clutter that we have collected.
He comes along and cleans us up and gives us a fresh start and a new
beginning. All we have to do is ask Him. So what are you waiting for? The
sooner you begin, the sooner you will be able to enjoy all the blessings of
God. Once He comes into your life it will be like you are living in a new
home filled with love and you won't ever want to move again.
God Bless! See You In Church! Cal.
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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