Foundations

Having lived in our new home for about three months now, I can say that although it's a fixer-upper, I am thankful that it has a solid enough foundation that I don't worry about it collapsing or needing major structural repairs. The carpet, bathrooms, flooring, etc. are all cosmetic and will get changed out eventually, but for now we have a livable, functional house.

Thinking about this house and how grateful I am for the foundation while not really enjoying the aesthetics or functionality of the living area made me realize that this often applies to people also.

If we are built on a solid foundation (Christ) then it doesn't really matter what the rest of the dwelling looks like at the present time. We may be akin to a hut, barn, or shed or maybe more like a ranch, cape-cod or even a mansion. What's built up above the foundation is just the facade we're showing to the world.

What really matters is our foundation. We need to ask ourselves if we've built our foundation strong enough to withstand every storm, earthquake, and catastrophe that might happen in our lives. Even if our dwelling burned to the foundation, if that foundation was solid we could re-build on top of it again. We can also add to our foundation and make it larger, stronger, and deeper, and as we do so, we give ourselves the option of building additions or remodeling the dwelling above it.

I'd like to have a beautiful country home. One that matches the scenery of the land I live on. One that doesn't have neon lime green carpet in the living room and a non-functioning shower in the master bath. Eventually I hope to update and beautify each room in the house. But the house works for what it is meant for- shelter for those living within it and a sanctuary from the outside world.

In the same way, I want to continue to improve myself, to become more like my Savior and become whatever God meant for me to be. Some times I'll make noticeable progress and other times the work going on may be behind the walls and not visible to everyone around me. I need to make sure that in all of my self-improvement projects that I don't neglect my foundation. I need to keep an eye on it to make sure there are no cracks or shifting. I want to strengthen it and shore it up and create a foundation that's going to hold me up no matter what comes my way.