my new hobby is vacuuming the roof
So today is the 4th of July, Independence Day. It is a happy day. I love being patriotic because I love history and I loved my political science class. It's just a nice day, I guess. So today we clean the house. I suppose because we are celebrating our freedom from not just Britian but a monarchy, in our house we are celebrating our freedom from messyness and dirt, I guess. And we are also trying to finish the roof. It has become a favorite pasttime of mine, working on the roof. I remember thinking when we first started stripping the roof that it would take a lot of work but would probably be over too soon, as if this was a big adventure. Well, about 3 months later I am just getting used to the fact that on Saturdays I mow the lawn, wash my car, and help on the roof. I must say that it always gives me a nice sunburn and a pretty good workout. Today I was vacuuming the roof. Yes, you have to vacuum your roof, didn't you know? It's very important so that you won't be embarrassed when people come over to your house and see that your roof is dirty. lol Actually, we put on a metal roof so my dad has to drill all these holes in the metal pieces so that he can screw the pieces into the roof and so it makes little metal shavings when he drills the holes. I, or whoever is called to duty, is supposed to vacuum up all the shavings because if they are left there they will rust and the rust could possiblely spred and sorta ruin the roof. Why don't they just blow off the roof with the wind or wash off with the rain, you ask? Because when he drills the holes he drills into the roof where the tar paper is and it sticks to the drill bit which sticks to the metal shavings which fall off and stick to the roof. So, like I was saying, I was vacuuming the roof and it is making me think, of like A LOT of things. Not just a few little oh-I-wonder-sort-of-things but more like I got into my deep-thinking-poetic-mood-type-of-thinking and then decided that I should probably write some of those things down before I forgot them. One thing I can't help but think is of how many times I have been on the roof working. At first we were stripping the roof, scraping all the shingles and tar paper and nails off the roof to leave it just at its bare wood. And Brian was helping us. I was not interested in him then, just friends, you know, and I looked horrible. I was all sweaty and dirty and disgusting and gross but we still had fun together. At times we would just sit up there and talk to each other, all sweaty and sunburnt, and it was cool to see each other again at church because we remembered all the work we did together and the things we talked about. And we sang to the radio and danced to some of the songs and he swore that if he heard Los Lonely Boys again that he would like explode or something. And he would jump in the dumpster that we had in our driveway and push all the things out of the way and then have to dig the nails out of his boots. But even though we were disgusting, we enjoyed each other, and that was when I asked him, "Is it hot up here or is it just me?" and he said "both". And I loved it. Then, as I was on the roof today, I remember he had to come back a couple weeks later and we still had fun but it was kinda different because now he wasn't as interested in me anymore but I was beginning to be interested in him. Funny how things like that work out. This time it was more like us just holding the metal pieces down while my dad would drill them into place. And of course there was a lot of talking and singing and goofing off and you would be amazed how cocky you can get on top of a roof until you slip on an electric cord and almost fall off the roof, then you start to think about how much you like the way your bones are not broken. Then you start dancing again and forget about the near-death experience until it happens again. Funny how I never learn. And then there's the cutting of your hands on the metal sheets, ouch and of course the blistering sunburns. Yes, there's nothin like getting crisp on your roof and then going to work. That was when I was working at Publix. So now it's a lot of vacuuming and holding things and just being around to help if needed. But the one night I remember VERY clearly was one of the nights when my dad hadn't put all the tar paper on yet and some of the roof was still bare wood and it was raining. Now this was not just sprinkly nice rain, it was pouring, freezing, pelting rain. And someone had to go up on the roof and hold up the tarp on the ridge of the roof while my dad would secure it at the base of the roof or else the rain would leak into the house. He left me up on the roof in a raincoat and jeans and took the ladder away and went to the other side of the house to secure the tarp. I couldn't get down and I was freezing. Not just like oh-it's-pretty-nippy-up-here-freezing but an actually-can't-feel-my-hands-or-feet-soaked-to-the-skin-with-freezing-rain-can't-move-a-muscle-or-breathe-without-shivering-so-hard-that-it-hurts-cold. Yeah, it was horrible. And all I could think was that I was holding this up because I had to, that Dad needed me to hold it there for him and I would just think that I was waiting for five minutes and then think that again. It was just 5 minutes over and over and over again. And I was miserable, but I knew that he would come back. I didn't know when, and I didn't really like waiting but I KNEW that he would come back and let me down off the roof, eventually. And finally he did come, and he said, "Good job, hang in there. It'll just be a little bit longer." My heart sank, I still had to sit there and I was so cold I could barely hold the tarp any longer, but he had come back and I knew he would come back again. Can you see the connection here? You know, God left us here on earth and promised to come back and it has been very uncomfortable for us here. He sent Jesus for us, and then he promised he would come back again. It is not fun to wait here. It is very uncomfortable and it is not natural. We are not really equip with the things that we need to be here if we are to behave the way we should. It is not in our nature to act like Jesus and so we have to rely on His strength, and His strength ALONE to help us do as we should. On the roof I was not used to being up there in the rain and all I had was a little raincoat and it was freezing, the rain soaked me and pelted through my clothes and to my skin. And yet I still sat hunched over holding onto the tarp that had been entrusted to me. I am really hoping you can see the connection here. I will write some more later but right now I am needed. Two toddlers need a lot of care and attention. So off I go.
~Jojo~
~Jojo~