First, let me explain the graphic. This picture is taken in the master bedroom looking toward the former closet. This closet used to have a wooden tunnel in the middle of it, from left to right, which served as a bench on which to store things and the air return for the air conditioner. The air conditioner is seen wrapped in plastic on the left. Far left are the concrete blocks that contain the east end of our home. There WAS lathe and plaster on them. Near where the block wall and the closet studs are seen was where Pat used to sleep, just inches away from the mold. You can see my office showing through where the wall was completely removed on both sides.The man who heads up this massive destruction and, hopefully, just as massive reconstruction project, said that this was one of the worst case of mold he’d ever seen. He also stated that he was totally surprised and amazed at the extent of the problem. The walls are ripped out 24 inches beyond the last sign of mold.

After 15 years of progressive illness that greatly damaged her immune system and overall health, it was helpful, though extremely sad, to see that she’d been sleeping inches away from this horrible, growing, despicable black mold.

Pat and I discussed this whole thing yesterday – again! (g) I thought there were some lessons that might help all of us in our walk with the Lord. How many things do we cover up in our lives? We try to forget that they ever happened and push them down into our subconscious. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Well, in Pat’s case, out of sight didn’t help. The mold continued doing it’s dastardly work on our home and on her health. For many years, we didn’t even realize there was a problem within our home. I kinda drug my feet even looking into mold ?cuz it just didn’t seem logical or possible to me. DUH! (g)

It was painful to see the deconstruction that took place. Layer by layer, the heavily garbed and masked workers peeled away the essence of two main rooms – my office and the master bedroom!

However, like the hidden things in our lives, the layers HAD to be peeled away down to healthy house “tissue”. It’s skeery to allow God to peel away our layers. However, it’s the only way to come to full spiritual health.

If you have a response to this piece, please use the “Leave a Reply” box below!  There are more than 200 back writings in the Gallery  link or the “past inside out posts” under the Inside Out tab at the top of the page. If you’d like to learn more about “Grandma’s Songs” and how you could get a CD, click on “Music” tab on the top of the page or the “Contact Us” tab also at the top of the page.

P.S. Last Thursday, day after I sent original piece up, we got the report from the inspectors. After all the remediation, desconstruction, etc., significant mold was still found in the air. NOBODY knows where this will lead for sure. We appreciate your continued prayers.

SOME SELECTED RESPONSES TO “ROOM”

– This is what happens when one is married to a non believer. Your roots get smothered!!

– AMEN to this comparison, Jerry. We don’t think about it often enough. But we need to continue to grow. Our spiritual walk with the Lord is never fully grown as long as we are on this earth. We are on a continuous growth pattern throughout our life. God bless ya!!!!! Mark got me thinking!!!!

– Good article. Great message. Thanks for sharing.

– There are times all of us need to be repotted. So, when are you and Pat going to be repotted?

– That was a great letter that your son wrote. What a blessing he must be to you. God bless you. I’m so glad that Pat is home. I wish you all kinds of good things from now on. I will pray.

– O, Ray, you have a right to be biased. I sure would be, too. He takes after his Dad. Watch it, he might just surpass you! LOL Thanks for sharing that with me.

– Another great article. Please send our thanks to your son. It gave some very good spiritual outlooks. Just as plants need attention, so does our spiritual life, or as plants, we will dry up and find less comfort with our Lord…

So glad that work is getting done on your place and just hope that these inspectors realize the importance of helping you advance with it all. I know that Pat must really be glad to get home…

– I am going to print that out to give to my friend B____ who is more than root bound. Maybe if she’ll read it, maybe the Holy Spirit will spur her on to something. I realized today how unfruitful a Christian life can be if you keep to yourself. I was thinking in the lines of the VINE/BRANCHES parable, and the ones pruned off thrown in the fire. I don’t want that in my life, and don’t want that in B____’s life.

So the moral is: DON’T let this happen to you….. don’t be a pot bound Christian. Branch out for the Lord? : )

When we are in the field (either in rows in church with other Christians or out in the world doing something to make a difference in someone’s life) we can grow spiritually, but if we stay home in our little old pot…… well, it ain’t good.

Being repotted might be a shock (God takes us OUT of our comfort zone to “grow” us) but the benefits in the long run are “blooming” great…..

– I appreciated Mark’s article this week. There are so many ways we can look at spiritual growth and God shows us so many neat things. We definitely need to spread our wings and try new things for the Lord, always directed by Him, of course. (grin) Mark did a great job!