Building Blocks

It's said that the sign of a healthy city can be measured in the amount of cranes and construction found within its limits. Often, this growth is inconvenient or unwanted even as it is required.

Our lives are no different. Christians believe our paths are set by our Heavenly Father, to accomplish His will and not our own. Sometimes when He starts to tear down and rebuild, however, we feel like packing up and moving away rather than trusting the demolition process.

Ben and I have been involved in some form of demolition for months now, all of it good. Last September, right around the time Ben started with his new job, we decided to repaint the whole house. I knew that if we didn't start right then, by the time he went full-time in January, it wouldn't get done.

I love owning a home, but one thing I didn't realize was how nothing stays looking good for that long - especially paint. The warm historic green I chose for the interior 4 years ago faded to a dull moss that read more Swamp Monster than Dignified Estate.

Like everybody else on HGTV, we went with a gray throughout, and also painted the ceilings, doors, and trim. In addition, we swapped out light fixtures and use one of those DIY kits to repaint the kitchen cabinets. To be honest, I love honey-colored wood and will always love it, no matter how outdated some sponsored Facebook post tells me it is. Unfortunately, our honey cabinets were so damaged, painting them was the only thing that could improve them.

We spent literal months crouched over baseboards. I think we could have paid for a needy child's semester in college with what we spent on Frog Tape. Still, it needed to be done, and I think it turned out well.

Before:

After:

Den, featuring pink treadmill to help achieve #ladygoals

Kitchen

Living Room

When Ben returned to work full-time, it was the first time during our marriage that he had been able to do so. It is a tremendous outpouring of blessed opportunity from the Lord. Ben's full-time job is not just one that he is excelling in, it is a job that demands physical strength and stamina beyond what was possible for him even a year ago. He is now the sales director for a popular outdoor recreation course here in South Knoxville.

In 2018, after weaning himself (with the doc's ok) from unnecessary pain medication, Ben turned to exercise to rebuild his body and mind. He fell hard for SoKno's local ropes course, spending as much time there as he could. Not only did his strength and stamina increase, but eventually, it lead to a great job. If you would have told me this is where Ben would be in only 1 short year, I'm not sure I would have believed you. But praise be to God!

That catches us up to roughly January. So, we've got me still loving my job in radiation oncology and enjoying my freshly painted domain, Mom decently stable, and Ben seldom at home because of work, as predicted, but now hale and overlaid with a new layer of muscles like some adorable T-800.

Around this time, we found out that our district's councilwoman had been promoted to the mayor's office, leaving a spot vacant. The replacement was to be chosen in a special appointment by the other city councilmembers.

Ben decided to run, because, why wouldn't he? To Ben, this was just another God-given opportunity to prove himself so that he could have the opportunity to help others in a great way.

He spent every spare minute knocking on doors, meeting people and asking how he could serve them, meeting with every sitting city councilperson, our police chief, fire chief, and head of our most prominent homelessness resource. On appointment night, he and the 6 other candidates were sequestered for hours. One at a time, each answered the same 10 questions ranging from the city budget to systemic racism.

Ben's answers were so fair-minded, informed, and eloquent, I was moved to tears. At the end of his questions, even the outspoken supporters of another candidate cheered him.

Ben didn't win the appointment; another well-qualified and talented candidate did. Our district will be well-served with the winner. Honestly, we have an embarrassment in riches in South Knoxville. So many qualified and passionate people want to make our city the best it can be - there are no losers in that equation.

I am just grateful and thrilled to watch Ben soar. When the Lord restored Ben's health, I realized that our lives wouldn't look the same anymore, and that was a change. Ben's schedule isn't as flexible and he's away from the house a lot, and that's ok. I understand that Christ-loving men like Ben are too needed out in the world for him to stay home. Our world is crying out for people of character who speak the Lord's truth with love in every conversation, within every profession. What it means to be Ben's helpmate in our new reality looks different than it did before.

For now, I know the Lord wants Ben to continue to use his abilities to honor Him, more visibly than ever before. The community as a whole is just now getting to know my husband, but I'll share with you some parting facts.

Ben is the man who turns the car around on the highway in Harriman, TN, to try to catch a stray dog because he is afraid that it might get hit.

Ben is the man whose elderly neighbor comes over to ask directions, because Ben will patiently explain where he needs to go.

Ben is the man who prayed for each of the other candidates on appointment night, whose philosophical premise is, it's possible to be wrong about something, so he should always be willing to listen.

What comes next? More of the same, I pray. Continuing to unloose someone I love so he can serve you and others. Loving him enough to watch him fly!

My name is Heather Ream, and I approve this message.

February 24, 2020