The Cost of Ownership | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: The Cost of Ownership | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Borga
12/10/20
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The house, built in the infancy of the twentieth century, was large, solid, and terribly run-down. My husband and I examined the inside for the first time shortly after we had bought it at auction. We were twenty-two years old and gung-ho for the adventure of homeownership.

Accompanying us that day were two men from our bank. Like sentinels, several filthy abandoned appliances guarded the wide porch. The tall windows were covered with years of grime. The bankers silently followed us through dark, dingy rooms strewn with trash. It was evident by the foul odors emanating from the carpeting that the previous occupants had been negligent pet owners. In one room, a large section of ceiling had let loose and our feet crunched on the gritty chunks of plaster. The plumbing and electricity had never been updated. Out back, the yard was a tangle of damaged trees and overgrown shrubs in a scant, weedy lawn. Inside and out, the property was long overdue for a major renovation.

Even by early nineteen-seventy standards, we had acquired the house for a steal; no one else had bothered to bid on it. The frame and foundation were sound, the location prime. The dusty oak woodwork and stately rooms still hinted at the home’s proud and charming past.

The bankers must have seen our youthful enthusiasm and mistaken it for knowledge and experience. Or they may have just been happy to be rid of the place. Nevertheless, they approved our loan. We became official homeowners.

We emptied the house of truckloads of junk and debris. We probed the walls to install new electrical wiring. We scraped off layers of ancient wallpaper, then patched hundreds of nail holes and cracks in the plaster. We tore out old plumbing and replaced it with new, and sanded and refinished the hardwood floors. Our skills in painting, scraping, and caulking increased. We learned to snake out sewer lines, pour concrete, and do a hundred other things we’d never before thought of. The library and the hardware stores became our go-to place when we reached impasses in our progress.

All these projects took money and hard work. In time, the original character and beauty of the house began to shine through. The drudgery we felt from our long, tedious labor gave way to satisfaction in the creative process of restoration. Our once-dilapidated house gradually transformed into the beautiful, gracious home it was built to be.

Of course, there’s always something that begins to look dingy and needs another remodel or sprucing up. We’ve discovered that it’s a never-ending process. But it’s worth the effort because the house is ours and we’ve grown to cherish it.

It’s a little like my spiritual life. Once I signed the contract that gave Jesus ownership of my sins, he began to sweep out the dirt and grime that I had accumulated. He washed the windows of my soul so that his pure light could shine through. He started pushing out the clutter that stolen away my contentment. He set my value high, before I was even aware of it, and never begrudged the cost of the sacrifice he made for me.

He began to fix the relationships that my selfish desires had damaged. He urged me to study his instruction book so that I could learn to replace resentment with compassion; jealousy, with generosity. He talked with me daily to remind me to trade my anxieties for peace. He offered to be my strong foundation. He set about to restore our relationship to what he intended from the beginning.

As it is with our on-going home maintenance, Jesus’ work never ends. I tend to get a little worn and weary and often need a touch-up in attitude. Sometimes a part of my life can get so out of control that it needs a complete remodel. He must constantly adjust and fix what’s wrong.

But there will come a day when maintenance will no longer be necessary. Someday he will move me to a new and permanent home that requires no fixing. It will be all I’ve ever desired for or dreamed of. The best part is that he will be there with me forever. All will be well. Yes, all will be well.

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