THE JUST-IN-TIME GOD

 It had all started from the trickling water flow from the house taps. I had assumed quite erroneously it was due to low water pressure in my area, since that was what people said umpteen years ago when we moved in. So the whole family had lived with it; making do with booster-pump water heaters for our baths. But it came to a stage where I was getting fed-up of taking so long to wash dishes at the kitchen sink and waiting for the washing machine to do its job. So I asked a Christian brother serving together in street ministry, who "so happen" to be a plumber/contractor. One house visit later, he said my house pipes are already in "cancerous" stage, must replace the front portions . The rear external piping was (thankfully) still ok.

But then my son had the bright idea of renovating the 3 bathrooms. Well, to be honest, this house is really old. We have stayed in it for about 30 years since we bought it over from the first owner way back in 1980s, which means it should be some 40 years old. 90% is still in its original condition. So it's really run-down in most parts.  Actually I know it's time for major renovation, just been putting off thinking of the inconveniences. I really didn't fancy moving out to temp lodgings  for goodness-knows-how-long to cater for substantial renovation. But as my contractor-brother puts it, can just do it portion by portion stage by stage. So that's how the whole thing just snow-balled from pipes to bathrooms,  now to flooring and painting, from basins to roofing, doors and windows.

Once they moved the rubbish dumpster into the doorway, I knew it was gonna be real messy and noisy. I did regret a bit after giving the green light to my friend to start the job straight away. It seemed the wrong time, as my no 2 daughter had just returned from America for a 1 month home-rest. Now she had to put up with all the hacking, drilling and dust everywhere. But she's such a sport about it. No complains, just a comment that maybe I should have thought more about the timing.

Point taken. On the other hand, at least my son wasn't around during the heavy works. He went off overseas for a 2 weeks break, which as it turned out was the  right timing, at least for him.

And talking about right timing, it really is. There was a long-standing problem with the big glass sliding door in the living room. It couldnt "slide" smoothly to close. For years I had to literally lift the whole glass slab up to push it along the grooves as far as it could go. When my contractor -brother called his friend , the expert took 1 look at  it, and said its in such a  dangerous state the whole sliding door could collapse anytime. The very next day he dropped by to fix it. Talk about right timing.

His comment sobered me . I can't imagine if it had collapsed on me as I am the one who always pushes it open every morning, so I can sit in the living room, looking  out into the garden as I do  my  morning devotion. I had been so used to living with it for so long, not realising the danger of neglect.

But God is so merciful. At just the right time, He brings the right person to deal with the problem. Now the glass door slides so well. And I didn't even have to replace the whole thing. The guys just took it down, fiddled with the bottom, vacuumed the grooves, and put it back up.

Next were the kitchen windows. The stretch of single glass panes (the old-fashioned type)were replaced with whole sheet- clear glass. Suddenly the kitchen is so bright. Though I half-regretted I didn't choose frosted glass which would have somewhat blocked the neighbours from seeing everything  from 

their upstairs room. Reminds me nothing can be hidden from an all-seeing all-knowing God; He doesn't need clear glass to look into my (or anybody's ) soul.

I am so blessed to have a contractor  I can trust so  I don't have to wonder  if I am being overcharged. He doesn't recommend tearing down the whole house, just replace what's really needed. 

It took longer than I expected (more than a month)  to do up the 3 bathrooms. I just found out contractors don't work on rainy days on top of weekends, at least mine doesn't. Apparently it's because when it rains,  the foreign workers can't travel to the boss' place to be ferried to my house. Furthermore there's shopping and delivery of fittings to factor in. To add to the time stretch, things can't be installed till the paint dries. Man, I didn't know it was so complicated. But it really does look nice, once it's all done-up. And best part is  the toilets and showers work properly now, so it's money well-spent.  Having said that, there's still lots of major works ahead, like replacing the entire upstairs parquet flooring, fixing a leaking roof, and  re- painting the entire house. My head spins just thinking of the time and cost. I reckon I will need to pay a visit to the EPF office soon to dig into my retirement account.

So whilst I sit in the midst of all the dust, which somehow still clings to the floors despite all the sweeping and mopping, I ruminate over what this  brother says...some things can't be rushed. Some delays are necessary to perfect the job at hand. That's quite a profound truth, not just for renovating houses, but spiritually as well.

Waiting, especially waiting on/for God, is never easy. I reckon for me,  it's a life-long process of cultivating patience and trust in a God who's never too early and never too late, but always just in time - His time. We all yearn to get immediate answers to our prayer requests . We want things done asap. I learn that's not how my God works. He's not my personal Santa Claus to present me my heart's desires. Quite the contrary. I have got prayers still "outstanding" for 20 years. So why do I still keep on praying? Because my prayers are grounded on His promises, and His word says all His promises are Yes and Amen, in Christ Jesus.