Searching

     I spent part of my week looking for stuff.

     Every couple of months I put root killer down some sewer pipes. I could not find the clean out cap in front of a house that has had roots plug the lines every year for as long as anyone can remember, before we bought the house. A couple of months after we bought it there was water backing up in the basement. That was when we were told about the roots in the sewer lines. I have not had to have it cleaned for 18 months since we started killing the roots. I was not a very happy camper when the tenant told me she had buried the clean out because she did not want to hit it with her mower. Yea, that's nice would it be better if your toilet flushed into your basement than if you have to mow around a 4 inch cap?? I probed the area in front of her house on 3 different days for about an hour each time searching for the clean out. On the third day I found the water shut off. I thought the sewer clean out will be at least a couple of feet from the water shut off. I don't know how many of you know about water witching. You take 2 pieces of wire and bend them in an L. Hold one loosely in each hand pointing forward and walk slowly perpendicular to where you think a water line is buried. The wires will move on their own and cross over the buried line or tile and then go back to pointing forward as you walk past the water line. The wires crossed right over where the water shut off was and then crossed again about 18 inches closer to the house. I started probing again thinking I had it narrowed down to a 3 foot by 6 inch area.

     As you can see the water shutoff and the sewer clean out are not both right above the respective  lines. 1 runs down at an angle. I never thought they would have the 2 caps less than 2 inches apart. But at least I found it and if there is a problem when the ground is frozen we can get down the line and clean it.

     I also took pictures of the measurements from the side and the end of the house so I know exactly where they are for future reference. If one person thinks it is a good idea to bury them, they are most likely not the only one to have that brilliant idea.

The last year we bought a house on October 31. It was a kind of faded pink color. 

    I started painting it "Autumn Mist" last week. Micah helped on Saturday and I finished up the trim on Wednesday. 

     It looks a lot better than it did. Micah asked me why we were painting it such a pale color. I told him it was the only color with enough paint left to paint the house and the garage that was priced at $9.95 a gallon. He thought the color looked a lot better after he heard that. See you just have to get things in perspective.

     When I was painting around the windows I noticed several of the weep holes in the storm windows had been painted shut at some time. You need to keep those open so the condensation can run out from between the windows and not rot the sills. I spent some time searching for the weep holes and drilling out the clogged ones.

     We bought a house this spring that has water coming in the basement every time it rains. Ok truthfully it comes in most of the time.

     Irv came and dug in a tile around the house to drain the water away and hopefully the basement will dry up. He dug quite a ways before he started hitting damp dirt and had to go around the house before the ground was wet and water started to seep out of the sides of the trench.

 

    For a while I thought we were not going to find the water source we were searching for and all I would have was a dug up yard and a large bill for no gain. I hope those pipes soon are draining a little water onto the street and the pressure is off the basement.

     We have a tenant who has sold all of his stuff that does not fit in this travel home. He is planning on heading down the road and living out of this vehicle for a while. He wants to just travel and see the country. I am not sure exactly what he is searching for. I hope he finds it.

     I know a lot of people who are searching. Some are searching for a relationship where they will feel loved. It always seems just out of reach. They can not find the perfect soul mate. Some are searching for happiness and peace. They are feeling the burdens of life and just want to leave their troubles behind. Often it leads to self medication and then addiction and, if it really goes bad, incarceration. 

    I know some who are searching for a way to pay the bills and feed, cloth and have housing for themselves and their children. Being free from worry always seems just out of reach.

    Jesus met a woman at a well. Her life was a mess. Jesus offered her living water. She thought that would be a great idea. She wouldn't have to come and draw water from a well any more. That was not what Jesus was offering. He was offering the living water of eternal life and the peace and joy that comes with salvation. 

     A lot of the people I know who are searching need the living water that Jesus offers. No it may not solve your relationship issues today, it may not solve your financial problems today. It may not solve addiction problems today, but Jesus can, in the long term, solve all those issues if you just stop searching for answers in this world and "find" Him.