It Seemed Like Such a Good Idea

We have all said those words at some time in our life...but this time, it really did seem like such a good idea. My hubby re-caulked our bathtub, and it took a lot of effort and time. However, the sink faucet was still lined with mildewed caulk. While hubby was at work, I figured I could do a little task like the sink faucet caulk on my own.

I first had to remove the old caulk. This had me sweating and ruing the day of my birth before long, but I finished that task with only a few sharp, dried-out caulk splinters under my nails. Oh, and one MINOR deep slash in my finger. Then I got out the caulk and caulk gun. I tried to cut off the tip of the caulk with kitchen shears. Why ON EARTH should a caulk tip be the consistency of cement? As the shears finally closed with a sudden lurch and the tip snapped off, the handle of the shears backfired into my belly. At least I hoped it was the handle....I quickly checked to see if I had just eviscerated my intestines with the sharp end. There was a small indentation in my belly, and a lot of red, but it wasn't blood. It would be a good bruise tomorrow.

On to the caulking! I loaded the caulk bottle in the caulk gun, and headed to the sink where the freshly uncaulked faucet had been cleaned and dried. Then I tried to squeeze the caulk trigger. No way my weak hands could manage. I brought it to my daughter, Asherel.
"Is this tip cut off enough? Dad cuts off more..." she asked.
"Oh sure, this will give me a more controlled line of caulk."
She squeezed with all her might and could not get it to work. Then she gave a mighty heave at my insistence and a line of caulk shot out like a missile across the room.

That took a bit of effort to clean up. Now on to the sink. I neatly and quickly caulked the faucet, feeling VERY accomplished. Clean up time! I loosed the latch on the caulk gun, and pulled out the caulk bottle. Oh-oh. the entire bottom of the caulk bottle had exploded. Caulk was everywhere all over the gun. I DID consider just throwing it all out, buying a new caulk gun and NO ONE need ever be the wiser.

Instead, I did the stupid, but honorable thing. I tried to clean the caulk gun. Caulk is waterproof, shrink proof,and I might add, clean-proof. However, I stuck with it until I had wiped as much caulk from the inner workings as I could, hoping the gun might work again, maybe, if Jesus intervenes. Come, Lord Jesus.

So, in summary, from my caulking one tiny faucet I had: a deep gash in my finger, a deep bruise in my stomach, and 2 hours of effort cleaning a probably ruined caulk gun. But the faucet looks great!

It seemed like such a good idea.

God has a little warning about situations like this. It is this verse:

 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Luke 14:28-30

In other words, before you start something, consider the cost. In time, energy, effort, and injury potential. In spiritual matters, if you are in for Jesus, be prepared to be ALL in. He will accept no less.