Extreme Blessings from The Extreme Home Makeover

Last week I had a chance to participate in a great volunteer opportunity – I was a ‘blue shirt’ volunteer for Extreme Home Makeover in League City. I’ve always loved this show, so when my employer sent out a request for volunteers, I quickly emailed my name, then waited with giddy anticipation to hear my assigned date and time.

When I arrived on Tuesday, construction on the new house was proceeding at a feverish pace. One hundred blue shirts bustled here and there, carrying supplies, trash cans and tools. Crew leaders shouted instructions over the sounds of heavy machinery while bystanders leaned against the fence posts to get the best possible view. Everywhere you looked there was work being done, beautiful things being built, and underneath it all ran an almost tangible current of excitement.

What I loved most about that day was talking with all of the different people, the unskilled workers like me from our community, the design team, the plumbers and the electricians. Despite our backgrounds, professions and motivations for volunteering, the comments were so similar:

“That is so beautiful – they are going to love this!”

“Did you see that playhouse out back? I can’t wait to see those kids’ faces when they see it”

“That’s amazing – I wonder how they did that?”

So many people, so much work and time and effort, all focused on an extreme blessing for one family. As I did various jobs (serving drinks, carrying wood, collecting trash) I kept thinking about what Jesus said: “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

As I imagined these preparations I thought how, as amazing as this house is we’re working on, this work will pale in comparison to what Jesus is doing for us who believe in Him. I wondered if the angels who are watching and serving our Lord feel as excited as I did, and I wonder if they aren’t just saying the same things that we were on Tuesday:

“That is so beautiful – they are going to love this!”

“Did you see what Jesus did – they’re going to be amazed when they see that!”

“That’s amazing – HE is amazing”

-Wendy Harrison