Discover life: Miracles take a little longer
Was I alive today?
Yes!
What new things have I discovered about life?
Eventually, things do work themselves out. I volunteer with Gemeinsam für Berlin, an organisation that brings Christians together to do good for the city. I’m particularly involved in violence prevention on 1 May, but I also help develop projects and ideas. Seven years ago, Gemeinsam für Berlin received several plots of land as a donation. So far, so good. However, there were a number of practical, interpersonal and bureaucratic obstacles to the sale – so that the sale dragged on and on and on. Yesterday we celebrated that the deadlock has finally been broken and the plots can now be sold. How wonderful.
Time and again, when I’m working on the boat project, I find myself at a loss as to how to solve a problem… and then, eventually, it all works itself out.
For months I’ve been looking for a way to get rid of some water left over from a flood in a really awkward spot on the boat… no standard pump was up to the job. At the weekend, a friend dropped by with a pump that was narrow and long enough to fit through the tight opening and pump the water upwards. I’m so relieved!
A friend sorted out a few more problems for me today: a PDF function that had stopped working, which was making my work difficult, and a Twitter tool that had stopped working, which was holding me back when it came to communicating.
What have I learnt about myself?
Milestones like the one above make me really happy. It gives me a huge boost of energy when I’ve reached one. Like the new windows I’ve now fitted on board, or the water I’ve pumped out. Occasionally, I set my milestones too high. And then it takes a very long time to reach them, which tends to sap my energy. Since November or so, I’ve been working towards the milestone of „fitting insulation“. Unfortunately, this milestone is huge, and I still have about 80 hours of work left before I can tick it off as done. It’s becoming clear to me: it makes sense to set the milestones a bit closer together. So that they mark an important step, but aren’t too few and far between. I’ll give it a go.
A few highlights for December:
Selling unwanted items on eBay for the best possible price
– Rock wool insulation
– Wooden cupboard
– Roof rack
– Ship's porthole
– other portholes
That brings in money and saves space. I could do with both right now!
Insulation
– Walls in the main room
– Ceiling in the main room completed
– Engine room, first shift: insulation.
– Guest bedroom: 1st floor
The major milestones for the coming months:
January: Electrics + windows below deck
February: Water, sanitation
March: Floors and walls, outdoor decks
April: Doors and everything else…
I’m still delighted to have anyone who can spare a few hours, days or weeks to help out.
