Synopsis "Building a Dream on a Foundation of Faith"
This is a true story about me, a strong single woman in her late forties building a house in southern Ohio in a very remote area. When I began, I had no job, no contractor, and not even a blueprint. To make matters worse, there was no electricity or water on the property. My sister's land, which was alongside my new property, had a small cabin, a swimming pool, and an outhouse. This all seemed like paradise to me, because after working all day what more could one ask for than a place to lay your head (her cabin), a place to take a bath (her pool), and a place to go (her outhouse). Although I recall a friend that visited me one day said, "I won't be back until you have a real bathroom!" My children have said I should have been born in the pioneer days and at times on this journey of faith, I agreed. For in this day and age (1999) with all the modern equipment to do each job a simpler way, I chose elbow grease, hard work, and ingenuity to build my dream. I had the whole house under roof before I had electricity or water and this was a challenge in itself as getting electricity up to the top of the hill required clearing a half mile section about forty feet wide. Trees were cut, bush was burned and logs were dragged, to clear a path through the heavily wooded area. While my brother-in-law and I were burning the brush, we were called to come and eat lunch. As we waited for the fire to go down, we knew with the third echoing of the dinner bell it was time to eat. When we returned, the fire had spread quite a ways. Imaging a brush fire in a place with no water! I hope that you enjoy this story of adventure, as the words reveal the undying faith, work, dedication, love, and heartache that this journey brought about. My hope is that I will inspire others to follow their dreams. You have the power within you to take on your journey of faith.
