I have been excitedly anticipating this stage in our house building project. This is year five of us attempting to build our own home and we have learned more than I imagined possible. We have been in on every step of this project from footers, rebar, and concrete, to walls, trusses, and roofing. Now we are at the making it pretty stage and it’s getting exciting as we can see what rooms look like.

But at times this project has been overwhelming. After finishing a wall Saturday, I stood back and smiled at the sight. Excitement bubbled to the top as I envisioned what this room would hold when we finished. That excitement quickly waned, though. I looked around the rest of the house and realized how much more work needs to be done to finish this phase of the project. The work seems to never end.

Today, however, I am hopeful as I remind myself that every nail and every board is one step closer to the finished product. Each moment of thought, energy, and effort is moving us forward whether it appears that way or not. As the old saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

Progress is progress. One small bite is a bite we didn’t have before. One step forward is moving in the right direction. One bite at a time. One day at a time. We will get there. You will get there. We can’t lose hope.