Niki Anderson ~ Author & Speaker

     I've always had a conviction about solutions. God’s got’em.

       As a teen, I was taught to face conundrums of life with the attitude that God knows the pathway out of bad patches. On the lighter side, he led me out of a thorny one, just lately.

       Did you know? His solutions apply even for methods of removing wallpaper—specifically, its extrication from the east wall of Bob’s and my master bedroom.

       Traditional solutions failed to loosen the dated décor. For starters, I tugged gently at a corner curled away from a seam, and grimaced as the strip only narrowed, its two layers separating and clinging to the wallboard (wallflowers do that, don’t they!). It was the first of failed attempts.

       So I visited my DIY friend, Sherwin-Williams, and asked for advice. “You’ll need a scoring tool,” Sherwin explained. “It perforates the paper so your solution penetrates the backside and breaks down the adhesive.”

       With sweeping round circles, I scored the 8x16 feet wall, preparing it for a mix of hot water and vinegar that I sprayed generously. Yet n'ary a bubble of loosened paper gave me hope. The only result was an aqua stream of moisture weeping down the wall and dampening my carpet.

       The following day, I returned with my report to Sherwin, the Williams guy. He furrowed his brows. “Hmmmmm,” he sung, as he led me to an enzyme product nicknamed DIF (An abbreviation for difficult?). “This gel dissolves adhesive." Purportedly, that is. I laid out a twenty-dollar bill and left, armed with a container of blue gel and a good amount of my “God-has-a-solution” faith.

       I saturated the wall with DIF(ficulty) and waited the prescribed 20 minutes, only to discover the punctured paper remained tenacious in its grip. About that time, I addressed God. “You always have a solution, Lord. I’m wasting time, money, and energy. Whadda-I-do next?”

       I returned to Sherwin’s. “Try this DIF concentrate, and mix it triple strength. No charge,” he said. Off I went.

       Feeling sure the concentrate would be God’s solution, I waited again the recommended 20 minutes.

       To my dismay (and other emotions), the triple strength enzyme dried quickly and activated like a glue, not a solvent. "Hmmmm." I wasn't singing.

       Steam was the last option. I rented a heavy metal (not as in music) contraption. An ungainly, big and heavy, red metal container, with a long black hose, side-mounted glass tube and two sizes of flat steam dispensers. I suspect it's a relative of R2d2. Bob and I went to work.

       To our amazement, the sticky wallboard conceded at last to free the paper from its 15-year union with the pink and blue flowers on my wall! As it gave way with ease, Bob and I sighed and smiled, while thanking God for the right solution! At last.

       Finding solutions requires patience, counsel, work and optimism. But when God is leading the search, you’re sure to hit on the right solution, be it blue gel, or stubborn trust that clings to his love when life is DIF-ficult.

"BLESSED is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." Jeremiah 17:7