I’m glad that I’m just a preacher. My father was a carpenter and I worked for him when I was a kid, but that didn’t make me a carpenter. I built a toolbox in my high school shop class, a square little box painted red, not exactly a wood-working masterpiece. I did make a bookshelf after I was married, the only wood-working project I still have. Pretty decent work, except the hole in the back — I ran out of wood. Anyway I’m just not a carpenter. I used to say all I need is the right tools, but I’m pretty sure the right tools wouldn’t help!

So keep all that in mind when I tell you that the first week of my sabbatical was spent remodeling our kitchen in preparation for Katy’s graduation. We put in a new floor, pulled off wallpaper, painted cabinets and walls and other odds and ends. Now as you can see from the picture, it didn’t turn out so bad (I’m still not a carpenter — had help from my dad and brother.) But I have to tell you that at some point — no make that multiple points — while on my knees, trying to put together the tongue and groove floor, sweating buckets, sore in most every muscle, I said to Lynn, “I would rather preach 100 sermons in one weekend than be a carpenter! Someone who came over for Katy’s graduation party liked it so much they asked me to come and help them do theirs. I said, “Sure if you want to hear a pastor cuss!” :)

But I will tell you the honest truth. Knowing how much it pleased Lynn and watching my daughter laugh the night away at her graduation party…made it so much worth it. Sometimes that’s how it is with serving others. We may be doing something we don’t like…and might not even have the best attitude (I didn’t!) but something happens in the serving that brings us life. So I say thank you to Lynn for giving me the opportunity to relearn the lesson that Jesus gave his disciples about serving in John 13… You know these things, now happy are you if you do them. I’m still not a carpenter, but I have all the tools to be a servant…so do you. Happy are we, when we serve!