Saturday, August 8, 2009

Weekend Post - I'm no handyman!

Handyman stuff is soooo frustrating to me! I'm used to doing things well - it's what I do. When I pick something up and run with it I enjoy the challenge for excellence. Typically I've been the best at whatever I choose to concentrate on.

But, every time I try to do anything around the house more complex than screw in a light-bulb... well, I suck big-time! This weekend, as we try to wrap up the details surrounding the complete kitchen re-do, we're finishing off the painting and re-arranging that needed to be done in the family-room and the living-dinning area.

You can see (picture at right) what we're trying to achieve. All well and good with the exception of the big hole!!

Paint? No problem. There was that half gallon I spilled on the carpet (it's a whole other story!)... but when it comes to application I'm pretty darned good with the brush and roller.

But then there is this whole curtain and blind hanging thing. Twenty brackets total. But one (ONE STUBBORN STAND OUT!!!! ) just had to go and foul up. Four holes in the wall later we have one huge whole in the dry-wall and nothing available to get any stability for the one last bracket to hold up it's end of one of the curtains.

Blinds seem to be going up with no problem - as you can see from this picture. But it's just that one HUGE stupid hole!

Frustrating? Very much. Am I happy? Not at all! Did I mouth a few bad words quietly into the gaping chasm? You betcha!

But... spiritual lesson # 769 eventually made itself quite evident. This one has been a long time coming because we've been married 30 years now and I've been screwing up handyman work for the best part of three decades.

Here it is... "It's Okay that I'm not the best at everything I attempt.."

Humility is a useful quality. If being "the best" at everything I do is a key part of my identity as a child of God (and it has been), then I evidently have issues. My worth and value as a person is in the fact that God knows me, loves me, accepts me, and is willing to continue this adventure in being together. Period. End of story.... well, beginning of story.

Here's a good scripture, then I'm back to the fiasco with the dry-wall! Pray for me, please!!!
  • How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! - 1 John 3:1
Peace - DEREK

Below - a couple more decent pics of the kitchen re-do!

2 comments:

Patrick Marshall said...

I spent some time in the mountains of eastern Kentucky a few years ago and met some older women who made some amazing quilts. They told us that on every quilt they make, they PURPOSEFULLY make one mistake off in the corner somewhere. They do this as a way of showing that only God is perfect and that nothing we do can ever come close to what God does. It blew me away to think that these women spend SO MUCH TIME on these quilts, only to INTENTIONALLY mess up at the end! So maybe just tell people that about your hole...it was deliberate because you recognize that only God is perfect!

theoldlady40 said...

At least you try to do things. I know at least one man who won't even attempt anything because he is sure he can't do it. Perfection is not all it is cracked up to be anyway!