Handy work around the house is not excactly my calzone or sweet-spot when it comes to giftedness. Ok, like that is pretty much an undestatement. I have learned to do some things pretty well, others I stumble through using a combination of common-sense and trial and error... kind of a "commsenterror." If it sounds kind of frightening, the outcome really determines just how frightening it can be. Some of my "commsenterror" works turn out very good... like makeshift window rolling shade, or running springler system extensions on my belly in the rain.
My latest handy-man adventure was changing out the old door handle and dead bolt with the new. I manage to get the old one off and redrill the holes on the inside deadbolt trip on the inside and then paint the areas on the door with that will not be covered by the new one. The problem is, the door had a new paint job several months back and has faded a bit and now the new paint that I just applied stood out like a newly painted car side-panel on a faded jet black camaro in the California sunlight. UGH!!! It was a like new cloth patch on old pair of jeans... stands out like a sore thumb and will take some time to fit in with the old.
At 2am this morning as I was cleaning up after my handywork and more than frustrated by the revelation of my painting dilema, when I had a spiritually enlighted moment... which part of the door really looks the best? Should the "fresh" really have to try to fit into the "faded?" The spiritual flash was that sometimes we look at those who are new in the faith with there passion and spiritual energy and secretly think: "just wait, give it some time and you will 'fade' out and lose a- lil of your zeal. Give it some time and you'll get hurt or frustrated with 'doing church.' and fit in with the rest of us door." But truly, what is better... a fresh bright spot on the door, or the whole of the door fresh and not faded. It is just flat (pardon the pun) easier to let the passionate, the zealous catch-down with us.
"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment,
for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.
Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst,
the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.
No, they pour new wine into new wineskins,
and both are preserved." Matthew 9:16-17 -NIV
Fresh or faded... paper or plastic...? Your choice...
Pastor Tom
