Happy Handyman Saturday, friends!
Yes, I’ve been at work proving that I’ve learned (mostly by trial and a lot of error) how to do a few things around the house that I would have learned a lot sooner if I’d paid attention when I was young.
I’ve spent a good part of the last week replacing all the giant fluorescent light fixtures in my barn with much smaller and brighter LED fixtures.
New wiring, switches, plugs, a lot of conduit, and 1000 trips up and down the ladder.
I haven’t blown anything up, burned anything down, or fallen off said ladder, so I’m considering it a victory.
To be clear (lest I mislead anyone), I am NOT a handyman.
I am a man who has rare and occasional moments of semi-handiness.
There are SO many things I can’t do.
Most of the time that’s ok because I know people who can.
But some things are way beyond phoning a friend or making an appointment with a skilled practitioner.
You’ve probably experienced those situations—the ones where you feel completely out of control and at the end of all your resources.
I’m remembering today one of those times from 30 years ago.
January 22, 1996.
We had received a phone call the day before from our doctor confirming a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis for my Sweetie.
We were devastated.
Early the next morning, I was lying facedown on the floor of our den crying out to God, “This is too much. I can’t handle it.”
The words to a song by Babbie Mason came to mind:
“God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. So when you don’t understand, when you don’t see His plan, when you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart!.”
That memory came to me this morning when I sang my hymn for the day. “Nothing is too difficult for Thee …”
30 years of trusting His heart and placing my unhandiness into His more-than-able hands.
It’s not simply blind faith; it’s desperate trust.
Whether it’s illness, grief, fear of the unknown, frustration at the condition of the world …
As for me, my survival and sanity comes down to trust His heart and His hands.
And praise Him IN the circumstances that I’m not able to praise Him FOR.
I read Psalm 150 this morning. The verse that always sticks out for me is verse 6:
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
I recorded an original song in—not coincidentally—1996 based on that verse. I tracked it down this morning so I could share it.
No matter how handy you are, no matter how out of control you might feel, let today be a day that you use your breath to praise the Lord.
Be amazing today, my friend.
