yada

I love multitools and like many guys a multitool is part of my EDC (Every Day Carry) Having a multitool as part of my EDC has proven to be very useful in my life. In this world, there’s no shortage of multitools available to you. Some are very useful and very recognizable such as “Leatherman” or “Gerber.” Some are less useful such as “The Hammer-Wrench” which is exactly what it sounds like a hammer and a wrench mashed together and it does neither job really well but it still does them. 

1 Corinthians 12 talks about “spiritual gifts” and being “the body of God.” I’ve read this multiple times and I’ve seen it referenced in sermons more times than I can count. But honestly it only recently dawned on me that you could look at this as God calling us to be his multitools and be part of his EDC. God is calling us to be His hands and His feet, to use our strengths and spiritual gifts to go to His people, teach His word, and build His kingdom. And God doesn’t just put us on a shelf or in a drawer when we aren’t in use. We are part of God’s Every Day Carry. We are always by his side, always ready to be put into action. God will use us at anytime in any situation, whether we are on the top of our game and acting like a premium Leatherman, or even just a Hammer-Wrench. God will still use us and still keep us on his belt ready for action. 

Ah Christmas, a time of joy and giving. I think it’s pretty safe to say that I LOVE the whole Holiday season. (I’m using “holiday” in this case because in addition to celebrating Christmas I can also appreciate the beauty that is found in the traditions of Hanukkah and Yuletide.) Sadly for some this can be a very tough season. For some it’s because they feel that a smile is based on the price tag of a present and they don’t have enough money to get something or they put themselves in to crippling debt for this reason. For others they might have pushed away friends and family over a difference in political opinions and they miss the bond that they once shared. Others it’s because they are reminded of a loved one who they lost to death. I get it, life can really suck sometimes, believe me I’ve been there. I’ve felt inadequate because of my bank account, I’ve lost friends over somethings as stupid as a political disagreement. I’ve lost people I care about to death. It’s hard to look around and see nothing but people running around with a silly Santa hat and a stupid grin on their face. 

And to be honest, there’s really not much I enjoy more than being that idot with the silly Santa hat, the stupid grin and getting way too much chocolate and way too many candy canes and passing them out to everyone I see. Why? No I’m not sucking up to anyone, no I don’t feel like I need to do this to make up for all the crummy things I did. I simply like making people smile. That’s really it! I don’t want anything in return, I’m not going to call in a favor later on. It’s because I know people are hurting, I know the world can suck, and I know it can be hard to smile on your own. But if I can steal away your pain for even one second and replace it with a smile then maybe that’s all it takes to get you back on your feet. 

When the Christmas season starts to come to a close I do get a little sad when  I have to settle back in to being a mediocre human with below average looks, and a dumb laugh. Why does it only have to be once a year that we try and spread cheer to others? People hurt the other eleven months of the year too. I can’t be the only one who has bummer days. My personal challenge is to continue to try and make someone’s day a little less sucky. I won’t be able to do it everyday or by myself. Some days I’ll probably need someone to send me a smile. So I hope that in the few days remaining of the year you can look at the positives you have. You being with someone is more than a price tag; that you can set aside your political differences and reconnect with an old friend or family member; that you can remember your lost loved ones and all the smiles you’ve shard together. Last of all if you are in need of a smile right now here is a smile from me straight to you. :) 

Ok people, I’ve found the problem with American. It’s you! I am both amazed and appalled at the reactions from people. I’m amazed that people who claim to be accepting of all are classifying, shunning, and even threatening other that didn’t share their views. I’ve seen many many posts from “I’m packing up and moving” to “If you didn’t vote for Hillary I hope you die” and “nice to know you don’t care about LGBT lives.” as well as riots that have broken out. Now that’s an awful lot of hate. Is that what you stand for? Eight years ago I sat back and talked about remaining united. Now when the tables shifted and you didn’t get your way you kick and scream and make threats. YOU will be the cause of riots, YOU will segregate others, YOU will be the cause of a divided America. If you voted that means you are at least 18 and therefore an adult. Here’s a novel idea, ACT LIKE AN ADULT!! Treat your friends as friends, hold doors for people, go to work and do your job.

YOU have a choice on what to make America. Trump won’t make America great. Neither will Hillary nor Bernie nor anyone else. Greatness come from within. We the people are the “within” we are what makes America. We are the heart moving blood and the lungs moving air, we are the mind creating industry and art.

At work I’ve always said the shift is what you make it. Sometimes it’s hard to live up to that but I can always fall back to that. This country will be what the people make it. If this country fails it won’t be because of some politicians sitting at a desk. It will be because you took actions to make it fail. The fault belongs to none other than the person in the mirror. I for one refuse to allow this country to fail. I refuse to lower myself to the level of some. If I called you friend before you will remain my friend. But let me be abundantly clear to you I am not racist and I am not sexsist. I am passionate about helping other and if you don’t share my beliefs guess what, you are still a human and therefore I care about you. We have a choice that is bigger than an election. I’ve made my choice, I won’t give in to your stereotype of hatred. I choose to care for others just as I always have. What will your choice be? To create hate or do your part to create love?

Anne Frank said “Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness. People are just people, and all people have faults and shortcomings, but all of us are born with a basic goodness.”

Dorthy Height said “Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach their goals.”

James Gray “At a certain point, you have to kind of realize that greatness is a messy thing.”

I started my life as a tree. Nothing really special or unique, although I like to think my branches were just a little fuller than those other trees. Time passed and I grew tall and strong until my harvest time came. It was an exciting and scary time. I knew my life was about to be changed but I wasn’t sure in what way. As a tall tree there’s so many places I could be taken, so many paths I could go down. I could be made a foot bridge in a park for young couples on their first walk. I could be be made a beam in a house for a newlyweds first home. I could even be made into a shelf that would carry books and memories for years to come. When the lumber man finally came to me he looked up at me, placed a hand on my side, lowered his head muttered something and then cut me down. He loaded me up onto a truck with a bunch of my friends and we were off to our next great adventure.

We were all very excited and talking about all the “What ifs” we might face. We arrived at the yard and look at the sign, “Hand Crafted Pews” is what the sign read. “A pew???” I said to myself. “Seriously I spent that whole time to be made into a bench to be put in a building that people don’t even live in!” “I’d rather be made into firewood so I can keep a family warm!” But I didn’t have much say in the matter. Us trees aren’t too good at human speech with the lack of vocal cords and such. So I was planed down into planks and assembled into a long bench and sent to some very sweet old lady. I never got her name but she seemed like a Mildred to me so I’ll call her Mildred. She went to work with stuffing and fabric and before I knew it I was all upholstered. “Hmmm… this is squishy” I said to myself. “Mildred does good work! Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.” At that Mildred turned to look at me almost as if she knew what I was thinking. “You’re bound to do great things” she said as she walked out the door. At this point I was humbled and a little creeped out. Humans aren’t supposed to be able to hear us trees. I was moved to a display window and sat there for only a couple weeks before a man came in. From what I gathered he was starting a church and the building had just been finished, now they were looking for furniture to fill it. He walked over to me and looked at me and said “ooooh squishy, I think this one will do perfect!” He placed an order for a few more that would be designed to look like me. “Oh great” I thought, not only am I going to get dragged into a big empty building but I’m not even going to be unique! I’m going to be stuck with a bunch of others who look just like me!” 

The day came when the order was due and I, along with my new look-a-like friends were loaded into a truck and driven to this little building out in the field. There was an air of excitement around the building as we were unloaded. The carpet had just been laid down and people started to set us up and measure out where we would be at. I’d love to say I was placed front and center, But I wasn’t. I wasn’t even in the back, I was placed smack dab in the center of the group. Nothing special at all. The first service came and the building was packed to the seams. It was my first day of my long career as a butt holder. It wasn’t so bad. Mostly little old ladies with the occasional “double wide” as we had started to call them. As time when on I started to notice things and see things. I started to realize I was more than just a butt spot. Sure, people used me to sit on all the time but they would make a connection with me. The same sweet little old lady would sit in the same spot every Sunday and do her needle point before the service. For weddings I was decorated with bows and used as part of a celebration. For funerals I became an armrest and a place of comfort for those who were sad. And for the occasional Youth sleepover I was everything you could imagine. A chair for lessons, a hiding place for games, and I was even a bed for when they finally decided to get some sleep. They all thought I was very squishy. 

I realized I wasn’t just an ordinary bench. I could be exactly what someone needed when they needed it the most. A bench, a table, a place to kneel, and even a bed. Sure I would have loved to be part of a house, or shelf, or a door, or even a bit of firewood, but I wasn’t called to be any of those things. I was called by my Father to be a place of comfort. Mildred was right when she said I was going to do great things. I’m not sure where I will end up when my service here is up but I know that wherever it is, it will be right where I’m supposed to be.