Jesus Was a Carpenter

I had often wondered why Jesus was a carpenter.  I think I get it now.  He took something rough and imperfect and made it into something beautiful.  Just like he has done with us.  Our imperfections and the trials in our lives have made us more loving and beautiful internally, even if they haven't made us more beautiful on the outside.  He loves us sins and all and His love molds us into something more beautiful than the rough spots that show on our skin.

We had this piece of wood that was really rough, and it was rough through and through...no matter how much we shaved off of it during the planing process.  It was going to be one of the 'pretty cut' panels too so I was a little worried about it.  Not too much, just a little.  When it was completed, that flaw shone so beautifully and darker than the rest of the wood.  I was so glad that we had used that particular piece for the 'pretty cut' part of the end.  I don't know if you can tell from the picture below but the board on the left that is all oiled up, right in the very center where you see the swirls the most was the rough part.  I had sanded it from 100 grit down to 12,000 grit and it shone like glass all over but the rough looking part still had little dips in it.  The oil soaked into those dips and made it a very beautiful piece of wood.

When all the boards are put together to make the end of the cabinet, it will look like the picture below.  The picture below is before sanding, waxing, or gluing together.

Last week was super busy taking care of our grandson while he was on spring break.  We spent a lot of time doing make-up homework because he had been sick for two weeks.  But Friday we finally left the house and went to the space and rocket center to have some fun.  We captured a few pictures where he wasn't running all over the place (which was not easy...he is a very active child..lol).

We rode the 3G which spins you around and gets to going up to 3 G's, which at first feels pretty good because it feels like your compressed spine got totally uncompressed but then it feels like your spine is going to come apart when it gets up to 3G's.  I was ready for it to end and decided that I am getting too old for fun like that...lol.

This week we are back to focusing on the cabinet and ready for the break from childcare.  :)  Tom has been calculating how much more wood we will be needing to get on Saturday at our special wood getting place and I sanded today.

A Tabulated List of Grace
By Max Lucado
A couple who resorted to do-it-yourself marriage counseling resolved to list each other’s faults and then read them aloud. The wife gave her list and he read: You snore; you eat in bed; the list continued. When the husband gave her his list, she smiled. He’d written his grievances, but next to each he’d written– I forgive this. The result was a tabulated list of grace.Imagine you are before the judgment seat of Christ. The book is opened and the reading begins—each sin, each deceit, each occasion of greed. But as soon as the infraction is read, grace is proclaimed. Jesus says, I forgive this. Registered forgiveness! No humiliation! No shame! Because in heaven you will be in your sinless state—happy to let God do in heaven what he did on earth. He will be honored in your weakness! 

By Grace Alone...