The Carpenter

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer/contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He would miss his paycheque, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractore was sorry to see his good worker go, and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.
It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front door key to the carpenter.
"This is your house," he said, "My give to you."
What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none to well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way reacting rather than acting, willing to put up with less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock, we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that, we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall, build wisely.
It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live if for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.
The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly?
Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

Konfessions Of A Kristian

Kleedis, I thank-you. A swift kick in the bum may indeed be what I needed.

I have indeed fell short on my promise to blog. I believe at the time I was simply following the trend. Often times, I feel the need to blog about something, but don't know what or what words to use. I read other blogs often, and do indeed enjoy them. I don't see them as fluff or a waste of time. But I find myself dwarved by other people's articulation, and the grandeur of their ideas...I feel like the little stonhenge in Spinal Tap...I just don't measure up, and feel the dwarves dancing around me!

So what do I have to blog? Well, I've got something....

It has been on my mind of late that I'm a recovering-self-righteous Christian....a Kristian if you would. The authenticity wasn't always there, or if it was, sometimes the motivation or reaction was wrong. I looked down on others....to borrow a quote from 'Firefly' "I only feel better than those people I'm better than."

So on to confession. My original e-mail address was drummer4christ95@hotmail.com
I felt that my e-mail address should reflect my faith, and be a witness to everyone who sent or recieved something from me. My music collection wasn't just Christian music....I had some Praise & Worship too. Cursing is not allowed, smoking and drinking send you to hell in a hand-basket. I did things and said things that were hurtful, condemning, and prententious....all in the name of Christ. My faith was built on presentation, and how others presented themselves....God saw what I did, not my motivations or what was in my heart.....What silly things we did as new Christians....silly, cheesy things....

But what passion! I was so in love with God. That was real. My worship was real. My prayers were earnest, I wanted to please and to be loved and love back. I wanted to serve....my intentions were great.

I had confession to my older brother about some of the things I've done...in the name of being a Christian...he was unfortunately at the recieving end of some of my self-righteousness.....how cleansing, how freeing! How HEALING! We're closer now than ever!

Can we get back to that? The passion of the new convert, and the wisdom of the old saint? Do they co-exist, and if so, what does that look like? Am I getting there?



This last Saturday my brother got married and he said something during his speech that brought me to tears....he said I was living the best example of a Christian life he could think of. Wow....Wow... Did I try to put that forth? No....I've thrown off appearances in favour of transparency.

So here's the challenge.....what's your Konfession? What kind of silly things have you done...in the name of Christ....Christian Rhetoric, blah blah blah, Cheesy Kristian things people, that's what we're ashamed of, but they make for good reading!