Milestones and Millstones | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Milestones and Millstones | Previous Challenge Entry
By Stephen Kimball
01/08/19
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

I have always loved working with my hands. To me, there is great satisfaction in getting something that is broken back into working order or creating something beautiful out of a dusty pile of wood.

Getting lost in my work was a way of life. Even as a youngster, I would get so involved in a project, my mother would have to drag me away for dinner and a bath so I would be clean for school the next day. Why? I wondered. I hated school but I had a mechanical mind that wouldn’t quit. We had a couple of small engines, at the house, that I must have taken apart twenty-five times or more just to put them back together. No, bookwork wasn’t my thing, but man, I was at home out in the shop.

By the 6th grade, I had had about enough of school. To my surprise though, middle school offered a shop class that taught design and drawing as well as woodworking. That was the only time I remember being excited about school. They allowed me to fill both my electives with that class, so I suffered through all my other subjects in order to go play in the shop for the last two hours of the day.

Mr. Moninger and I got along from the start. Always the encourager; he told me once I had clear God given talents – I never forgot that. One of his first assignments was to draw plans for a house. While most everyone else drew the house they lived in, I took it upon myself to make it my dream house. By the end of the week, when everyone was struggling to finish their project on time, I had detailed my 9,000 sq. ft. three story home, complete with a pool, a supersized garage and an adjacent barn that would house my own personal work shop.

I soaked up all of the teacher’s knowledge and had an unceasing thirst for more. I discovered that I loved building things with my hands, even then, taking pride in my art. I knew that this was one occupation where my perfectionist tendencies would serve me well. A part time job in a nearby cabinet shop quickly turned into a full-time position and I soon found myself making a living doing what I knew I was born to do. Eventually, school officially dropped off the radar in favor of helping to support my mother. It is a decision I have never regretted.

One thing led to another… I became a custom cabinet maker… had my own shop. I did some work for some very wealthy people and the word spread. I had a very successful career doing what I loved. Toward the end, one of my clients offered me an amazing job as a quality control inspector for his cruise line. So, for a season, I worked in the ship yards of Europe and Scandinavia and while that was very interesting and rewarding, it wasn’t my first love.

I viewed retirement, then, as a return to my roots. I set up shop in my garage and went back to work on some personal projects. Maybe it took me a little longer and maybe it took a little more effort but I was back doing what I was meant to do and while that felt good, emotionally, it was difficult physically. But what a joy it was to design and create again.

Now, my tools are just a memory. My body stopped cooperating all together and my mind isn’t far behind. I still crave usefulness and satisfaction but I know that it will only come in God’s heavenly economy. They say we will have responsibilities in the life to come. I can only hope and pray I will get back to doing what I do best…building. After all, my savior was a carpenter too and he declared that he was going to prepare our mansions. There are a lot of Christians, so I figure there are a lot of mansions to build, and he might like some help. I am ready to go to work for the Master.

*Based on the life and career of my father, with a healthy amount of artistic license.

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.