Hats off to Handy Men

You should always respect people for their God-given gifts and skills. Every person has a set of attitudes. Every believer has a special gifting from the Holy Spirit. If you want to function well as a couple or have a happy family or harmonious church, learn to respect one-another’s bents and aptitudes and gifts and skills.

My toilet malfunctioned once. I decided to take the project in hand myself. I’m a word-guy and a people-guy. Household repairs and automobile-maintenance don’t come naturally to me.

I have learned a few things over the years. You might want to make a note of this if you are not particularly handy. When you work on your toilet-turn off the water-supply. I should have known to turn off the water supply…

For some reason the water-tank would not fill. I could not figure out why. I took off the lid to the tank and began to blindly fiddle with the apparatus. Another note. Don’t just fiddle with things if you don’t know what you are doing. Until you know something to do, don’t do anything at all.

Turn off the water supply and Google the repair on-line so you have at least some intelligent approach to take. Call a friend. Pay a plumber if you have to but don’t just start blindly fiddling with things.

Back to my repair narrative. I’m fiddling with the apparatus. Fiddle. Fiddle. Nothing. Fiddle more. Nothing. Finally I accidentally clear the tiny obstruction to the water-flow. As soon as I do the water under pressure explodes in my face. It is an impressive geyser of water which, unobstructed would have shot ten feet in the air. The water is shockingly cold. I lurch upward and hit the back of my head on the over-hanging cabinet. The force of the blow knocks my glasses off. They fall into the tank. I fish for them. The water continues to soak the cabinet and me and most of the room. Finally I fall to my knees and turn off the water-supply. I put the thing back together, clean up the mess.

Lois calls from the other room. “Everything OK?”

“Yup, I gotter. We’re all good now.”

I emerge from the room wiping my hands on a rag like an old pro feigning manliness. “Anything else need fixed? No? Very good. I’m heading for the library.”

It’s spring. I have things to do around the house. I need an intelligent and orderly approach to things. It is my manly duty. Duty calls. I’m going downstairs to get my tool box. Pray for me.

P.S. If you are woman married to a handy man. Get down on your knees and thank God for him. Make him a wonderful dinner. Light candles. Give him a back rub. You are blessed.

Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
March 21, 2011