Ode to tools...

Any man who has had the pleasure of being married and has moved in with his beloved to a new space to share daily life in will have learned just how valuable tools really are. If you are going to effectively fix up your honey's nest the right way, you need those faithful companions.

So this is not my first go around with the wonderful adventure of making a new home home, but it's definitely one that I have come to be so very grateful for my tools, and being able to do the job just adds to the satisfaction of the result after some good  hard hands-on work.

The first time, when Becca and I got a 1 bedroom apartment to kick off our newlywed life in, I had a hammer, 1 phillips-head and one flat-head screwdriver, a socket wrench set, and an oil filter wrench. That was it. Obviously the oil filter wrench was of no use to me in the homemaking (I purchased it only AFTER changing the oil on Becca's car and mutilating the filer with a pair of crescent pliers...). And the socket wrench set wasn't of any real use since everything I was asked to put together, hang, etc basically was all screws. So trusty hammer and handy screwdrivers got me through alright, but not without some maiming to the drywall. Since then, I have learned some lessons.


And this is one of the greatest reasons I have to thank my In-Laws for...

For Christmas this year, Dad and Mom Bowden HOOKED ME UP! Not only did a get a brand new, fully-loaded tool box with practically everything you could need for any basic honey-do list item, but there was a very special piece that was added to the wonderful gift... the glorious STUD FINDER! Oh what a life-saver it's been in this new huge 3 bedroom apartment! So much more wall space and so many things for Becca to have things hung upon! Don't get me wrong, I want it all decked out too, but my woman has the eye. I get to do what I'm told and do it right the first time, and that's all I need; I'm happy =).

So now we have a beautifully decorated home with colors that flow and balance and an all around wonderful feeling of homeyness and peace... and that's just the front rooms and kitchen. Much more to be done yet, but with my new sidekicks, I'm not sweating it... that is until I am actually doing the work, then there's plenty of sweat to go around =).

To close my thoughts... isn't this a great depiction of the life we live in Jesus? He sets the tasks before us, in every season, and gives us all the tools we need to do the job. Sometimes, (and maybe even more often than not, especially in the harder seasons) we don"t actually realize that God has already given us what we need to accomplish His will for our lives, long term and short. We need to remind ourselves often that God is a God who loves to see His kids succeed, loves to come through for them, loves to see us grow and overcome... Because that is who we are and how we're meant to be.

So the next time you have that thought "I can't do this...", remember, Jesus said "with Man, this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible". (Matt. 19:26).

In other words, He is always saying "We can."