Need a Toolbox? (part 1)

My father is the definition of a handy-man. Whether it is in the context of construction, automobile repair, lawn and gardening, appliances, or or overall repairs. I have always been amazed at the depth of his knowledge and his confidence in dealing with each situation as it would arise. I have learned much from him. I'm not close to, nor do I believe I will ever be as gifted as he is at working with his hands. Yet I remain so thankful and blessed for all that he has shared with me and hope to retain as much of it as possible.

The physical benefits of having such a father are numerous. Financially, I have been able to save so much money because of his wisdom. A simple example of this would be my ability (thanks to him) of being able to service my own vehicle. (This includes so many chapters in the "Chronicles of the T-bird") In addition, the repairs that have been required for my car have almost completely been done either by my father or at least under his supervision, saving the cost of labor that would have been paid to a mechanic. (This list of benefits really could go on and on.)

Secondly, there was a sense of comfort to be had in knowing that most any problem which arose as we were growing up could probably be fixed by my dad. Although technology is taking over the world, I hope that I will be able to share some of this same knowledge with my own children one day. The same healthy sense of independence and confidence in your work.

However, there was always one very annoying characteristic that accompanied my "handy-man" father. Whenever either of my sisters or I were outside working with him, he would often ask us to hand him specific tools. We would begin looking for the requested tool, knowing that he had just held it in his hand, and would not be able to find it. And almost without fail, the tool being searched for was eventually found in the same place: his back pocket! I remember getting so aggravated when he would ask us over and over for the screwdriver or the wrench and we couldn't find it. Finally, we got to the point where we would begin our search for the tool by asking him if it was in his back pocket. Even now remembering these times makes me laugh.

I remember my mom once telling me that before we came along and when she would have been outside helping my dad, she would routinely place the tool back in the toolbox as soon as my dad wasn't using it. This would guarantee that she could find it again. However, it meant that my dad would have no idea where things were. This has always been a very humorous situation in my mind.

Similarly, I have often found myself wanting a "spiritual toolbox" of sorts. A place where I can organize everything that the Lord is teaching me so that when needed, I will know exactly where to find it. There are so many things that I am learning and I can foresee times when I will need access to those things. Not every tool can fit in your back pocket. And instead of spending exorbitant amounts of energy and time trying to locate whatever may be needed, I hope to find a toolbox to place it all in. I can see myself now asking the Lord to remind me about certain truths or realities that I've learned but can't seem to fully wrap my mind around again, only to have Him ask me, "Is it in your back pocket?"

May you find a place to organize everything the Lord shares with you in such a way to make room for the limitless amount of revelation He has left to share with you.