this presented a small problem. it actually became a large problem in our family. z is bookish. before we left she sold a LOT of books to 1/2 price books. i won’t tell you how much she made…but, if you’ve ever sold them books, your jaw would drop.

so, we have the remainder books. the ones that made the cut.

our little problem

now we need a place to store display these. budget $0. i was given a deadline and the instructions “something that holds books.”

when you are poor, everything seems so much more valuable. when the guy down the street leaves an old rusty toolbox out for the trash, you ask him if you can have it. when you drive past a house that is remodeling, you look at the old doors and say, “wow, those are nice!”

trash can be very impressive.

at work we had hundreds of pallets we couldn’t get rid of.

so, one evening i borrowed my sister-in-law’s truck and claimed a couple.

that green toolbox, yup, that's the one i rescued from the trash

after some planning, a bit of sweat and some sanding…
i turned my $0 budget into “something that holds books.”

front view

side view

well, i’m pretty stoked with how they turned out!

there are 3 for now .i might make a couple more…we’ll see.

lemme know what you think!

ace has followed his mama into a deep love of books. we needed a way for him to get to some of the books (thicker pages & board books) AND be able to put them away himself while keeping others out of his reach. i wanted him to be able to see the front of the books so he could choose what he wanted to read without emptying the shelf.

Budget = $0

well, i had a pallet from behind the building at work. after searching the web i got some ideas. i made some alterations to fit our project.

1 pallet = 2 shelves and some scraps.

1. make a couple cuts
2. pry off 2 boards
3. sand
4. attach board to bottom of shelf
5. find studs & mount on wall.

well, “wala,” as he has been dubbed, may not be the best toy. he may not be the cutest. but, ace sure loves him.

yesterday, when ace woke us up, wala had his 2nd split. his tummy was losing fluff. today, i could have used a sewing machine…but, i decided not to. like the week i made him, like the last time he had a split, i sewed him by hand. i sat and prayed. i remembered the prayers i prayed all those months ago while making the first stitches. i thanked God for the little guy ace has become. i prayed for his future.

i poured my love into making wala for ace…and i will continue.

well ace, as soon as you wake up from your nap. wala is waiting.

i spent a lot of time thinking about what i what i should do. should i change careers? what was i designed for? i started thinking about how easy it would be if i had a family business to move into. my dad once mentioned having a family pizza place (pizza king or noble romans). since i was a kid i’ve been intrigued by the idea of a family business. the idea of a legacy passed on. you might have a new take on something, but you were working for something much bigger than yourself. it was there before you. it would be there after you. it would be for a cause. if would be for the family.

i hoped to find this same idea in a new job. i was ready to give up and just take something. anything to pay the bills. one day i got a job offer. over the next 24 hours i received 3 more. i’m was sitting on 4 offers and the weekend to decide.

i weighed them. 2 would not be challenging and would require us to move 1 hour away. one would be challenging, be around fun people, have no cause and take a lot of time from our family. as i began to weigh the 4th, it hit me. everyday i would put jeans on, go be jesus and lead others to be jesus.

the thought was loud. the thought was clear. it was as if God said, “son, this is the family business.”

so, as of September 1, 2011 i am the communications director of 6 Stones.

first couple days…

kicking and swimming…

now he’s rolling over on his own and floating.

levi is a tax collector. these guys are hated. they are seen as greedy, cheating traitors.
levi is there taxing fishermen. he’s prolly been doing this for some time.
Jesus’s first followers are fishermen.
the fisherman/followers prolly know levi.
Jesus says, “join the club.”

awkward.

we never see any problems arising from this. how were these guys able to put family/cultural beliefs behind them and work together?

i think i would have a hard time with this. if i felt like someone stole from my family, i couldn’t be his friend anytime soon.

i have worked with people that i didn’t like. i’ve worked in christian settings & churches and had people that i avoided at all cost. looking back i had no good reason. all i was doing was causing discord on the team. would the disciples’ ministry have been as effective had they let this tax collector thing divide them? i don’t see how it could have been.

Matthew 5.9 says,”Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” it says peacemakers. not “those who hope for peace” or “those who prefer peace.”

peacemakers.

why does it feel like those following christ are often at war? we argue, make plans and try to get things our way. we try and compete. i know i do. it sounds too simple, but sometimes i just need someone to say, “we are on the same team.”

so, let’s make peace.

so, i’ve been reading.

i thought i’d see Jesus in a fresh way. but, i’m getting a much clearer picture of the disciples.

the first chaps following Jesus are fishermen. i’ve always thought he went and wrangled up some poor people. but these guys are self-sufficient. at least 2 of them, john & james, come from a family business. They left their dad in the boat (their boat) with the hired help (Mark 1.20). i don’t know too many poor folk who have hired help…or a boat.

so, these guys that Jesus chose as his first followers aren’t royalty or in the upper class. but, they aren’t in the lower class as i’ve always understood. they are basically middle class. they have family businesses, or are self-employed. they are ok.

i have friends who own their own businesses, are self-employed, or have nice jobs. even my friends who have financial “problems” are doing very well compared to the rest of the world. they are ok.

basically, i’m realizing that these fishermen are me & my friends. they are us. if Jesus walked into your office building, bank, plant or cubicle and said, “follow me,” would you? would i?

let me know what you think.

i’m still playin around with some different styles of illustration.

comments?