Trips down memory lane are the only international travel that I am taking these days. I took two of them today. They were good for me. They might be good for you – and for your children and grandchildren.
But first, how do you like my block work? I could not mortar the blocks, as this is a rental. The landlord likes us. He extended our lease for three years at the same rent. But he would not want me putting up a permanent structure for composting and growing vegetables. So, the blocks are stacked dry. A rod driven through the corner blocks should hold it up.
Trip One
It must have been 1971. I was about thirteen. On the way home from morning worship dad said, “After evening worship, Brother Smith will ask you to come work for him tomorrow. You will agree. If he offers to pay you, you will say ‘No thank you, sir.’”
At the time, Francis Smith must have been about 70. He and my dad did not agree on a few things. Occasionally, they had sharp disagreements. But my father admired Brother Smith. He taught me to do so as well. Francis lost his right arm as a youth. His wife was legally blind. They raised two adopted daughters and took care of Francis’ mother into her 90s. He was a man well worth admiring.
That Monday, Francis Smith taught me how to lay blocks dry for things like compost bins. Many of you have heard me speak of the day, about seven years earlier, when I saw him run a wheelbarrow loaded with broken concrete up the steps out of the basement of the church building.
So, here is some advice. If there is a Francis Smith near you, send your son to work for him. I did not get any pay that day, but that may have been the most rewarding day of work I ever put in.
Second memory trip
I did not bring a mason's hammer. So, I had some trouble braking the blocks. Most of the time I used a four-pound engineer’s hammer. But for one job a smaller hammer was needed. I used this one. It took me on another memory trip.
This hammer is over 65. I broke the handle once. My dad said, “How dare you break my hammer. I have had that hammer longer than I have had you.” I will make two comments on that.
First, it does not matter how old a tool is. If it works, use it. The desire to have the latest model is wasteful. Consider Jeremiah 6:16 more often.
Second, do not say something like that. It was meant in jest, but it hurt. I keep that hammer because it is useful, and as a reminder that joking with people who may be insecure can be dangerous.