Over the past several days I faced a familiar woodworker's crisis: one of my favorite tools, my lathe, quit working.

 I had purchased an inexpensive starter lathe awhile back and put out several nice products including pepper grinders, salt shakers and French rolling pins.

Now it was time for an upgrade.  

Woodworkers love their tools and I’m no different. Many, like myself, also love the research involved before our next purchase; then there’s the weighing of price, practicality and performance.  This is where my #1 fan comes in.  

My beautiful wife is not only my best friend but also my greatest encourager.  She knows me; she listens to me, and she pays attention.  As I was wrestling through my decision my wife simply said to me “I think you should forget about the cheapest option.”

Turning wood is fun, and I love putting combinations of woods together; but oftentimes this means exotic hardwoods that put our tools to the test. My wife knows this, but she also sees the quality products we’re able to produce and knows how much a quality tool adds to our results.  So our decision was made: a JET JWL-1221VS!  I put the order in yesterday.

I’m spending far more than I originally intended but my wife is far more gracious than I ever deserved, and she helps me to see the bigger picture in a purchase: time, quality, and results.

I’m guessing there’s a lot of woodworkers like me that have a precious bride who not only tolerates our woodworking obsessions but also encourages us while helping us stay balanced.  I’m grateful for my wife and I tell her so; which leads me to my “lessons of life” that I’ve found invaluable.

#1.  If you want to impress me….. compliment my wife.

#2.  If want my respect…..compliment YOUR wife.

Don’t take your most valuable resource for granted!