Prodigal Ponderings — Christianity RSS



A "Small" Labor of Love

Lately I've been working on a "special" project.  It's nothing complicated..... no new or innovative design............not particularly "fine" woodworking............and yet, it's immensely satisfying.  I was asked to make toy cars to place in Christmas "shoe boxes" that will go to needy children with a message of God's love.  Such a "small" thing...........but a welcome opportunity to allow the Lord to use my woodworking skills for something to impact the hearts of little ones I will probably never meet.  Everything I have is mine only by the grace of God...........and that goes for my talents and abilities.  As I cut, sand and drill these little wooden vehicles I can imagine the hands that may treasure a small toy and the heart...

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Beauty in the Details....... Blessings Best Not Missed

My wife and I took a ride the other day to purchase a load of wood.  Our journey took us eastward through the "foothills" area of the north Georgia mountains.  Once past the multi-lane congestion of Atlanta, we wound our way through the picturesque countryside on the way to our destination. It was a beautiful early Fall day. The destination turned out to be a workshop full of some prime hardwood which was being sold in preparation for closing out the shop.  The owner, a very pleasant and industrious young man was preparing to pursue missionary work in Africa in a few months.  He patiently took the time to let us look through his wood supply and make our selections....

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Owning It: Me, Myself and I

Well this certainly sounds like a topic worth reading huh?  In reality, it's about one of the most life transforming lessons I've learned.. This blog is not about me (despite the title), it’s about how I've learned to speak and the effectiveness of the statements I make to others.( i.e. "I" and "me" statements.) Using I and me statements is essential to communication, yet they seem to be a lost art. These statements take complete ownership of what I represent while taking the enormous sting out of any accusations when I tend to “should” all over people (i.e., “you should….” or “Shouldn’t you…?”).   Here’s what I’ve learned: I and me personalize: (good thing this isn’t a blog on sentence structure...

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Why Blog??

Blogging is a fairly new activity of mine, one that I shied away from previously for a variety of reasons. I thought: who wants to read what I have to say ? Who would care? I’ve realized that blogging doesn’t mean you’re an expert on anything, but it does offer something of value for those who like to read and perhaps learn from others' experiences and observations. My blogging will only be interesting if you have an interest in my topics, like my writing or find my life experiences to be valuable. If you choose to “visit” me here regularly, and I hope you do ….. You’ll find a "smorgasbord" of offerings from highlights of new Prodigal Carpenter creations to...

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