One of my favorite exercises to keep my mind sharp while also feeding my spirit is to memorize God’s Word; specifically some of the Psalms. Since there’s 150 Psalms and I’ve memorized like 7 I’m hardly in line for a medal; however as I do get older and my mind becomes more selective, memorizing things that matter is part of my “activity” to age gracefully. A favorite of mine is Psalm 92 and specifically how it compares the righteous (God’s people) to the growth of a palm tree, and that it still bears fruit, even unto old age (Ps 92:12-15). I remember reading this verse to my mother a couple years ago when she was questioning why she was still...
Every woodworker knows that once friends and family know you have a shop and a few tools, all sorts of random requests come your way. Everything from, "could you remodel my kitchen" to " can you repair a drawer in an old chest". For a carpenter, every request is a bit like a challenge issued.........we hate saying "no" to any project because "sure, I can do that":). It's a blessing and a pitfall. The blessing is that you get the pleasure of helping out a friend, solving a problem, or "fixing" a treasure. The pitfall is that we "wood guys" can end up taking on projects that are either beyond our shop capabilities or that divert our focus. Did I...
I recently finished a 'special" project.........while undertaking a new cutting board design inspired by another woodworker's online video, I finally got around to making a special cheese board for my wife. I've made numerous ones, some in the beautiful "tumbling squares" pattern as well as several others. She has helped with the design details, sourcing and choosing the complementary hardware for each, but every completed project found its way out the door as either a gift to someone special or to our retail marketplace. So as I took on this new design I decided it was time to rectify that situation. Here is a link to the "Slovenian Woodworker" who inspired my new board... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cniYoTxiEek&t=48s After considering his...
