July 10, 2006
Bring the Pain
Today we built the flooring for a bunkhouse and put it up on cinder blocks. One sentence seems inadequate to capture it, but there it is. Did I mention that this is Mississippi? And that it's July? Just want to get all the facts on the table.
My body is bitterly protesting what I have done to it today. It has no idea what's coming tomorrow. I just hope my arm regains the capacity to drive nails. Towards the end of the day I covered by offering to let some of the girls use my hammer. "Here sweetheart, why don't you drive a few?" Meanwhile, I'm feeling like Gumby after two minutes in the microwave.
I took one of the teenaged boys aside and told him he's not eating tomorrow if he takes another two-hour break. It's biblical; you can look it up.
I hate confrontation. I have, however, a reputation for being scary, according to some folks from my group. So I lean on that. Better that he not know how bad I feel for making him feel bad. Why? Because he has the strength to do this work, and we do him a disservice if we let him give up, not to mention a disservice to the people we came to help. Our crew is loaded with compassionate men, so I'm content to be the scary guy.
Actually, I kind of like it. Don't tell anyone I'm just a teddy bear behind the goatee and black glasses.
Posted by Woodlief on July 10, 2006 at 08:53 PM
Goatee? You have a goatee? Somehow your writing just never lent itself to a goatee. That has forever changed my image of this whole thing. I'll really have to think about that one.
Posted by: greg at July 11, 2006 8:15 AM
Someone has to put the hammer down. It can be somewhat amusing when you view yourself in some situations as a cuddly-fuzzy nice guy, but then find out afterwards people were intimidated by you. I suppose the Apostle Paul intimidated a few folks when all he was trying to do was love them.
It's interesting how people view their first missionary trip before they leave, during the visit, and then afterwards. It can (hopefully) be life changing.
Posted by: MarcV at July 11, 2006 8:35 AM
Okay...
The image conjured with the goatee, black glasses and hammer just makes me feel warm all over. I know that look and I LIKE IT!
Miss you. Not just your labor either :).
Posted by: the wife at July 11, 2006 11:04 AM
Hey Tony...love it! Wish I were there...and you would never scare me! Hey I have a book for your reading pleasure...you might have already read it, I am loving it..Max Lucado's, Cure for the Common Life...Living in your Sweet Spot. The title will make sense when you read it...anywho, serving like that is my Sweet Spot...
Keep posting!
Posted by: angela at July 12, 2006 10:38 AM
Are you still scary without the goatee and hammer?
Good work, keep 'em coming.
Posted by: Josh Harmon at July 12, 2006 12:30 PM
Posted by: Tim McNabb at July 12, 2006 3:27 PM
Just make sure they never read your blog!
Posted by: Scott at July 14, 2006 9:57 AM
