The last Thursday of the month of October…
Hard to believe two Thursdays from now we will have elected a new president…
Can you imagine taking a job where less than 50% of the people hiring you voted for you to get the job? Crazy!
Years ago I built a swing set.
I bought all the necessary hardware in a “kit” and then purchased the “lumber” to complete the project.
The directions on the kit suggested with “two” people working together the project could be completed in 2-4 hours.
Piece of cake!
I can do this all by myself!
I had set aside the whole Saturday for the project as the kids waited eagerly.
You know where this story is going don’t you…
After four hours I had the crossbeam attached to the hardware for the four legs…
That’s it!
The kids were no longer waiting.
The kids were no longer eager.
I was all alone in the abysmal abyss of my backyard with my “NSFW” (Not Safe For Work) thoughts…
As Three Dog Night sang so long ago and yet, whose words ring and rang so true,
“One is the loneliest number…”
Reluctantly and despairingly, I called my friend Steve Offutt for help.
He asked me, “What tools do you have?”
I laughed out loud!
Thirty minutes later Steve arrived with all of Home Depot in the back of his truck.
He assessed the situation.
Looked at the lumber and the kit, looked at me, looked at the lumber and the kit, looked at me and then a huge smile creased under his dark mustache as he removed his baseball cap scratching his bald head.
All I could muster was, “That bad?”
Steve chuckled and confidently said, “Let’s get started!”
I thought to myself, “Let’s get started? I started four and a half hours ago! How about “Let’s continue!!!”
Six hours later the project was completed.
If I ever meet the engineers who said it would only take 2-4 hours it will be an NSFW encounter! HA!
A special shout out to my friend Steve for helping me out!
Ecclesiastes states the obvious which is so often ignored…
⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12)
Do you have difficulty asking for help?
Isn’t it easier just to do it by yourself?
Is it true, two are better than one?
Ecclesiastes has some wise words for you, for me, for our relationships, for our workplace, for our church.
Let’s come together this Sunday as the body of Christ, as the community of faith, as the fellowship of believers, as the Church!
Otherwise, Three Dog Night’s song will ring oh so true:
One is the loneliest number…
Grace and peace,
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!