Moving in and Jack the Installer

No, not my son Jack.

Yesterday I had help from six guys from my office. We unloaded the two PODs in less than two hours. So our house is full of boxes and stuff but we did all sleep for the first night in our little home.

After taking the strappin' young bucks (and Bert who like me is in his 40's and no longer strappin' or young) who helped me out to brunch and then putting two cribs together, I hung around the house all afternoon as I had a hot water heater that I bought the other day at Lowe's installed. I must say my first impression of the installer, Jack, was that maybe he had smoked a few too many doobies in his day.

But actually we had several good conversations about life. Each time he totally stopped what he was doing. I kinda of was kicking myself after the first little discussion on life and values. I thought I totally blew any opportunity to talk about the Lord. I was silently praying for another chance as he went back to work.

Later I was able to bring up my faith. Actually he brought it up as he said in passing, "You are a Christian, right?" Now we hadn't moved in enough for him to see our cheesy Christian decoupage hung up - if we had cheesy Christian decoupage to hang. I would like to hope that he saw Christ in me. Maybe he just figured I wasn't cussing so I must be a Christian. Either way it was an answer to pray and I was glad I had another chance.

Turns out Jack was a believer but he had not been walking with the Lord of late - though not a doobie smoker as I had wrongly profiled. We ended up having some cool discussions. The longest was after he finished everything and I imagine normally might be anxious to get home. He talked about how the Lord had really shown Himself in many ways in his life. I was pretty impressed as he talked about times were he really listened to the Lord and even did plumbing stuff for free because he felt like the Lord was telling him too. Jack said he felt like the Lord had him come work at my house for a purpose to encourage him as he had been having a hard time of late.

I hope our home is always a place where we get to talk about the Lord and bless people; whether guys like Jack or anyone else the Lord brings our way. I hope we will seize every opportunity to talk of the life He desires all of us to experience. I also hope its because of our love for Him. Actually this is what my weekly post at STINT Leaders is about: not leaving our first love.