BUILDING BARNS

I probably should have just borrowed the money, or just gone to the savings account and taken out enough to build it.  Probably should have just hired a contractor and let them do it.  But I am "thrifty".( That's a nice way of saying that I squeak when I walk, I'm a penny-pincher, a tight-wad).  So I set a long term goal and with a short term memory. And with absolutely no idea how to start the task much less complete it, I set out to build a barn.

In order to save money, I will have to pull down the old barn and shed and use the good lumber that's in them. I'm good at smashing stuff not so good at putting it back together.  

I told everyone that I was in no hurry.  "If I get the roof on by October I'll be happy.  I'll just buy one board at a time". But you know that's not the way it will be don't you?

I wouldn't have been afraid of building a dog house, or bird house or even a chicken coop.   I wouldn't have known how to do it but I would have had no trepidation in beginning the process.  But just saying "I'm going to build a barn" gives me the "heebie-jeebies".

If I just wouldn't have read Luke 12.  If I would have skipped over that part I could have gone right ahead and built my barn with no problems.  But there it was a big as day,
 
"This will I do" the old guy said, " I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods" ..."But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be.."? 


But God, I need a good barn.  I need a good place to keep the tractor and equipment out of the rain.  I need a good place to store the tools. Lord, my son-in-law has a great barn and he don't even have a tractor.

Not good enough.  Still looks too much like the guy in Luke 12.  But I have a plan.

Every year for the past 10 years or so we have been holding what I call the "barn dance" for our church.  Now, we are good ole southern Nazarene Christians and God would send hell fire and brimstone down and burn us all up like Sodom and Gomorrah if we even thought about dancing. I couldn't dance if my feet were on fire but I call it that just to give grief to our pastor.  He calls it the October fest, or the Fall Festival..anything but the barn dance.

So if I build the barn in order to give us a really good place to have the "barn dance"...wow! what a deal.  That sounds nothing at all like the guy in Luke 12.

So :I began the process.  My oldest son had a telephone pole that he donated.  My middle son gave me $25.00 for Christmas to buy the next pole.  I saved up to get the third one and even my little ole 91 year old Mama dug around in her stash and pulled out $25.00 for the 4th pole.

I had no idea how to put a 20 foot pole in the ground. The first one took Derek and I almost an entire day. The second went up in about 5 hours.  The third was much quicker and the  4th heck, I did that one all by myself except for a little help from Keva working the wench.

What a blessing it was to get out there, in no hurry, under no pressure, working with my son, and building a barn.  What a blast to have my wife come out and help me.  She helped me so much I dropped 5 concrete blocks on my foot. And to see Granny hold on to that pole and grin a big grin as she envisioned the big ole red barn that would one day stand on that spot.

I believe I'm safe.  I don't believe God will be upset with this barn.  Because if you read on down in that chapter in about the 21st verse it says don't be like the guy who"lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God"  

I may have to save to buy lumber.  I may have to  pull nails instead of buying more.  But one thing I'm sure of, "I am rich".  I am rich  because of the wonderful place God gave me.  I am rich because of the peace He has placed in my heart through His Son Jesus.  And I am rich because of a great family that will help an old man reach for his crazy goals.  I am rich because of God, I am rich by God's help and I am "rich toward God".

So come on buy if you are out this way.  You'll probably see me out there swaying back and forth on that shaky old ladder, smashing my finger with the hammer, dropping blocks on my toe.  But as you drive by don't make fun of my carpenter work and don't take notice how crooked the walls are, just tell yourself, "Look out there in that field, see that old man?  That's one of the richest men I know".