Six weeks or so ago we had this mean windstorm on the hill. Remember? It really blew and I heard a crash but ignored it. The next day I looked outside the back door of my office and discovered that the vanity wall which had been built to hide the storage container had collapsed. It had done its job nicely, as had the storage container. Both had a purpose, and both did that purpose well. The old metal container didn’t add beauty or ambiance to the patio, so the wall was added. Each according to its purpose.

But when the wall came crashing down what was left was ugly. You could see the container in all its glory. But now there was this really long, but very short fence collapsed all over our succulents thriving in the planters. Well, it couldn’t stay like that. It was an eyesore from the offices and killing the plants and became a safety issue.

So a plea went out to find someone willing and able to make the repairs. And right away, the oldest carpenter in the church answered the call. And make them he did. A couple of folks stepped in at a few key junctures to facilitate the progress, but someone as old as Don Bricker can hardly be expected to do all of the repairs on his own. Right?

As it turned out, Don did do most of the repairs all by himself. I discovered that Don is meticulous with a saw and a hammer. He was out there so often and for so long that we almost had to put him on the payroll. But we enjoyed some long conversations as Don took his state-mandated breaks. And his daily after-lunch nap on the couch. He is in the “well over 80” range, to put it mildly.

But, thanks, Don, for the fence redo. He took it all apart, added fresh coat of paint, touched up the container, and reassembled it all – without a single complaint. Well, this is Don Bricker, so there were some well-placed jabs here and there. But he never stopped once he got started (we did give him weekends off). And we appreciated his time and careful attention to detail. He shared some new stories of life and days gone by. And now we enjoy the new fence. It serves its purpose in the grand scheme of things. Its role is somewhat limited, but it has its place. Just like us in the Kingdom. We all have our purpose, even though our role may be limited. Live your purpose, whether it’s as a vanity wall or a storage container. Live your purpose every day.