Home Handy Repairman Jack

Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)

So, I spent ALL of my day-off yesterday… my one day to relax and recharge for the week ahead… after a week full of 20 hr days… IN MY ATTIC.

Actually, it started Sunday afternoon (which is often the beginning of our family/down time). I did take a break to watch most of the Bills game, though I was cleaning the kitchen and cooking dinner while I was doing that…

Needless to say, it was not a very relaxing “weekend”…

But, I do have a great looking attic… it is nearly done. That is very very cool.

AND, I figured something out.

My dad is Mr. Handy Andy. (His name is not Andy, that just rhymed…) He can and does do any project he likes around the home. Even does stuff for other people. And, I think, he figures I should do the same thing. If there’s a home project, I need to get the tools and do it!

My father-in-law and brother-in-law are similarly minded I think (well, perhaps my father-in-law is more of a mind to have his son do it…) 🙂 Oh, and my neighbor and most of the members of my small group are Handy Randys … especially my neighbor. He is amazing. Really. He’s kinda like MacGuyver… 🙂

But I am not. God has gifted me in other areas. I am skilled in other arenas. But I am not gifted, skilled, nor do I desire to be in the area of “craftmanship” or whatever you want to call it.

And that’s not a bad thing.

I noticed yesterday that for some weird reason, everyone is expected to be able to do their own home repair or home projects. That’s why there’s Home Depot and other such stores. If you own a home, you are supposed to know what’s wrong (or be able to figure it out) and get yourself to the store and select just what you need from the 1004 options in one aisle and then install it with the greatest of ease with the somehwat cryptic instructions included (sometimes) with the box.

We don’t think that way about anything else. When your tooth hurts, you don’t grab the pliers and start diggin’ (well, outside of West Virginia, I mean…) When your car is not working, you don’t put on your coveralls and drive it into your garage with the hydraulic lift and get under there and check it out. (Well, my neighbor does…) 🙂 For most services we need performed, we talk to people who know what they are doing.

But, not for a leaking drain, or an attic project, or drywall, or ANY home repair project. If you do, you are either wasting money or lazy or stupid or something.

I think part of my above perception is related to the folks God has put around me, who are quite masterful at all things involving power tools. But I do think that generally it is true. And it should not be.

I am quite good, I think, at graphic design and especially website design. It is easy and fun for me. Most of the people I mentioned before wouldn’t know the first thing about a website. If they needed one, they would not think… well, I should figure out how to do this and do it myself. No, they would pay someone (preferably me…) to do it for them.

I am also a decent musician (only by God’s call and grace) 🙂 I make CDs. None of the folks above who can create amazing things with their hands would even think of creating an album for public consumption. And they don’t need to. NOR are they expected to.

But there’s a different standard for the home owner.

I have another brother-in-law who is equally gifted in craftmanship (equal to me, that is) and he is SO often the butt of jokes re: his skills with a hammer or measuring tape. Why? Do we make fun of you because you can’t perform surgery? Or because you can’t make a filling? Or because you can’t make a website? Of course not!!

We are all gifted in different ways. And mostly, I’d say, we understand that. And that is the beauty of God’s world. We all have a place in it. Hopefully you are doing what you are gifted at and you have a passion for it and enjoy it. And it is adding to society. AND, hopefully, people are not putting undue pressure on you to do things you are NOT gifted to do!!!

I decided yesterday that after this attic project … any project my Dad would like to do for me (I will even help him all he wants, but he must finish it!!!) would be received with gratitude. If my neighbor wants to help me with something… rock on.

BUT, I will not do any home repair or similar tasks on my own. My time is better spent paying someone who KNOWS what they are doing. Next year, when we plan to do some work in our kitchen… I AM HAVING SOMEONE DO IT!

YEAH!!! 🙂 I am feeling pretty good about my new-found freedom from the fetters of fraudulent expectations. (And some fun use of alliteration…)