1 Peter 5:6-7

[Rob Nelson]

Brothers in Christ,

As some of you know, I began knifemaking 5 or so years ago to put some creative quiet time into my life in the wake of a battlefield injury. I never got very good at it, and I give them away as gifts to family & friends, so for me it's only ever really been a time for quiet contemplation, trying to identify with the creative aspect of the image of the One in whose image we were made. Military service asserted itself back into my life, and knife making took a 3 year break until this past week as I was preparing a sermon from 1 Peter 5 on the relationship between pride, humility and anxiety. I was reminded while studying that knife making for me had been a time when I could cast my anxieties on Him and simply enjoy time with Him; so I ordered a few Russell blanks from BossDog, pulled out the box of leftovers and set back up the shop. After the sunday morning service, Mrs. Nelson went out shopping - something she never does since our daughter grew up and left the house - and I went in the shop, and 5 hours went by like a few minutes. I'm remaking all my rookie mistakes, and I've got a few new scars on my knuckles, but for 5 hours I had a taste of that peace that seems so elusive. Sadly, the shop will go back into boxes in just a few short months as we are transferring again (4th time in 5 years) this time to Okinawa, and we're only allowed 1/4th of our weight to go with us. But I think at least for the next few months I'm going to carve out some quiet time in the shop, put some handles on some more blanks, and intentionally cast my anxieties upon Him as I do so.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

 

[Calvin Robinson]

Welcome back.
Enjoy it while you can Rob.
God bless you my friend.

 

[Ed of all trades]

My wife is a quilt maker and the one she is working on now is a queen size tumbling block that she sewed the pieces together by hand and is now quilting by hand. People don't understand but she says her needle "sings" when she is close to God. I too love the peace of the shop. I will be praying that He will make a way for enough of your shop to go with you that you can have the joy and piece that it brings with you. Ed

 

[Bill Hubbell]

Rob-
Thank you for your insights. I sometimes struggle accepting (and being thankful for) the limited time I seem to get to work on knives. It's hard when I see others growing so much in their skills, and I seem to be almost stagnant for long periods of time. Thanks for reminding me that we are here for more than just making knives. And, comparing ourselves to others is almost always non-productive, whether in our financial status, position, or I guess, knife-making. I've told others, the main thing is to find joy in it. Sometimes I forget that, but I really do. I can't say that I always focus on spiritual things while woking, but it does help me ecsape the craziness of thisworld for awhile, and that's the first step to being still enough to hear His voice. And, I can't imagine departing with only 1/4 of my weight in possessions, and yet, how much of our stuff will we take to Heaven- and I know we won't miss any of it there! Thanks for reminding me with scripture to 'humble myself' and focus on my relationship with the Lord, as He is the true source of peace and healing.
In Christ,
Bill

 

[Raymond Richard]

Brothers in Christ,

As some of you know, I began knifemaking 5 or so years ago to put some creative quiet time into my life in the wake of a battlefield injury. I never got very good at it, and I give them away as gifts to family & friends, so for me it's only ever really been a time for quiet contemplation, trying to identify with the creative aspect of the image of the One in whose image we were made. Military service asserted itself back into my life, and knife making took a 3 year break until this past week as I was preparing a sermon from 1 Peter 5 on the relationship between pride, humility and anxiety. I was reminded while studying that knife making for me had been a time when I could cast my anxieties on Him and simply enjoy time with Him; so I ordered a few Russell blanks from BossDog, pulled out the box of leftovers and set back up the shop. After the sunday morning service, Mrs. Nelson went out shopping - something she never does since our daughter grew up and left the house - and I went in the shop, and 5 hours went by like a few minutes. I'm remaking all my rookie mistakes, and I've got a few new scars on my knuckles, but for 5 hours I had a taste of that peace that seems so elusive. Sadly, the shop will go back into boxes in just a few short months as we are transferring again (4th time in 5 years) this time to Okinawa, and we're only allowed 1/4th of our weight to go with us. But I think at least for the next few months I'm going to carve out some quiet time in the shop, put some handles on some more blanks, and intentionally cast my anxieties upon Him as I do so.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

Rob, You must be a Chaplain. Where you a chaplain before you got wounded? I was an army grunt in Nam. Every so often they would fly "Batman" out on a chopper to the fire bases and landing zones. I'd go to the service mainly to get a taste of win. Didn't have any real belief while I was over there. Strange times back then for me.

 

[Rob Nelson]

Rob, You must be a Chaplain. Where you a chaplain before you got wounded? I was an army grunt in Nam. Every so often they would fly "Batman" out on a chopper to the fire bases and landing zones. I'd go to the service mainly to get a taste of win. Didn't have any real belief while I was over there. Strange times back then for me.

Sir, I am; I was a soldier for 3 years, then a Marine for 8 more. I've been a Chaplain for 10 years now, and was wounded a few months out of Chaplain school on my first combat deployment. Managed to get them to let me recover in country, returned outside the wire within a week to go visit my men. Got around to getting really checked out later on down the road, and now by the grace of God, all of the lingering effects are almost completely gone.

I came back to KD today to look for some pictures to show one of my officers here came up to me and asked if I'd help him make a knife for a friend. He saw one of the Russells I put on a handle for a mutual friend. Sadly he waited until literally the week after my shop is packed for storage, but I still had a box of parts and some epoxy in the shed. He and his family have been regulars at the chapel for a year and a half, comes to the weekly bible studies, even though I know his course load here (NPS) is overwhelming. I think God knew I needed a pick me up, and sent Joe my way to get me going again ... can't take the shop, but I can probably finish out some blanks in Okinawa, maybe work on my finishing technique while I can't work on the blades themselves. Well, when I'm not deployed that is ... I've been exercising with a weight vest to get back to being used to the PPE. I'm really too old for this

Appreciate prayers for our transition, this has been a rough one. The pup in my avatar has stage 3 kidney failure, and though the vet has cleared him to fly, we're very nervous.