I鈥檓 on vacation this week, spending extra time with family and working around home. With the help of others, both family and friends, we鈥檙e making our new place our own, just as we did at our last home, over a decade ago.
聽After we moved into Hope House in 2009, a precious friend spent ten long days helping us develop our basement. His quiet example of workmanship and generosity made a deep impression on our then almost-five-year-old grandson (now fifteen, and willingly assisting us with work at our current home.)
Benjamin spent several afternoons at our place while Todd* worked. One day he burst into my office, face aglow. 鈥淣ana, LOOK!
Todd made this for ME鈥攚asn鈥檛 that NICE?鈥� Almost reverently, he held out a simply constructed birdfeeder. Another afternoon, the Titanic floated upstairs. 鈥淚 made it, Nana. Todd helped.鈥� We filled the tub so he could launch the 2x4 ship. It leaned obligingly, but refused to sink.
On Todd鈥檚 final afternoon of work, I took our afternoon coffee downstairs instead of making our friend come up. Very little remained to do.
We sat in the laundry room, surrounded by newly sheeted walls, raised with love, grit and hands still bleeding from a nail puncture. When I noticed, I fetched an alcohol swab and a bandage. Benjamin watched the repair with interest, but back upstairs, he had a question.
聽鈥淣ana,鈥� he asked, 鈥淗ow long did it take God to make Todd?鈥�
聽鈥淥h, a very long time, I guess,鈥� I answered. 聽鈥淭here鈥檚 not many people like Todd. I think it must have been very hard to make such a good man.鈥�
聽That evening, the Preacher and I accompanied Todd to the door. His shoulders stooped. He鈥檇 put in another long day, and it had taken several trips to lug his tools to his truck.
鈥淭odd, we don鈥檛 know how to thank you,鈥� we said.
聽鈥淧astor,鈥� he confessed. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 look good at first. I didn鈥檛 think I鈥檇 ever finish鈥攂ut I did!鈥�
聽Benjamin, busy in another room, didn鈥檛 get to say good-bye to our friend. When he noticed Todd鈥檚 absence, he said, 鈥淲hen鈥檚 he coming back again?鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 not, honey. At least not for a while. He鈥檚 done working in our basement now. The walls are up.鈥�
Tears鈥攍arge as fat raindrops鈥攆illed his eyes. My heart hurt. As a child, I too formed attachments to adults who unconsciously made deep imprints鈥攖hen left again. I remember that emptiness.
聽After Todd left, I swept up the fresh sawdust. But first I ambled through the rooms, admiring the walls, telling God how grateful we were for Todd and his marvelous gift. Asking him to bless our friend as he had blessed us. Benjamin crouched on the floor, working on his latest project鈥攏ailing small pieces of drywall together. Suddenly, as naturally as could be, out came a heartfelt, 鈥淭hank you, God, for making Todd.鈥� That鈥檚 all.
聽A little time; a little care鈥攁 child remembers forever. We will too.
