My daughter, Colleen, has been working hard lately in her Dad’s old workshop attempting to bring some order.
Everybody in three counties knew that Steve was a junk hoarder. Sanford and Son had nothing on him!
He never threw anything away! He was absolutely offended if I discarded any of his valuable hoard.
He would go into his legendary shed, and come out with just the right item to finish a job he was working on. Rusty pipes, old toilets, old doors, windows, burlap bags, tin cans—good for holding nails and screws, I’m told—broken down shelves, wire, string, old lumber, old items of iron—you name, he had it. You would think he would never miss anything.
Sometimes in desperation in the dark of night, I would dispose of things. It wasn’t safe to put things in the dumpster, either because invariably, he saw them and retrieved his precious items, all the while recriminating me because I had the audacity to throw anything away.
I had learned to burn up old shoes thoroughly caked with paint and so run over at the heels, one wondered how somebody could ever keep their balance by wearing them.
God sees possibilities in people who others think might be throwaways. God looks at those old windows and sees stained glass glowing. God can and will use anyone who is willing to be used.
Do you feel like you’re on the shelf in God’s shed? Never fear! God can use you. He says, “I’ll keep that person. I’ll be able to use him someday.” He can and will make something beautiful of us, and in so doing be a blessing to many.
Thoughts From the Garden 