Of Tools and Blood

Men automatically know how to use tools, did you know that? God has given men the unique ability to know how to use any tool for any purpose at any time without needing to learn how to use said tool. Well, in reality that is a little untrue.

The truth is every man is born thinking he knows how to use every tool in the world. (This is one of the facts of life that keep emergency rooms at the hospital as busy as they are.) I used to take teenagers on mission trips to the Dominican Republic in order to build chapels for local churches. We went with Time Ministries, http://timeministries.org/ ,and they provided all the lumber and TOOLS we needed for the job. After my first trip I began telling the students as we planned for the trip that the girls were better with the tools than the guys were. Of course this ruffled the feathers of testosterone high 17 year olds but hey it was true! Why was it true? Girls looked at a screw gun and said 'How do i use this?' Guys grab the screw guns out of the girls hands and in the universal Tim Taylor grunt proceed to break off and bore out as many screws as possible.

In case you did not know this TESTOSTERONE is a overpowering slavedriver. It keeps us males from stopping and asking for advice. Why? well if we need to ask for help or advice who do we have to ask? Another man? OH! I think not! that puts me in an inferior place and we simply cannot have that! Or what if we have to ask... a...wo...wo...wom...woman? Insert favorite form of ritual suicide here.

Oh wow I was gonna talk about me and tools. Well, i have matured enough to be able to admit that I am not good with tools. Mature? No not really i just have learned that when i pick up a tools of any type I bleed. Pain and stitches will eventually teach even the toughest man something.

I have:

• Mashed every digit on my left hand with hammers.
• Attempted to trim my finger nails with and electric hedgetrimmer 11 stitches i think.
• Cut my hand to the tune of 6 stitches and tendon repair while using and adjustable wrench.
• Applied pressure to a double edged carpet knife with my index finger. (Too proud to go for stitches that time.

Even now as I type i see a half healed knuckle from attempting to use a magic marker! Well, we are a sad bunch at times but we do get stuff done. Like now i must return to putting up wall paper in the hall. So, Have a great day! Now where are those band aids...?