January 19 – “Amish Cabinet Maker Guys”

Today was "Meet the Amish Cabinet Maker Guys" Day.  Seriously.  Everything we did up until around one o'clock was tempered by the thought in the back of our minds that "Pretty soon we meet the Amish guys."  We went to WalMart to order some pictures of our two little new additions.  We also had a few things that we were going to buy while there.  Problem was, the lines were kind of long.  And it was almost time for the Amish Cabinet Maker Guys to be at the house.  So we did what any other typical, Galveston-based, WalMart shopper would do.  We took our spiral notebook and mini-photo albums and hid them behind the "Make a necklace out of beads" kits in the crafts section.  The plan was to return after our meeting and pick them up then.  We did.   Now.  We got to the house ahead of the Amish Cabinet Maker Guys.  Our framing crews were there on their lunch break.  I was rather jealous.  They had set up their little griddle again and were making some soft tacos or tamales or something.  Sure smelled good.  Oh, did I mention we hadn't eaten yet either?  Didn't want to get caught waiting for food at Sonic when "The Call" came through.  It was interesting to do a quick walk-through and try to figure out what all had been done.  The wall adjustments were obvious.  It was the replacing of bad studs and hidden stuff like that that was hard to discover.    Finally, the Amish Cabinet Maker Guys arrived.  Two young guys with a soft briefcase and a tape measure.  One had a little bit of facial hair and the other was clean-shaven.  That one looked like a teenager.  They asked if we had a drawing.  Of course, Chris did.  I volunteered to go to the car to retrieve it.  Meanwhile they started drawing and measuring and asking questions and using "Amish Cabinet Maker Guy" words that I had never heard before.  I must say I was impressed with my wife.  She was right with them most of the time.  She had done her homework and then some, so all those obscure carpenter/cabinetry details were second nature to her.  They left with their own sketches and notes and assurances that we would get some drawings in an email by Monday or Wednesday of next week.  After that we could come to their showroom in Houston and pick out wood and stain and make changes and make a deposit if we liked what we saw.  To be honest I was so lost and hungry by the time they left, all I wanted was a large cherry limeade slush and something – anything - on the Sonic menu.    I have no idea if we can afford what these guys will come up with as a price for our cabinets, but it was sure worth meeting them.  They were fun to be around.  The beard guy was so passionate about the project that his brain was operating about three steps ahead of his mouth, which put him five or six steps ahead of me.  The other guy was very quiet until it became obvious that his cohort was racing past us.  Then he stepped in and calmly bridged the communication gap.  They were an amazing team.    In John 17:11 Jesus prays for believers: "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name — the name you gave me — so that they may be one as we are one."   Father, most of time I would settle for just being as in sync with you as the Amish Cabinet Maker Guys were with each other.  I can't even imagine all that's really involved in being one with you.  Wow.  Amen.