Mending Fences

Comment

Comment by Jim Pokorny on April 23, 2010 at 1:20pm

Very nice. Please keep it up. I look forward to reading more. Blessings, Jim

Comment by Rosemarie Vest on April 17, 2010 at 11:02pm

Juline, WOW and thanks for your comments and for sharing. My prayers will be for your bridge to be strengthened and know I will walk across with you and be of support to you.

Now that I've conquered my initial fear of blogging, I am starting a second blog.

Thanks for your encouragement. Blessings, Rose

Comment by Juline Bruck on April 17, 2010 at 9:23pm

I read it the day you sent it :) If I could have a bridge, I'd want one to another 24 hour period that would be for me to use to get caught up. The temptation to stay as I am.. to resist growing.. to even resist forgiving was put in my path again. There's a relative who I'm not on speaking terms with. I know that maybe hard to believe. I generally get along with everyone. I'm trying to figure out how to be in relationship with this person and not have them take complete advantage.

In this case, I"d need not only a birdge but an armed escort. I've been living this way for years.. at least five. Maybe it could be different...

Comment by Jim Pokorny on April 12, 2010 at 4:07pm

Excellent. I pray God will bless your ministry. Blessings, Jim

Comment by Haelie on April 11, 2010 at 9:00pm

I love that story, Rose, and I love the verses and thoughts you added to it. I really am drawn to the subject of reconciliation as well. We have all messed up and continue to, but thank the Lord that He is our permanent reconciliation. Great job on your first blog, and congratulations on your new lay minister position with your church!

Comment by gary bob scott on April 10, 2010 at 3:56pm

That's good...so often we buid fences when God wants bridges...really goodddd...

Comment by Jerry Morgan Pierce Jr. on April 10, 2010 at 2:57pm

Oh what a marvelous job Rose, And as you mentioned It was God Himself who made the bridge for us to be reconcilled with Him. And it is just as important to us that we find ways to help mend bridges for others to see Christ in us so we can unite as one as God wanted us to do.

Comment by Rosemarie Vest on April 10, 2010 at 2:15pm

Mending Fences
I love to read and hear people’s stories. In the book “Multicultural Stories for Telling” one such tale recently spoke to my heart. Three were three characters in the story. One was old Joe, the other his neighbor and the third a handyman whom wandered in to the community. Old Joe lived in the countryside all by himself. His best friend was also his closest neighbor. It seemed that they did everything together. They even grew old together. Their wives had passed on and their children were living on their own. All they had were their farms-and each other.
For the first time in their long friendship they had a serious disagreement. They argued over a stray calf that neither one of them really needed. The calf was fond of the neighbor’s land and claimed it as his own. Old Joe said, “No, no; that calf has the same markings as one of my cows and I say it belongs to me!”They were both stubborn men, and neither one would give in. Rather than hit each other, they just quit talking. They stomped off to their respective doors and slammed them shut. Weeks passed without a word between them. Old Joe started to feel poorly.
One Saturday morning, Old Joe heard a knock at his door. He wasn’t expecting anyone and was surprised to see a young man at the door. He introduced himself as a traveling carpenter. He had a wooden toolbox at his feet, and there was kindness in his eyes. “I’m looking for work” he explained. “I’m good with my hands, and if you have a project or two I’d like to try to help you out. Old Joe said, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have a job for you. See that house over yonder? That’s my neighbor’s house. You see that creek running along the property line? That creek wasn’t there last week. He put it there to spite me. He hitched a plow to his tractor and dug that creek bed from the upper pond to the property line. Then he flooded it. Now we have this creek to separate us. I’m so darn mad at him. I’ve got lumber in my barn-boards, posts and everything you need to build me a fence. Build me a fence-a tall fence-along that creek. Then I won’t have to see his place no more! That’ll fix him! The carpenter smiled and said, I’ll do a good job for you, Joe.
What happened to old Joe and his neighbor? The rest of the story goes like this: The old man had to go into town for supplies, so he hitched up his wagon and left for the day. The young carpenter carried the lumber from the barn to the creek side. He started to work. He worked hard and he worked fast. He measured, sawed and nailed those boards into place all day long without stopping for lunch. With the setting of the sun, he started to put his tools away. He finished his project. Old Joe pulled up his wagon filled with supplies. When he saw what the carpenter had built, he couldn’t speak. It wasn’t the tall fence he thought he wanted. It wasn’t a fence at all. Instead, he stared in awe at a beautiful new footbridge. It had handrails and all. It reached from one side of the creek to the other.
Just then, Old Joe looked up to see another sight which brought tears to his eyes. Old Joe’s neighbor crossed the bridge. He stuck out his hand and said, “I’m right sorry about our misunderstanding, Joe. The calf is yours. I just want to be good friends.” “You keep the calf,” said Old Joe. “I just want us to be friends, too. The bridge was this young man’s idea. And I’m glad he did it.” The carpenter hoisted his tool box onto his shoulder and started to leave. “Wait!!! said Joe. “You’re a good man. My neighbor and I want to keep you busy for weeks.” The carpenter smiled and said, “I’d like to stay, but I have many more bridges to build.”
It took a young man with kindness in his eyes to bring two men back to the friendship that sustained them for so many years. That young man’s example of doing what is right in the eyes of everyone began a process of reconciliation and restoration in the lives of two people. In Colossians 3:13 it is written “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you might have against each other. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (NIV) He reminds us that our God is a God of forgiveness.
It wasn’t a fence but a bridge with hand rails for support and a walkway to keep the men from falling in that allowed them to extend their hands and seek reconciliation. Reconciliation is never easy, but it is freeing. God’s grace supports us and guides us through the process. This is affirmed in Romans 5:11” Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (NIV) A carpenter was called to build and built a bridge for Old Joe. The carpenter God sent came to build bridges and will help us seek forgiveness and reconciliation if we seek him.