Our Stories
Drumstick
By Erik Godo | posted 02/08/2007
“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23)
When I first started drumming, each of us had to bring our own drumsticks each time we played. I decided this was silly, plus if you broke one, what would you do then with no spares? So I bought a pair and put it in the drum box we keep all the drum stuff in.
Well, a couple weeks went by and one of them broke, right down the middle. Since Kirby plays a real acoustic drumset (I play only electronic) he needs to play hard to make noise - this breaks sticks. So I thought, "Heck, I can glue this back together." So I clamped it up with some wood glue, filed it smooth, and tossed it back into the drum box.
The repair job didn't last of course, and broke again in a couple weeks. Then the pieces just sat in the drum box for several months. Nobody threw them away.
Finally this week I decided I would repair them again, and this time screw the pieces together. After worship practice I took Jon Stoneman to J.C. Cunningham's house to drop off JC's car that Jon had worked on. Jon said, "What are you doing with these drumstick pieces, don't they just cost a couple bucks?" "Well...six bucks." was my reply.
Last Friday I had some small screws and drilled holes in the pieces. I put the wood glue on and screwed the pieces together. Because of my inadequate drilling job, the screws were going in hard - one the screw head snapped off. I was reefing on the other one and the screwdriver slipped and jabbed my middle finger in the muscle between the knuckles. I couldn't tell how bad the cut was because it was bleeding so much. My thought was, "Great! Now I killed my finger for a dang $6 drumstick!"
Sunday morning I was filing the drumstick down because the screws hadn't really tightened the pieces together and the glue had dried with a gap between the pieces. I was holding up the drumstick to the light trying to get it filed straight. I had the thought, "Why am I putting so much effort into this drumstick? Wait...this is me. Broken and put back together by God. And blood and pain was required in the process."
Often we don't think we're worthy and we don't think we deserve it - like me spending time on a $6 drumstick. But He loves us and it is because of his Grace that He allows it to happen. While this is true, looking at the drumstick it was apparent to me that if he doesn't make us whole again, how can we be used? If we're busted in pieces in a drum box behind the curtain, we can't be used to show Gods love to the kingdom, or do Gods work for the body. If we're broken, how can we sponsor a child, gut a house in New Orleans, volunteer at a soup kitchen?
So maybe being whole isn't the end result but the enabler for us. As Becky said in her sermon we have all we need to be used...we just have to listen...and obey.
Erik can be reached at erik.godo@ieee.org.
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“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23)
When I first started drumming, each of us had to bring our own drumsticks each time we played. I decided this was silly, plus if you broke one, what would you do then with no spares? So I bought a pair and put it in the drum box we keep all the drum stuff in. Well, a couple weeks went by and one of them broke, right down the middle. Since Kirby plays a real acoustic drumset (I play only electronic) he needs to play hard to make noise - this breaks sticks. So I thought, "Heck, I can glue this back together." So I clamped it up with some wood glue, filed it smooth, and tossed it back into the drum box. The repair job didn't last of course, and broke again in a couple weeks. Then the pieces just sat in the drum box for several months. Nobody threw them away. Finally this week I decided I would repair them again, and this time screw the pieces together. After worship practice I took Jon Stoneman to J.C. Cunningham's house to drop off JC's car that Jon had worked on. Jon said, "What are you doing with these drumstick pieces, don't they just cost a couple bucks?" "Well...six bucks." was my reply. Last Friday I had some small screws and drilled holes in the pieces. I put the wood glue on and screwed the pieces together. Because of my inadequate drilling job, the screws were going in hard - one the screw head snapped off. I was reefing on the other one and the screwdriver slipped and jabbed my middle finger in the muscle between the knuckles. I couldn't tell how bad the cut was because it was bleeding so much. My thought was, "Great! Now I killed my finger for a dang $6 drumstick!" Sunday morning I was filing the drumstick down because the screws hadn't really tightened the pieces together and the glue had dried with a gap between the pieces. I was holding up the drumstick to the light trying to get it filed straight. I had the thought, "Why am I putting so much effort into this drumstick? Wait...this is me. Broken and put back together by God. And blood and pain was required in the process." Often we don't think we're worthy and we don't think we deserve it - like me spending time on a $6 drumstick. But He loves us and it is because of his Grace that He allows it to happen. While this is true, looking at the drumstick it was apparent to me that if he doesn't make us whole again, how can we be used? If we're busted in pieces in a drum box behind the curtain, we can't be used to show Gods love to the kingdom, or do Gods work for the body. If we're broken, how can we sponsor a child, gut a house in New Orleans, volunteer at a soup kitchen? So maybe being whole isn't the end result but the enabler for us. As Becky said in her sermon we have all we need to be used...we just have to listen...and obey.
Erik can be reached at erik.godo@ieee.org. |
