This Old Shed's "Life Lesson"

We never called this structure a building.  It was always the tool building or "tool shed," but in reality it was much more.  Before this building was constructed there was no place on the farm to store expensive farm equiptment, which left it exposed to the weather.  Once completed it housed a tractor, corn planter, corn picker, hay bayler, combine, grain drill and other tools.  A room for fertlizer and seeds and in the upper level, harvested grain and feed.  It was a vaulable addition to eight other out-buildings scattered about but in view of the farm house.

I have thought about the important function of the tool shed for the last several days.  Dad loved and always wanted good equipment and wanted to keep it in the best of condition to extend its life and usefulness.  It was his general belief that we were entrusted and blessed with certain assets and these should be cared for and used properly.  He was not pleased if any of us did not put equipment back into it's place after use.  When as I reflect on those days so many years ago, I know now and I knew then that Dad was not only being a steward of the things entrusted to him but he was teaching me a "life lesson."  God has given each of us days, months and years, friends and family, talents and treasure and a call on our lives.  Are you taking care of these gifts.  Are you using them to enrich the lives of others and by so doing your own life as well?

Although weather beaten and standing like a ghost of the past, this "old shed," taught me a life lesson which I shall never forget.

Shep Masters the Ladder for His Master

Originally there was a 12-foot ladder leading up to a small platform and a door in the gable end of this building that provided access to the upper room.  Each day I would go up that ladder, into the room and get feed for the animals and back down.

I was amused that Shep my half Collie and who knows ‘half what else’ always stood at the bottom of the ladder, looking up and waiting for me to reappear through the door.  He followed me like my shadow.  Inseparable, he was my constant companion and protector.  One day I noticed that he seemed to want to follow me up the ladder.  I said, “Shep, do you want to go up the ladder?” Without saying a word he said, “yes.”  All you dog lovers know what I mean.  With his front paws on the first rung of the ladder, I helped him with his back feet.  One at a time we reached the top and when he came down it was scary but he made it without any help and without breaking anything.  The next day we tried it again and he did better and the third day he almost had it accomplished and on the forth he made the accent all by himself and had accomplished his decent with skill and safety.

In time to follow Shep was a great amusement to others and me as he followed me up the ladder.  I was proud of his accomplishment but now over sixty years later it’s not his skill in climbing a ladder that I think about but his complete devotion and willingness to follow me.  In the fields, in the woodland, by the creek and river, he was there by my side or just a step behind.  Oh, such devotion, may you and I follow our Lord so willingly and with complete trust.  Like Shep, even willing to learn the difficult in order to follow more closely.

This old shed

Through all the Summer suns
And many a winter's chill,
Snow and rain and balmy wind,
This old shed stands there still.

I have been thinking about when this tool shed was built about sixty years ago.  Dad hired a carpenter to help and oversee the construction.  Wayne had just returned from his tour of duty in Japan a short time before so he and I would play a large role in the construction.  Floyd and dad would help some but mostly it would be the carpenter, Virge Waldroup, Wayne and me.  I remember one day after we had framed up the first story and we were nailing the second plate to the top of it.  I had acomplished the art of driving nails having done so from the age of a toddler by driving nails in a crack in the floor which mom premitted to keep me busy.  With Wayne it was much harder.  The disableing disease, Fredreich's Ataxia, had already begun to effect his coordination and driving the #20 nails with a claw hammer was difficult.  I can see him now, straddling the wall and struggling to pound the nails into the hard oak.  Bending and straightening nails all morning long, I could feel his frustration.  After lunch when we met back at the building site Wayne had secured the shop hammer from the black smith shop.  It had a much larger head and it made it easer to sink the large nails.  I will never forget his determination to do his part even in the face of difficulty.

The shed was completed and we used it for tool and machinery storage for the years to come.  I have more to say about this weathered old building.  Come back again.