SpinnerBait_Nut
Honorary Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2002
- Messages
- 17,651
I hired a plumber to help me restore an old
farmhouse, and after he had just finished
a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made
him lose an hour of work, his electric drill
quit and his ancient one ton truck refused
to start.
While I drove him home, he sat in stony
silence. On arriving, he invited me in to
meet his family. As we walked toward the
front door, he paused briefly at a small
tree, touching the tips of the branches
with both hands.
When opening the door he underwent an
amazing transformation. His face was
wreathed in smiles and he hugged his
two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterward he walked me to the car. We
passed the tree and my curiosity got the
better of me. I asked him about what I had
seen him do earlier.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I
know I can't help having troubles on the job,
but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't
belong in the house with my wife and the
children... So I just hang them up on the tree
every night when I come home and ask God
to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick
them up again. Funny thing is," he smiled,
"when I come out in the morning to pick 'em
up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember
hanging up the night before."
farmhouse, and after he had just finished
a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made
him lose an hour of work, his electric drill
quit and his ancient one ton truck refused
to start.
While I drove him home, he sat in stony
silence. On arriving, he invited me in to
meet his family. As we walked toward the
front door, he paused briefly at a small
tree, touching the tips of the branches
with both hands.
When opening the door he underwent an
amazing transformation. His face was
wreathed in smiles and he hugged his
two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterward he walked me to the car. We
passed the tree and my curiosity got the
better of me. I asked him about what I had
seen him do earlier.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I
know I can't help having troubles on the job,
but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't
belong in the house with my wife and the
children... So I just hang them up on the tree
every night when I come home and ask God
to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick
them up again. Funny thing is," he smiled,
"when I come out in the morning to pick 'em
up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember
hanging up the night before."
