I love building furniture. Okay, so when I say that I mean buying the cool kits from IKEA and putting stuff together. But seriously, it can be a lot of fun. My daughter and I built two captain beds yesterday.
There is nothing quite like the satisfaction I feel when I see something all put together and functioning that was once in pieces in a cardboard box. I may not have come up with the design, done all the measuring, cut the wood, figured out what hardware to use, and painted anything, but I did go all the way to the store, handle large awkward boxes, sort piles of screws and other strange items, and then spend hours following picture-grams a monkey could interpret. It really is rewarding. There are times during the process that I question the intelligence of the ‘maker’ and think I might want to vary the process to a quicker or more ‘logical’ method, but I withstand the temptation and stick to the route. 99% of the time I am rewarded for my diligence with a finished result that looks just like the picture on the outside of the box. (The other 1% is only because of the times when there is no picture.)
I actually consider myself somewhat of a pro when it comes to assembling prefab items. I haven’t met a project yet that I could not build. (pats self on back)
Sometimes I wish life and especially parenting was this easy. I wish at times that my kids had come in a box from IKEA with picture directions to guide me through the ‘building’ process. I wish that if I followed the directions exactly, I would end up with the fully functioning, responsible adult pictured on the outside of the box. Sure, there would be times when I’d have to run get another screw driver or pound the side with my rubber mallet, but for the most part it would all be according to the plans and I could anticipate the end result.
But kids are not furniture and the tools I need are not listed on any enclosed blueprints. I have basic instructions but nothing exact because each child is going to require different tools and processes. I can only hope that the original creator will make up for my shortcomings and that together we will build something, or someone that can hold their own when the time comes.
Could I just get a glimpse of my final project please? It might help motivate and guide me a bit…..cause I said so.
CuzIsaidSo Weblog 
Love this analogy!! And I totally agree! A glimpse of the finished work would be awesome. A chance to see if you are on the right track. An opportunity to make adjustments. Maybe we actually do have this. We just have to learn to decipher the instructions; i.e. scriptures, blessings, etc. I guess that’s where the hard work comes in. Hmmm, I have some reading to do. : )
Great post! really loved this:
“I have basic instructions but nothing exact because each child is going to require different tools and processes. I can only hope that the original creator will make up for my shortcomings and that together we will build something, or someone that can hold their own when the time comes.”