Craftsman of the week award!

I have always had a real appreciation of people who are good at what they do. I remember when I was in my early teens watching fishermen splice ropes, ties knots, fillet fish and shuck clams, all the while having a good laugh with the people around them. It seemed like they didn't even look at their hands before turning out a masterpiece of ropework, or a perfectly boneless fillet of haddock!

This appreciation of good workmanship has carried on throughout my adult life. I have watched welders doing the impossible fabricating steelwork on a rolling ship, excavator operators clearing topsoil and exposing the plastic membrane on a landfill site with same level of care as you put into peeling an orange, and panel beaters taking a damaged car and straightening every dent and ripple before handing back a car that looks better than it did when it left the factory.

I touched on this a little bit when I spoke at Kirkie Baptist church back in the summer and about how God has equipped us all with skills and talents, and how rewarding it is to exercise those talents for His glory. (Go to www.kirkiebaptist.com, then look down in the bottom right corner for the "Latest Resources and Downloads" section, and have a listen to the morning service on June 28 if you want to hear!!)

James 1 says that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows". I don't know if the surgeon who operated on me has any sort of Christian faith, but I do believe that his talents and abilities were God given, and I am very impressed! I have to give my "Craftsman of the week" award to Mr Thompson for all his handiwork, and close runners-up awards to all the other doctors, nurses and hospital staff who have helped since I got back to Scotland a few weeks back.

I am going to post a before and after pic below, both very tame and nothing near as graphic as most of the tv shows that air after 9pm, but if you might get squeamish, just stop here!!! 

Also, if you didn't get the chance to hear us talk when we were back in Scotland over the summer you can listen to Kirkie Baptist's service at the link I mentioned above - Abi sings about the 19 minute mark on the "Opening worship" download, then Heather and I both share a bit about MAF and our time in Uganda at the 28 minute mark. I also do the "thought for the day" bit which is under "Sermon" if you want a listen...

Thanks again for all your prayers and encouragement so far, and please continue to pray as we wait for the lymph node biopsy results which will play a big part in determining what happens next...

Andy.

Taken back at the start of the year - yes that little spot is what  all the fuss has been about!

My new, completely customised, one of a kind ear!