[Faith-talk] FW: [thefamilyoffaith] Redwood Trim & Saint Walter

[Eric Calhoun]

This one's funny!


Original Message: 
From: "Joe Diaz" <revjoe2701 at comcast.net>
To: "??  -  Rev. Joe Diaz  :) [His Love Extended Ministries
International]  ??" <revjoe2701 at comcast.net>
Subject: [thefamilyoffaith] Redwood Trim & Saint Walter
Date: 
Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:44:44 -0800 (Pacific Standard Time)

 


CLEAN HUMOR & GOD'S TRUTH (for a world that needs both)

Follow the Back Pew on.. 

 

Red Wood Trim, White Siding, and Saint Walter


Back in the year 1984 I nabbed the youngest daughter of Walter and Eileen
Laun to be my wife, and without thinking twice they welcomed me into the
family with open arms.  In fact in the fall of 1984 just after getting
married we moved into the other half of the duplex that Mary?s folks owned
and became more than family we were now neighbors. 


THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU: They even rented to us at a great rate
which
of course made me appreciate them all the more.  I appreciated this deal
so
much that I asked Walter if there were any chores around their property I
could help with.  This led to me volunteering to paint the trim on their
duplex.  It was redwood trim and the house had white aluminum siding.  All
sounds safe, and a good gesture to impress the new in-laws.  


GOOD GESTURE GONE BAD: So after working my day job I got home one
afternoon
and thought I will get started on this ?lil? painting project.  I head to
the north side of the property line with paint, ladder, and brush in hand.
This side of the house is paralleled closely with a chain link fence and
the
phone and power lines also enter on this side.


To be honest I am not thrilled with heights, and facing the fact that
this
duplex was on three levels made the peak of the trim higher than my
liking. 
So I think to myself, I will paint the peak of the trim first then work
my
way down to more comfortable elevations.  Next I extend the ladder to the
proper height, and begin to raise it until it is impeded by the phone and
power lines.. So I do a sorta Laurel and Hardy like less than graceful
dodging of the wires and stagger the ladder into position under the eve
and
against the house.


With paint bucket, brush and a coat hanger twisted as a poor man?s paint
hook I ascend the ladder of doom until I near the top few rungs.  With
butterflies flying in my stomach like hummingbirds I hook the paint can to
one of the upper rungs, dip my brush into the bucket of redwood paint..
reach to the peak and as the brush touches the trim.. my extension  ladder
starts collapsing dramatically.  As the extension hooks slide past each
rung
without catching it clangs loudly down the side of the duplex while I
ride
it like an aluminum bucking bronco  all while my paint can is sloshing
redwood paint on the side of the white aluminum siding.  You see while
maneuvering the ladder into position I somehow got it facing backwards
with
the extension hooks precariously gripping the selected rung only to slip
off
as I started painting.


As the ladder finally settles about half way down the house I then
dismount
to view my handy work in all its glory.  One paint stroke on the trim,
then
the spills from the bucket hit the house and gravity spreads the paint
forming an outline of a drippy looking redwood Christmas tree from about
the
middle of this side all the way to ground zero.


Shortly after this while I pick up the paint and ladder from my disaster
and
as I head around to the backyard I am met by my new father in law Walter
who
not knowing what had happened asks jokingly. ? Well did you wreck my
house
yet??  I then tried to find a rock to crawl under.


The next day Walter painted over the redwood tree pattern on his siding
while I was at work.  I think he was afraid I might start a fire or fall
through a window next time.  He actually felt bad about what he said in
jest
to me about wrecking his house.


So I survived this moment without him killing or evicting me or
convincing
Mary she MARRIED AN IDIOT, and his gracious handling of his new doofus
son
in law elevated his standing in the Wesleyan Church to Saint Walter,
patron
saint of handymen.


I retell this story today in remembrance of my father in law Walter Laun
who
if he was still with us would be 101 years old on February 15th, 2011.
But
on March 12th, 1996 Walter Laun passed away from this tired old planet to
start living the good life in Heaven.  


I only was a part of the Laun family for about 12 years before Walter
passed
away, but I appreciate the family heritage that he established.  The
roots
of faith and family that were modeled before all who knew him is a legacy
that goes beyond his 84 years on Earth.  For me I am blessed with
in-laws..
( mother, father, brothers and sisters ) that are truly family to me. ..
and
SELFISHLY SPEAKING.. I am simply glad he did not strangle me on the spot
in
September 1984 with that make shift coat hanger/paint hook whilst I was
only
armed with a paint brush.


Happy 101st Walter!! You are loved.


Jeff (paint drippin) Larson

 




Key Scriptures of Inspiration in The Back Pew 

(1) Love God.. love others.. Mt. 22:37-39 (2) Trust God with all your
heart.
 Pr. 3:5-6 

(3) The Lord is my Shepherd.. Ps.23 (4) Dwell on what is true, honorable,
and pure.. Phil 4:8 




Midi  -  Remind Me Dear Lord (Rambos)