Gratitude Monday: Worthy of their hire

I am rounding the final corner on the remodel of my primary bathroom. If all goes well, I should be able to start using it tomorrow, or Wednesday. We’ve got vanity light, shower doors, shower fixtures and toilet yet to install.

The project manager estimated they’d do it in two weeks, which I took to mean 10 days of guys-on-site; today is Day 10. (There was a week off while Home Depot faffed around with the accent tiles, so technically it’s three weeks since they started.) What I’ve noticed in that time is the expertise, attention to detail and amazing work ethic of everyone who’s come in—demolition, plumbing, electrics, tiling, drywalling, installing.

They found a crack in the drain pipe on a Thursday. By Saturday a master plumber was in the kitchen swapping out “black pipe” with PVC. Last Wednesday a guy drywalled all the holes in the kitchen (including ones that predated this project), and on Friday he finished off with sanding and painting. I have a quasi-new kitchen.

Meanwhile, my primary bath is progressing so beautifully—mostly the work of Eric, who has done everything since the demo. He consulted me on the niche—height, width, etc. It’s tall enough to accommodate the shampoo I buy from Costco and at a height that I can pump the bottles one handed.

All this is by way of saying that I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about laborers lately—in particular the people who build and repair, who erect houses and expand roads. They are skilled and they do hard work that I, frankly, would probably literally die before I could get it right. I am in complete awe of their abilities and I am grateful for everything they do. Especially knowing how vulnerable they are to exploitation, harassment and outright criminal attacks these days.

As it happens, the boy who was born in a cow stall in Bethlehem two millennia ago was the child of a laborer—Joseph was a carpenter, and Jesus went into the family business until it was time to take up the other family business. The Messiah was not an accountant, a doctor or a businessman; he was a carpenter. He was a Brown guy who built and repaired things out of wood.

Pretty much like Eric, with the addition of 21^st Century plumbing and electrical.

So my Advent piece today honors Joseph, who frankly doesn’t generally figure large in the Nativity narrative. (Just like laborers today.) It’s by way of a lullaby, originating in 16^th Century mystery plays in Germany. I’m giving you Voces8 singing it.

A joyous Advent for all workers and laborers.

 

 

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