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Someone Cares: All Purpose

A woodworker and lay minister finds an inspiring use for the scraps of wood that clutter his workshop.

An artist's rendering of one of Dave's inspiring homemade plaques
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I’m a lay speaker for my church. I also enjoy woodworking. After finishing a project, I usually tossed the scraps. One day I got an idea for a sermon: Why throw away the scraps when God finds a purpose for everyone? As Jesus said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” There had to be something I could do with the leftover wood.

Then, in a Christian bookstore, I saw large plaques with scripture on them. Nice but too big for the average home. My sermon idea came to mind. I could use wood scraps to make small plaques for the folks in my church’s nursing home ministry.

Back in my shop I cut the scraps into strips, glued them together, sanded them down and coated them with lacquer. The plaques were about five by five inches. Once they were dry, I wrote inspirational messages on them and drew a picture. I attached a string to them so people could hang them on the wall.

I keep getting requests for plaques from friends who work in other ministries. How will you use the scraps in your life?

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