It’s been a long time coming, but this blog may change your life…so hold on tight!
It’s time to man up. this isn’t your typical “Man Up” blog that many men that go on the World Race post after a month of intense ‘manistry’ in Thailand, but it is a “Man Up” blog nonetheless, maybe a ‘increase your man-card’ kinda blog. It’s not a overly spiritual blog, there’s no real deep provoking thoughts, just something that was on my mind today…and I’ve not blogged enough lately apparently!
I wasn’t at worship Monday morning at the AIM office like I probably should have been, especially after I heard that Allison put me in the showcase showdown. Apparently the rant went something to the nature of, when something breaks or needs worked on, any smart person in the AIM community calls Mark Stratmann…and if he can’t fix it, you call your dad. I’ve found it true more and more lately that I simply know how to fix a wide variety of things, and it’s come in very useful not only to me, but to the community I find myself in…all the time! No matter where I find myself, people are always finding out that I can fix crap…and I get asked for Mr. Fix-It advice on everything from lawn mowers to computers, house repairs to flat tires. I’m destined to be one of your phone calls someday if you’ve not found me out yet…I just know stuff.
People ask me all the time where I learned how to do so many things. Well, I’ll answer it rather simply…my dad. He’s been a great father over the years, a carpenter nearly his whole life, and a great example of how all dads need to operate for their sons. I remember as a young child he helped me make a pinewood derby car for Boy Scouts…he didn’t make my car, he told me what to do and watched me do it. (at the time I wish he’d have just done it though…it probably would have won then!) As I got older I’d ‘work’ on the lawn mower, don’t get me wrong, my dad isn’t a mechanic at all, but he let me try to fix the lawn mower, replace the spark plug or clean the air filter, that kind of thing…sometimes the lawn mower ran afterwards, sometimes it didn’t, but he always let me try. Then as I got older, he let me work for him building and remodeling homes. I may not have ever loved doing that as a job, but it taught me a lot that will stick with me forever on how homes are built and how to maintain them, things that will forever be useful. He was always an open encouragement to trying new things, even when I failed at fixing things he always laughed and helped come up with a solution to get it working again. He always passes on his knowledge to me, without barrier, still today. There are very few projects that I get into that I don’t find myself calling and asking him a question on how to fix this or that on a house. When I owned my houses in North Carolina there was hardly a day that I didn’t ask him something which he always was more than willing to give me an answer to. When he didn’t know the answer (in the days before Google), he always helped me find the answer, whether he had to drive me to the auto parts store or ask an uncle or who knows what else, he always helped me figure out the solution. It’s now invaluable in life to have the confidence to stand in the midst of a confusing situation and reason my way through how to make it work.
I’ve just recently noticed for myself that I am always being called on, and I think that more of us men need to start learning how to do things. We do need to drive trucks rather than sports cars. There’s a reason we need to have some cuts and bruised knees from changing a flat tire every now and then. I actually think that the women of our lives want us to be that way (c’mon, someone vouch for me here!). I can’t imagine a woman wants to marry a sissified man that’s gotta call the repair man to change the lightbulbs or adjust the screen door, or to call AAA when the tire’s low on air…they want to be taken care of. They want to see you serve them even if you end up getting your hands dirty. Now I can’t prove any of this (I’m not married after all…) but I do hear that a lot, and I kinda think it’s true…
Don’t get me wrong though, as my friend Kara pointed out to me last night, I kinda like being the guy with all the answers on how to fix things, and I don’t necessarily like competition in it. I want to be that guy that you call in times of need. A group of friends has had me do some things like help them move, help them assemble some things, and fixed a few things around the house, and as a thank you they’ve been feeding me…sandwiches or steaks (both are acceptable, along with cookies!). I think I’m on to something here though…I like to fix things, they like to cook, it’s a beautiful mutual agreement. Guys, I’m available for classes, we’ll call it Man Card 101. Girls like it when you can fix things…and you don’t want your wife calling me someday to change the light bulb, though I’ll do so for a sandwich (without mayonnaise. or onions. I hate mayonnaise, onions are bacteria infested. they’re gross.), but I’ll likely laugh at you at some point!
