Brotherly Affection in British History

Many have pointed out that demonstrations of heart-felt brotherly affection are rare in these days. Our lives our less rich as a result. This was not always the case and once again I'd like to turn our attention to Eric Metaxas' biography of William Wilberforce.

Metaxas reprints a letter to Wilberforce from his close friend, William Pitt, pictured at left. Pitt, the future Prime Minister, replying to his friend's letter about matters of faith, writes:

". . . few things could go nearer to my heart than to find myself differing from you essentially on any great principle. I trust and believe that it is a circumstance which can hardly occur. But if it ever should . . . believe me it is impossible that it should shake the sentiments of affection and friendship which I bear towards you, and which I must be forgetful and insensible if I ever could part with."

Asking for an opportunity to talk further about the Christian faith, Pitt writes:

"What I would ask of you, as a mark both of your friendship and of the candor which belongs to your mind, is to open yourself fully and without reserve to one, who, believe me, does not know how to separate your happiness from his own."

I want to know more about the friendship of Pitt and Wilberforce. The two men were strong in manhood, rising to the highest levels of leadership of a world empire. Yet Pitt could openly express his affection to his friend.

May we grow in manliness and the ability to express brotherly affection from our hearts.

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 10:12

A Man and His Tools

My Uncle Loyd had a cabin deep in the mountains of Colorado. Getting to it entailed driving 15 miles on a dirt road. There was a pristine lake not far away that fed a stream, which ran through the property. I drank from the stream when no one was looking. Best water I've ever had.

The cabin was the source of many great memories for our family. It is where I learned to play (and love) croquet. On our visits there we would explore the woods, play all sorts of games, cook popcorn on the stove, build fires, fish, visit Uncle Martin down the road, and eat tremendous meals.

The nearest public electricity and water sources were 25 miles away. Somehow my uncle constructed his own power plant. I'm still not sure how he did it. But the cabin had complete electrical service, along with running water, hot and cold.

I can still remeber his big garage at the cabin. It rarely contained a vehicle -- rather it was filled with tools and everything needed to keep the cabin and the jeep operating. Even now I smell the cans of gasoline and oil that sat on the shelves. There were jars containing a hodge-podge of screws and bolts, boxes of nails, many saws, axes, hammers, mowers, and rags. Two very old Kansas license plants hung on the wall for decoration.

You may have read elsewhere on this blog of the need for same-sex attracted men to associate with masculine things as part of their growth out of SSA. One way to do this is to enter the world of tools.

This will be different for every reader. But most of us possess something that needs to be repaired, whether it be a bicycle, a vehicle, or a house.


Personally, I have gotten a lot of satisfaction in constructing a work room in the basement. I purchased pegboard and have hung tools. With Trent's help I built some shelves and Aaron and I resurfaced and painted the bench. It is a room that I hope to spend a lot of time in as the years go by. And, just like my uncle's garage, there is a very old license plate hung for decoration.

"You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen . . . Arise and work! The Lord be with you!" 1 Chron 22:15-16

Ceiling Fans and Perseverance

It was called the Quick-Connect ceiling fan. "Connects in minutes", the box said, with only the use of a few handtools. I was skeptical, and, as it turned out, with very good reason.

Connecting in minutes is realistic under ideal circumstances. But our 82 year-old house had an 82 year-old electrical box holding the wiring for the old fan. Then there was a drywall ceiling attached to the plaster ceiling so that the box was recessed into the drywall by at least an inch. Attaching the new fan to the old box was impossible.

To be completely honest, I was ready to make a phone call to the electrician. But Paul, my friend who volunteered to help me, was undaunted. Paul, dear brother, I couldn't have done it without you.

After two trips to the Home Depot, several conversations with their staff, three trips to the corner hardware store for just the right screw, and hours (not minutes) of tinkering with the connection, the fan is now cooling the living room. It is a sight to behold.

I am writing about it here, because the victorious house project is one of the building blocks to manliness. Paul and I worked together for hours. We were nearly stumped several times over what type of junction box to use, how to securely attach it to the existing box (or to replace the old one altogether), what bolts and screws would do the job, and how to interpret the instructions.

Calling the electrician would not have been an utter defeat. We don't have to feel like we have summon the manliness to tackle every project that comes our way.

But I'm glad that I didn't. Now, each time I look at that fan, I am reminded that Paul and I (with God's help as always) conquered the ceiling fan.

"My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:2