Up & Coming Weekly

September 29, 2020

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 6, 2020 UCW 17 DAN DEBRULER, General Manager, WCLN. Comments? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. Almost firewood by DAN DEBRULER FAITH I recent ly added a new table to t he WCLN studios. Not hing fancy. It was crafted from rough and f lawed pieces of walnut boards I picked up somewhere. I decided to leave many f laws untouched and even f inish it w it h raw steel hairpin legs as a nod to my oldest son — an artist whose chosen media was metal, before passing not long ago. Seeing t he table each day has caused to me t hink about what craftsmanship means to me in t he f irst place. Like many people I k now, my life is busy. My calendar would be full of gat herings of all shape and form if I dared to keep one. In fact, not acting surprised when I'm reminded of a birt hday, anni- versar y, dance recital or social gat hering I should have remem- bered is somet hing I've developed into almost an art form. A nd as much as my w ife and I are able to participate, we do. But I love to retreat, too. More often t han not, a retreat for me doesn't mean a getaway to t he beach or t he beautiful Nort h Carolina mountains. Instead, it's more likely to involve an inv ita- tion for t he family dog to join me on t he short walk to t he workshop behind our house. In t hat calm respite from t he busy ness of daily life, I create t hings. Sometimes I work in t he quiet w it h just my t houghts, and ot her times, I'll turn t he music up to drow n t hem out. I work w it h a number of materials, but wood is easily my favorite medium. The wood in my shop is comprised largely of castoffs. From exotic hardwoods to common lumber, I gat her small or ot her w ise insigni- f icant pieces from industries t hat see no need for t hem. To ot hers t hey are scraps — one step away from f irewood — but to me, each piece is a treasure. More t han a hobby, woodwor- k ing has become a ref lection of t he life I've been given to live. Occasionally, I'll make somet- hing on commission, but I rarely sell what I create. The whole idea changes t he game. Woodwork ing is about seeing t he indiv idual beaut y and usefulness of each piece of wood — large or small — and starting a process of preser- v ing, preparing and giv ing t hat piece a new purpose. In short, it's about redemption. Wit hout t he grace and red- emption I found in Jesus Christ, my life would be not hing. I was probably considered a castoff by many when Jesus found me, but he saw somet hing useful and has been preparing and preser v ing me since 1981, and even in t he times when I feel I have not hing to offer, He assures me t here is a greater purpose for my life. For ever y life. Woodworking is about seeing the individual beauty and usefulness of each piece of wood — large or small — and starting a process of preserving, preparing and giving that piece a new purpose. In short, it's about redemption. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Sandra M. Palumbo, U.S. Navy - Bahrain, November 6, 2007 We know where you're coming from. If you're a veteran of Iraq or Afghanistan, you're not alone. We've been there. Join us at CommunityofVeterans.org 99% of Americans have seen combat on TV. 1% of Americans have seen combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. Shop Local Visit the many shops located in downtown Fayetteville!

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