The Lessons of the Deck...

No, not a deck of cards. Not a deck on a ship. A 10 x 8 deck in my back yard.

The project started as a plan to build a tree house for my son - from that it grew into a 10x8 deck placed strategically by the trampoline about 7 feet in the air. Yes, I am encouraging my son to jump off a deck onto the trampoline from 4 feet above the trampoline.

Here are the lessons learned from 7+ hours in the sun on Saturday (followed by 5 hours on Sunday).

1. Start with a plan and stick to it! I had an idea of what I needed to do to make this deck work, and after talking with the "crew" we revised the plan. Result : confusion and constant reworking of the job.

2. Start with something that is sure! Because we modified the original plan, we modified the way the deck would be supported. Since none of the legs were attached to the others, everything was relative. One leg would be level - 6 inches in from the side, another leg would be lever 8 inches in from the side. After a while, neither one of them was level because the leg that was 5 inches from the side had to be shifted to make it level. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!!

3. Where there is no security, you better be nimble! Shortly after the crew left, and we were in the process of re-evaluation, the deck fell! I was explaining the need for some stabilizing legs to make the makeshift project work, and next thing I know it's on the ground!

I don't just share this to mock my carpentry skills - but rather to encourage you with the life lessons I took from this failure.

Daily we need to refocus ourselves on the "plan" that has been laid out for us. We need to interact with the designer, and make sure that we are moving ahead according to His direction.

We need to start with something true and sure. If truth is variable, results will vary, and ultimately will result in chaos.

Finally, when we step away from fixed truth and a solid plan, we are on shaky ground. Just like the deck looked right before it fell, things seem stable and sure, but in just seconds all that we have worked for can be laying in a heap.

By the way, on Sunday, we went back to the original plan, and amazingly enough, in just a 2 hours we had the deck up and people were jumping off of it. Stop by some time and enjoy a good jump on the trampoline...