I grew up with a Dad who made things that lasted. From helping us build our first tree house, to mini-bikes, go-karts, and things that others thought mattered, Dad’s handiwork always stood the test of time. If, a project hand a weakness, it was soon discovered and remedied! I do not remember anything that did not endure, well beyond anyone expectations.
When I miss the sense of being around Dad’s handiwork, I go to Handle Bar. It is a bistro designed for and catering to bikers. The reason I go, beyond the great ambience, good food, and easy bike parking (right up in the middle of the tables), is because Chris’ handiwork is Dad reincarnated. Everything in Handle Bar is overdesigned with the emphasis on fun, engines, and never-break. From the Honda weed whacker engine powered blenders to the park tables designed with thick wood planks and heavy steel tubing frames on wheels and even the industrial sized ceiling fans (8 foot blades running on slow), this is a place that is built to last!
Everywhere I look I see Dad’s handiwork. It is as if Chris was an old student that took his words and actions into his heart, let it settle there, and when the timing was right, went to work. On each visit, I find myself smiling inwardly and saying thanks Dad, I love it!
In the quietness of a gentle morning I realize that compassion, mercy, and community are building blocks that never break. In a lot of ways they are like the materials that Chris and Dad always use – strong, dominating, and enduring. Some think that they are too much for any situation; why does one need a small gas engine to run a blender? The answer is simple – it’s fun, it works, and it takes you to places you never imagined! Crazy I know, but one Handle Bar visit will explain the weed whacker fascination at least. Until then, Life reminds me that “God’s plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last.” (Psalm 33.11)
