I suppose I'll start... but where to start? hmm
I'm a professional woodworker. A 'cabinetmaker' doing detailed architectural joinery. Kitchens, bathrooms, libraries, etc. Most days I work in a factory. Other days I'm on construction sites or in my home workshop. Our clients are typically wealthy property owners in large houses or mansions, the rich per se, celebrities, executives, property developers. However it's not always superficial Babylonian empire building (that I believe very strongly against, ironically). Every now and then we receive philanthropic work. A recent contract was for 'government housing'. And during the Covid-19 lockdown period I've taken up special requests from neighbours on my street, and have done work for my family. Clients also occasionally cancel designs/plans annoyingly after work is already finished so those cabinets end up being donated to churches, local community woodworking groups, etc, along with demolition materials/debris that we try to recycle.
Literally 'working with my hands' and doing work like our original common ancestor Noah, and the Lord, Paul and Silas's professions is something I wonder and pray about. My former training however was at the tertiary level, having excelled in high school, coming partly from a family that pushed me and paid for private tuition. Double bachelors degree in business and science. 5-10 years of sales, marketing, and project management experience. Masters in divinity. But I found these paths to be tainted and very difficult for someone who is truly devoted to Scripture, the Torah, living for Christ and neighbour, to perform in good conscience.
Being semi-unemployed for a long while, it took about a decade for me to switch career paths. And God opened this one up. My common sense, intuition, and faith, kept telling me that I absolutely detested the work I was doing prior. And God had apparently gifted me tradesman/craftsman skills, e.g. athleticism, hand eye coordination, aesthetic/visual standards, interest in woodwork (I often dream about special woodworking joints - also Scripture), and ability to enter and survive in this industry. It seems I've experienced a lot of 'luck' compared to my colleagues and I know it's not merely from my merit.
Being physical work, my hands and arms are covered in micro cuts and grazes, my biceps bulge and are rock hard from lifting cabinets all day. In the long term my body will eventually wear down in old age as my most senior colleagues have physical deformities from over-working. So my career life is limited. Every morning my limbs are sore, my back is sore, feet are sore. And no amount of tech or specialty clothing is a sure solution. But the body does heal overnight and over the weekend, and imo it's better than being mentally and spiritually fatigued which is/was the case for almost all office workers, in high stress, impossible environments, impossiblly long hours also. - So God is good and Scripture is highly accurate in that "The sleep of a labouring man [is] sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep." (Ecc. 5:12)
Socially, the blokes I work with are hard men, Godless men. Being typically high-school dropouts they're rough, barbaric, and rude, to say the least. A minority have been openly anti-Christian to me, hateful and resentful, adversarial from the get go. But once they open up they can be soft as butter and being all male environments, there's a moralising camaraderie or brotherhood, similar to being on a sporting team, as opposed to say legal work that is highly isolating and colleagues are untrustworthy and malicious.
Finding believers to work for are also few and far between. I worked for a 'Christian' builder which was a relief. He however insisted on delusional doctrines (extra-scriptural) that he took very seriously. He would interrupt work to lecture me about visions of "angels and demons". He also claimed invincibility (to workplace injury) based on "faith" in God. Another 'Christian' I worked under was a proud religious man, boasting of being 'head elder', who also 'taught', and yet he was a very bigoted and superstitious man, dismissing lunchtime conversations about current affairs as "all according to prophecy", having no grasp of justice or empathy for other's misfortunes. - So the social aspect is something I think and pray about, hoping for a peaceful and non-politicised team.
As a single man, attracting a potential wife isn't so much a problem I suppose, as young ladies with batting eyelids appear to like tradesmen. Also apprehensions about having a feminist, domineering, and or emasculating wife are mitigated by having a great degree of independence, autonomy, reputation of workmanship, and fairly strong wages (appreciating with skill level, proof of work) that are sufficient to support an average sized family here. Thus, retaining my dignity, not having to grovel or beg, as many men are dependent on abusive employers and spouses. - Unfortunately I don't have the same optimism toward my mother and father, who's selfish folly and wastefulness may bankrupt our household at any point.
Regularity of work however can be patchy, during this pandemic more than ever, with many factories closing down, and 'rich' clientele particularly devastated by global economics and banking restrictions. And with war around the corner the future is no so bright. - But again, Scripture is very true, that the Lord provides sufficiently and 'to let tomorrow worry about itself'. Whilst I'm not contracted for years or decades, there's always work coming up, often through word of mouth and personal referrals, from ex-colleagues, past clients, family and friends. One off jobs, daily jobs, weekly jobs, monthly jobs, and of course large development contracts, some I've witnessed lasting 5+ years. One year shy of the sabbatical period of 6 years of work and 1 year of rest, as God intended.
Interestingly an understanding of (wood) 'joinery' and building methods allows a new perspective into God's work in joining people together, metaphorically and I suppose literally also.
Lockdown has been a terrific time to reflect, having time off work, no longer serving long hours, 5am until 8pm. To be able to one day serve as elder during the end of the week would be ideal. And this profession has allowed my mind to remain un-exhausted, un-scathed, and available for Scripture and family duties. - At this point, I'm small-time enough not to be flooded and overwhelmed by work so much so that it enslaves me. While I'm uncertain how much I am actually serving the Lord (if any), I most certainly am not serving Mamon, as I did in my past life desperately making sales quotas.
Blessed be the Lord.
