by Denny

Most people would get it wrong if this was a multiple-choice question. Well, it’s not a rare bird that lives in the Rain Forest, and it’s not a nocturnal rodent. It’s not something that cowboys wear on the heels of their boots. It’s not the latest coffee concoction from Starbucks, nor is it the tool that was once used by women to tighten their high-top boot laces. In fact, it’s none of the above, but it’s simply a piece of plastic. More specifically, it’s the plastic that holds the pieces of a “Do It Yourself” model kit. Sprues are usually round solid piping and can be various sizes and colors depending on the kit. In the process of making a model, hot molten plastic is injected into the mold. When the plastic cools it hardens, and the mold is opened revealing the detailed parts. The sprue which now holds them was the channel that the plastic flowed through to fill the mold. I would not have known this if it wasn’t for the fact that I’ve been putting together some plastic building kits for the model railroad layout I’m building, and the instructions refer to them as “Sprues”. Don’t bother looking it up in the dictionary, because you won’t find it. I already tried.

When you get a model kit you see the picture on the outside of the box, and it looks so real. You think, “This looks easy, I can do this”, until you open the box and see all the sprues and parts. Your next thought is: “Where do I start?” Fact is, you wouldn’t know if they hadn’t provided an instruction sheet. There is a proper order and sequence in building a model and that’s why they say, “Read the instructions before starting!” The instructions will list the parts by number and that number is also imprinted on the sprue. It’s important to identify and familiarize yourself with the parts before starting. The manufacturer knows the step-by-step procedures needed, and they make it plain and understandable with pictures showing exploded views of how each part fits. They also tell you what tools and other things you will need to complete the kit. I have learned from experience that if any detail parts need painting to paint them while they are still attached to the sprue. Also, remove them with a sharp craft knife, because if you twist or pull them off you can damage them. Even after removing them they may need some trimming to get a good fit.

Recently, I started a grain elevator model kit with an in-track loading bay. I got the main big parts glued together and painted the detailed parts on their sprues. However, I lost interest and set it aside to finish laying track. This week, about a month later, I got to a point where I had to finish the elevator. I opened the box with the remaining parts, but the instruction sheet wasn’t there. I looked everywhere and couldn’t find it. Thinking it may have gotten thrown away in the trash, I emptied it all and it wasn’t there either. Alas, I’m sitting here with all these parts and pieces and don’t have a clue where they fit or where to even start. If I tried to begin on my own, I was sure to mess up and the result would be a cobbled-up model with unused parts. All those small parts may seem insignificant, but they are what’s needed to add realism and make the model come alive. The next day I found a bag with some PVC parts that I was planning to glue together to make some extra silos. There, in the bag, were the instructions I’d been looking for. I was able to finish the elevator with no extra unused remaining parts, and it looks pretty good if I do say so myself. One thing I’m learning; building a model train layout and doing it right is a process that requires a lot of time and patience, but it’s worth it. Lucy bought a Drive-In Theater kit for me as a Christmas present. She told me to make room on the layout but wouldn’t tell me exactly how much room or what it was. I convinced her to let me open it early so I could keep working and make it blend with the rest of the buildings. I put it together and it looks cool. It’s unique in that it’s made so Lucy’s small Kindle Fire fits into the screen and real movies can be shown via Bluetooth connection to the internet. I rate it 5 stars!

Speaking of connection, in retrospect I think all of us would give the year 2020 a one star rating. The COVID virus has so affected every aspect of the way we’ve done life in the past. I don’t mean to minimize the seriousness of the virus, but I think the fear of it has done more damage than the virus itself. Last year if you walked into a bank wearing one of those “Gator” masks, they may have feared you were going to rob them. Now, you can’t even enter a bank without any type of mask. The greatest impact I believe is the loss of personal connection with others. Whether it’s social distancing, quarantine, shelter in place or whatever; the result has been isolation. The cesspools of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram along with others have taken the place of personal face-to-face interaction. Restaurants and other businesses where people gathered or shopped were forced to close. Schools were closed and many have gone to virtual classes. Mass gatherings have been prohibited, though the Marxist radical politically correct rioters were allowed to continue their lawless destruction. Churches were shut down and many reverted to online services. Families were told not to gather, whether it was for a celebration or funeral. Some elite self serving politicians exempted themselves as usual. You know it’s pretty bad when even the Hollywood liberals have had to revert to virtual TV audiences. I almost fell on the floor laughing while watching an NFL game. They played the fake audio of crowd noise that implied a full stadium of fans, but as the camera panned you could see it was empty.  Some stadiums went so far as to have cardboard cut-outs of fans in the stands. What a joke! Truth is this is not a laughing matter for those who are struggling emotionally and financially. Violence, abuse, alcoholism, murder and suicide are on the increase as a result of this pandemic. Jobs and freedoms have been lost. People’s lives have been shattered because those things they thought would always be there have been limited or taken away. The inability to make it happen on their own is a reality many are facing. Just like me when holding the pieces of that model elevator, I didn’t know where to start on my own to make the pieces fit. It looked hopeless, until I found the instruction sheet.

Before COVID many people were quite content and happy with their “Do It Yourself” life without God. Their faith was in themselves and their resources to make life happen. Much of that is gone for them, and the only answer I have is to read God’s instruction sheet, the Bible, and follow its directions. It isn’t lost, you are. Things haven’t been working out for you so far in either ignoring or blaming God, so why not turn to Him in sincerity asking for His help. He understands your situation and wants to move on your behalf. However, His greatest desire is that you know Him, not just what He can do for you. I believe God allows things to happen so people will turn to Him, who otherwise wouldn’t when things are going smoothly and they are in control. He alone can reveal how all the large, small, good, and bad pieces of your life fit together perfectly. He wants to intervene so your life will have meaning, purpose, significance and to be all He created you to be. Even for those who already know Him as Lord and Savior, we need to continue trusting in His faithfulness to see us through these uncertain times. Isolation has the devastating ability to make a person feel like they are forgotten and their lives are insignificant. You may feel like just a small part, but realize it’s the small detailed parts of a model that bring it to life. God has not forgotten you! Let the life of Christ in you continue to give light to those around you living in darkness. Be patient and allow God time to complete that which He has started, because in the end it will be worth it! I want to reference these familiar Bible verses and encourage you to read them.  

Matthew 6: 31-34   Jeremiah 29: 11-13    Romans 8: 28,31,35,38,39