Sometimes somebody does something...

[MBTcustom]

that just leaves you speechless.

A couple months ago, I was in Price Cutter with my daughter doing some grocery shopping. I ran into an old co-worker from my first machine shop job. He recognized me and we started talking. He asked if he had heard correctly that I was gunsmithing.
I told him I sure was doing the best I could.
He asked me if I had my bluing tanks yet?
I told him no, but I sure am saving all I can for them, the milling machine ran me dry.
He told me that he had the complete deluxe set from Brownells, unused, and that he would make me a good deal on them.
Well, I got real excited because any kind of a good deal would free up money for the outbuilding that I will have to construct.
I have been working, scrimping, saving and selling everything that wasn't tied down, and I managed to come up with a good chunk of spare change (thanks to everybody here that patronized my business!!!) so I called him up and set up to meet him today at 1:00PM.

Well I got there, and he showed me the tanks and the chemicals, burners, stands, and PPE.
He said "What do you think?"
I told him it looked great (there was surface rust on some of it, and dirt dauber nests, but all in all it looked perfect and unused.)
I made him an offer of $XXXX.XX, and told him that I could get more if he could give me some more time and hold them for me.
Then he said it: "Tim, I want you to have these things free of charge.:o I remember working with you, and you always took good care of your tools, and you were professional. We need young fellers to be getting into this trade and I want to help you out. Besides, your'e going to need that money to get the right type of building put up, so use it for that."
He asked me if that sounded like a fair deal? and I told him absolutely not! I said he aught to let me pay him for them, or do something in return.
He said "Nope, you either take them free of charge and use them, or nothing at all."
I was speechless.
I fumbled out something about bluing anything that he needed done for free in the future, but he stopped me and said "Listen here, if I need something blued, I'm going to call you up like any other paying customer, and get it done for the going rate. You don't owe me a thing understand?

Fellers, I have never been given such a handsome gift in all my life. I'm still trying to process all this.
I'm flipping between feeling totally shocked and totally humbled.
All I can say is there are some really good people out there. Dammed allergies...........

[Westwindmike]

That's great! There are some very nice folks in this world. You are fortunate enough to know one of them.

[sparky45]

Good on ya Tim!! The Good Lord watches over us all and indeed works in mysterious ways.

[Doc Highwall]

That is what happens when you treat people the way you want to be treated.

[Sweetpea]

From everything I have read about and from you, you are most deserving.

It's nice to hear about good guys getting a hand-up, rather than the lazies getting a hand-out.

[Big Boomer]

An old preacher friend said years ago, "'The Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.' That's not in the Bible, but it ought to be." Great to hear about your being blessed and benefitted in such a big way. 'Tuck (as in Kentuck)

[troyboy]

Never forget. One day your turn will come around.

[Catshooter]

Got some dust in your eye Tim? :)


Cat

[Olevern]

Sometimes you just have to allow other's to minister to you; you wouldn't want to deprive him of his ministry, would you?

I go back to my old church (moved away eight years ago) several times a year and they always ask me to sing so I bring my sound equipment and set up and give them a concert. The elderly pastor (who retired from the ministry a number of years ago and still pastors this small, rural church which might have folded but for his gratus ministry) hands me an envelope with several hundred dollars from his personal account. I was feeling guilty about taking it and protested several times, knowing that he and his wife live a very simple life and I probably have more than they do, but one day he put his hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye and said "Vernon, you need to learn how to be a receiver of other's ministries as well as a giver of ministry. It goes this way....look the giver in the eye and say "thank you" and be grateful. I am humbled at the self sacrifice this gentleman of God has made over his lifetime and am grateful to accept his "payment for services rendered".
His wife came to me privately one time and asked me not to make him feel bad by not accepting his gifts when I came to sing as they had over the many years of living frugally invested well and had more than enough to last them the rest of their lifetimes. I am humbled and try to do the very best in preparation and presentation for this little church.

All that to say this: learn to be a gracious receiver as well as a giver. To do otherwise is to rob a person of a chance to minister.

[MBTcustom]

Believe me, I did not deserve this kind of generosity. I feel like somebody just gave me $2000 and wouldn't take no for an answer.
Still, somehow it seems like that would have been easier to accept. This still seems so surreal!
I will try to work on being more gracious, but I dont think anybody can be handed the thing they desire most and have been working towards for years, on a silver platter and be totally at ease accepting it. Lord I hope I'm in a position to do this for somebody else someday!

[Wayne Smith]

A humble man finds it hard to accept that others see value in him and want to enourage him. You have, over and over again here, demonstrated your humility with out knowing it. Once again we see a humble man.

[Bullshop]

Good on you Tim! I feel sure the blessing was well placed.

[P.K.]

Karma usually does, at least that's how some would put it. Think of it as providence, look it up, don't take my word for it. The gentleman saw in you a person deserving of something that untill the moment he saw you was going unused in his shed/garage. He saw an honest, hard working individual who would understand the magnitude of what is gifted freely and use accordingly. Don't let him down...;-)

Good Luck!

[palmettosunshine]

Look him in the eye, say "thank you", and pay it forward when it's your turn.

[backroad]

Loved hearing that

[MtGun44]

I'm sure that you earned it. You may not appreciate it, but your friend did.

Congratulations.

Bill

[Smitty's Retired]

Sometimes.......it is not up to us to ask why.!! We don't know the grand plan that is a part of our world, that is in a grand design of our lives. We never know what impact we make at times to others, or who we may influence. But sometimes, we must look at what gifts we have been given in life, be thankful and use these gifts to better ourselves to help others through life.

[45sixgun]

I'm happy with and for you, Tim. Things like this renew our faith and fill our sails. Hope your business prospers.

[Idaho Mule]

Good on ya. Take it with honor and use it with honor. Always remember, and when it's time for you to pass stuff on, always remember, and choose wisely, you will. Wanna build a 358 for me ?? Nicely blued of course. JW

[Sweetpea]

Gee, Tim, I seem to remember this EPIC benefit auction... What goes around comes around!

[DIRT Farmer]

I can't quote Scripture but -To some much is given. I think you know the rest.

[RoyEllis]

Gee, Tim, I seem to remember this EPIC benefit auction... What goes around comes around!

Yep, I recall seeing that benefit auction you did, and all that earned you a big dose of good "karma", you just got repayed for your good deed when you least expected it! Kudos to both you and your wonderful friend!

[tward]

Good for you! Sometimes other see more of the good in us than is evident to ourselves. Use it in good health. Tim(great name, huh!)

[Alvarez Kelly]

He saw the same things in you that many of us have Tim. I'm sure you will use this gift wisely. I also bet you will remember the giver every time you use it. :-)

I'm very happy for you.

[Love Life]

You're the real deal Tim. A good guy who will take the time to talk to someone on the phone. I was glad to read the above story. Enjoy them.

[smoked turkey]

Tim: I know that as close to the land as you are you know "the law of the harvest". A man usually reaps what he sows. That is the case for you and your new equipment. Don't think for even a second that God didn't help you plant some seeds way back in that machine shop so that you could reap the items you needed today. I know first hand that it is hard for a "giver" to be the receiver. You just need to be reminded that God is a rewarder of those that seek him. Sometimes it does not come in this life, but many times it does.

[LUBEDUDE]

Thanks for sharing your story Tim. We need to hear more of those. I hope your business multiplies.

[Blacksmith]

Tim become the very best Blue Artist you can and you will honor him in every bluing job you do.

[Bad Water Bill]

From my first memories I have been taught to help everyone you are able to so for the 76 years of my life I have lived that way.

Unfortunately my folks never taught me how to graciously say THANK YOU or explain as well as you have TIM and folks.

Who said you can not teach an OLD dog new tricks.

Now I wonder how many folks I and mine have offended because we could not say THANK YOU take what they offered without offending them.

[WILCO]

Loved hearing that

Me too. Thought it was going to be a "Bad News" thread and avoided it. Glad I took the time to read it. Just proves that when you walk straight, folks notice.

[quack1]

Good for you, from what I have read of your posts, you'll make good use of the gift.
A bit of advice from someone who worked part time in a bluing shop for about 25 years. Keep the whole bluing operation COMPLETLY separate from everything else in your shop. The bluing salts will rust anything and everything made of steel in short order. A shed or small building just for bluing would be best.

[**oneshot**]

Karma works in mysterious ways.

[41 mag fan]

Tim,
Thats really an awesome thing you had happen to you, and it's beyond nice what your friend did. One thing though, I know you say you dont deserve what was given to you, but look at this sentence i copied from your post....

We need young fellers to be getting into this trade and I want to help you out.

OK, this friend wanted to help you out and he did. Now from what you posted , you want to pay him back and he wouldn't accept, then in your own way pay him back by finding a couple of young kids that want to learn the trade, would come on their own time without asking to be paid and apprentice them in the gunsmithing trade.
You just made this friends gratuity towards you possibly live thru another generation.

[MBTcustom]

That is exactly what I plan to do, and that was all he asked.
Right now I am working out of a single car garage. In this small shop I have a LeBlond Regal 17"X 120" lathe, a full sized mill, 3'X8' work bench, vertical bandsaw, beltsander, grinder, tool boxes, and shelving. Even if I was entertaining the idea of setting up my bluing tanks in the shop, there isn't any room left!
So an outbuilding is an absolute necessity.
My goals have been very "hell or high water" for years, but the rate that they are coming to fruition over this last year is astounding. These tanks were going to be as big a hurtle as getting the mill, but since this blessed fellow just up and gave them to me (its starting to sink in today LOL) I can move on to the out building.
Once I get the outbuilding constructed, I need to find somebody who is good at this, and bribe them with jubilous libations, monetary coersions, and lifelong indebtedness, to teach me how to make the blue such that when you stare into it, it stares back.
I am getting the motor together to make a low speed buffing wheel. I want something that has at least 2HP, and I know an electrician who has just such a motor.
It wont be long fellers!

[TCLouis]

It seems machinists truly respect folks who treat their tools with respect!

Great trait to have among humans.

[375RUGER]

Tim, reflecting on my dealings with you, you are a STRAIGHT SHOOTER and well deserved of such a gift. It makes me happy for you and yours.

[429421Cowboy]

If anybody out there deserved it, it would be you Tim! You are a straight shooter and a humble hard working man that gives me alot to look up to! God bless you and your family, as well as your new business. As you already said, someday in the future you will be able to help someone in a similar way. If i lived close by i'd be there to help you any way i could. Take care and enjoy!

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

this man obvioously felt moved to help you. You offered to give him something, & he declined.
This is not only a gift from him but from God as well.
Grace is a hunbling thing and can be difficult to accept without guilt sometimes.
The opportunity for you to "pay it forward" will come someday. :)

[clintsfolly]

Good for you Tim At sometime you did him proud and he WANTED to help you in your dream!!!! On a another note please keep us posted with your plans to setup as I have a barrel that needs bluing and can think of no one that I want to do it but you. Clint

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I sure can't add much, everyone else has said so well...but,

Tim, you are a generous Man, and as you recall, have been very generous to me, and I suspect you have been generous with many others.
I wish you lots of luck, umm I mean more luck.
Jon

[Wayne Smith]

Tim, I assume you know this but I'll remind you anyway - it's less the blue and more the hours of polishing that makes a great blue job.

[rush1886]

Gee, Tim, I seem to remember this EPIC benefit auction... What goes around comes around!

+1

you'll be able to return the generosity at some point

[popper]

Tim - it's called character. Some have it and some recognize it. You and he do both. Enjoy and be thankful.