Restoration

June 23, 2018

I have much for which to be thankful today. Of course, that’s nothing new. It only takes a few moments of thought to begin to recall the blessings of the day. Health, a country with unprecedented freedom, a wife who loves me, children and grandchildren who are an almost daily part of our lives, two church families, our forgiveness and salvation in Christ...the list could go on and on. Anyone with eyes and a heart to see can discover many of these same blessings, and more.

Today, two lesser blessings popped into view. It was time to start assembling the antique motorcycle, so I was rummaging around the garage looking for those small parts that may seem insignificant, but without which the entire project comes to a halt. Those small items have a way of getting buried in boxes and misplaced entirely, which has been my fear ever since I took the bike to get rebuilt almost twenty years ago. The fellow I took it to ran into some health problems, and for a number of years, I didn’t even know where the motor and transmission were. As for the rest of the bike, it was in pieces. I know the wiring harness disappeared long ago; what I don’t know is what else is missing.

Today I had hoped to assemble the front forks and attach them to the frame. Alas! One of the bearing races was nowhere to be found. And I was missing three ball bearings. This bike is old enough that it doesn’t have integrated bearing races; you grease the balls, set them on one cup and gently lower the other cup onto it, hoping that in the process you don’t spill balls all over the floor. Box after box refused to yield that errant race, but of all places, I found it in an old tennis ball canister, along with the crown nut that holds the fork on the frame. I was particularly happy to find that, because a replacement costs $45. For a nut! 

I neglected to have the wheels and brake backing plates painted with the rest of the bike, an oversight I am already regretting, but they can wait for another day. Actual build is getting close!

As I was closing up the garage tonight, I hit the button to lower the door, and stepped outside while it closed. Just as the door touched the floor, I heard a crash. Stepping back inside, I immediately saw that on one side, the big spring that provides the tension to raise the door had popped loose from its mounting bracket. I am glad I wasn’t standing there when it happened. Springs are wonderful inventions, but they can be injurious and even deadly when they let loose.

This evening, the lost is found, and I dodged the spring. It was a good day, and I am reflecting on the amount of work it takes to restore broken things to working order. The motor and transmission I sent out; I might have been able to rebuild the transmission, but there’s no way I have the skills to do the motor. Even the relatively simple task of assembling the parts is quite a job. Painting, organizing, consulting the manuals, looking for those oddball parts; all just to restore an old motorcycle. Then there’s all the work Jesus puts into restoring broken people; rebuilding worn out hearts, replacing broken attitudes, cleaning lives that have been soiled and battered by sin. It’s no small task, but God lovingly tends to the smallest of details, and spared no expense to ensure that the end product turns out to be a classic. That is something worth giving thanks for.