HAYDEN — In these chaotic coronavirus days, Jim Lyon finds a bit of sanctuary in his Hayden shop.

And it is there the retired firefighter has been making small wooden crosses and distributing them to friends.

“This gig gives me solace. It just grounds me,” he said. “If that helps ground somebody, if it helps them take a deep breath, that’s it.”

Lyon delivered about 20 crosses on Friday, driving from home to home in his truck. He makes sure they’re clean and virus-free.

“I sanitize the hell out of them,” he said, laughing.

Lyon works part time in guest services at Kootenai Health. His wife, daughter and niece also work there.

“All we see is stressed people,” he said.

So he treasures his limited free time at his shop and uses it well.

“I count this as home,” Lyon said.

To make the simple crosses, about 2 inches tall, his tools include an oscillating sander, a band saw, files, propane torch, dremel and sandpaper. What starts as a long, narrow piece of wood becomes several crosses, symbols of the Christian faith, each different from the one before.

Christ, according to the Bible, was a carpenter, but Lyon downplays his own carpentry talents.

“I’m not a skilled woodworker,” he said, smiling.

But a week ago, he knew he wanted to do something, in a small way, to create a gift that would comfort others in these turbulent times. So he came up with a template of a wooden cross and went from there.

“Everybody’s got to do something,” he said.

People can carry the crosses, keep them at home, use them during prayer time, whatever they like. If they provide a sense of peace, they have done what Lyon hoped.

“I just offered them,” he said.

Lyon considers himself a religious person, but “not a zealot.” The crosses are not about preaching, he adds. They are just about doing what he can.

“I don’t know how to make anything else,” he said.