Wilkerson, 62, has been carving all his life but only began inscribing the Ten Commandments on the ash and cedar walking sticks about 15 years ago.
He collects wood for his sticks from the Trinity River banks in southern Dallas. He shears off the bark with a paring knife, and then sands the wood to a smooth surface. Next, he painstakingly carves the letters of the Ten Commandments, in block style, using a six-inch carving tool that resembles a screwdriver.
The first five Commandments are carved lengthwise around the top of the stick. The second five are carved on the bottom half. He paints the letters red, black or green, but the stick remains a natural off-white color.
"God gave me this gift," said Wilkerson, who attends St. Paul United Methodist Church in Dallas.
"I'm in my own little world," he said of the time spent carving in his one-room apartment. "I'm just meditating. I'm kind of a hermit."
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He can make about two walking sticks a day and derives his only income from the sale of his sticks.