W-D 40, duct tape and vaseline. Those were the only items necessary for my Deddy to "fix" pretty much anything; shoes, cars, plumbing, electrical. Oh, and after watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Windex. Nope, not joking. At any given time there were approximately 87 containers of vaseline, 23 cans of W-D 40 and enough rolls of duct tape to makes dresses for every girl at my senior prom (saw that on Pinterest-duct tape prom dress). Not sure what he did with the Windex but thankfully I was married long before the movie came out and my pre-wedding blemish was handled the good old-fashioned way- toothpaste.
He was a tinkerer? tinkeree? Are those even words? But anyway, he liked to tinker. He enjoyed fixing things and was very good at it. It came naturally to him. He had the ability to take something apart, look at and for the most part get it back up and running with minimum "extra" pieces left on the floor when he was done.
He could open a box of "something to be put together", take one look at the instructions, quickly discard them and in a bit would have it put together again with only a few "extra" pieces left over. Most of the time he got it done and well. On very few occasions, not so much, just ask those of us who got a slight buzz in the pool. Oh no, not the alcohol kind, I mean a good old fashion buzz of electricity from a light he knew he could fix. Thankfully no one was at risk of serious injury and the buzz has been fixed.
I think because he was good at what he did and had been doing it for so long he sometimes forgot his limitations and didn't feel it was necessary to consult the instructions. Like I said, for the most part it wasn't needed but when it was, it really really was needed. The pool buzz is how my hair got curly. Just kidding. :)
I have been thinking about him and his ability a lot lately. He showed my sister and I how to fix things around the house which has come in very handy. Any time I find myself fixing a toilet, leaky faucet or other minor house thingie, I think of him. I had no idea that God had a blog post for all of this until today. You see I am like my Dad in my Christian walk. I have be doing it so long, it comes naturally and that sometimes means I take things for granted. I leave an instructions manual untouched or have a few extra peices leftover that can fortify what I am doing. Basically, I think I can handle this and sometimes forget to ask God what He would like for me to do.
I have had a few things on my mind the past few weeks. Things that weigh heavily and can be scary. I have felt God begin to move me in a direction that has not been very comfortable and so while I have prayed about it, I really have been trying to dodge the situation entirely. However, the past week or so, I am finding that God wants to deal with it whether I am ready to or not. So as I always do when I need to contemplate, I took a day off to clean. (My husband LOVES contemplation days!) I clean, listen to past sermons and praise music. I also talk to God, a lot and out loud. I have fewer distractions and I make the time to talk with Him. It helps me to hear Him better.
Today was different. I did all of the things I normally do but I was nervous. I was beginning to get that knowing that happens when God has something planned and you have shut up long enough to hear it. A sense of finality is the only way I can describe it. And I didn't like it one bit. Sorry, but I didn't. I promised to be truthful in this blog and that is the truth of it. It is not comfortable and I do not like it. But bet your bottom dollar not being comfortable and not liking it doesn't mean for one second I am not going to do it. Been there, done that, failed miserably.
Now I have been a Christian for a very long time. I remember singing in Church at age six and knowing that the feeling I felt when singing about Jesus was something I wanted to carry with me everyday and share with everybody. So... I should know what to do when facing the above and I did, I sent a message to my dear friend, my dear Christian friend. And do you know what she did? She picked up the hastily discarded instruction manual, handed it to me and made me read it. Her response simply said:
Luke 1:37, then let's talk. I would add to that Proverbs 16:9.
I am not paraphrasing. I just cut and pasted that straight from the message. Now I could sing the praises of this friend for lots of reasons but how wonderful is it that God has put someone in my life who would know the right thing to do isn't to offer advice but to offer the Word? Boy do I know how to choose 'em. :) Hubby, friends, I would say family but they kinda got stuck with me, poor things.
Yep- that's her!
Why is it so easy to forget that we have an instruction manual? The Bible is God's word on how to handle living in the world. I have never turned to it and not found either comfort or guidance on how to live or handle a situation I am facing. He has given it to us in 1700 different ways so that we can find what works for us. Unfortunately, I have not been someone who spent time in the Word on a regular basis. There I said it. Maybe it is because I have been a Christian so long, I sometimes fall into the "I got this" trap. Or the I pray so I'm good. I regret that I have not and I constantly feel like I am playing catch up but I am getting there. A little bit at a time, everyday, I am getting there.
So the next time something in our life is broken, catawampus or something needs to be built, we need to pray and then go straight to the instruction manual. Or go straight to the instruction manual and pray, which ever of those orders works best for you. Better yet, we should spend enough time in the Word to know it by heart. And with family and friends like the ones I have always referring me back to it, I am getting there, slowly but surely.
In case you were wondering here they are...
Luke 1:37
For no word from God will ever fail.
Proverbs 16:9
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
love- j
