Samuel walked up to me while we were mowing and trimming the yard (he mows, I trim) and tells me that the lawnmower was broken.
“Mmhmm…”
Of course, I just thought that he was missing some step and casually walked over to the mower and turned it on. I have an EGO electric mower, which I love. You pull the lever, press the button, and you’ve got the quietest mower in the world, and it cuts the grass just fine.
But not this time.
This time it shook like a spring door stop, turned off, and then the red LED on the display began to blink. Now, my friends wouldn’t exactly call me a “mechanic,” but I was pretty sure that something was wrong. Red never seems too good.
I turned it over and checked the blade. It apparently was pulling up grass from the roots. “Maybe it wasn’t sharp enough?” I had no clue what was wrong, so I dragged it into the garage and took the blade off to examine it.
I’m also not a “blade-ologist,” so I did what anybody my age would do: I googled it.
There wasn’t a replacement blade within a 40-minute drive, and only half of my yard was cut. HALF. It was also after dinner time. We all know you should look at the glass half full, not half empty, but I doubt my neighbors would keep that perspective if I left my yard half-complete.
I started thinking of alternative solutions, and I really didn’t want to borrow a neighbor’s mower if I didn’t have to. Then it occurred to me, I have a Power+ String Trimmer (weed eater)! It’s not really meant to cut a yard, but it could be a temporary resolve until I get a new blade in.
So I spent the next few moments trimming my yard down as evenly as possible (emphasis on “as possible”). It reminded me of the first time my mom let my aunt cut my hair as a kid. My hair was technically shorter, but I wouldn’t exactly call it a “win.”
Nevertheless, the front yard was cut and I bought myself a week to figure it out.
This year has brought a lot of new challenges for me. I’m having to pivot quickly and try new ways of doing things. Some are different but just as easy, and others have left me waiting for a more permanent solution.
The good news is, Jesus’ presence and promises haven’t changed. My faith in Him isn’t based on a predictable and comfortable life.
I like the way Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
I haven’t seen the staircase in about 7 months, but Jesus hasn’t left.
See you guys this Sunday as we look at Jesus’ second sign in John’s Gospel.
Will He get upset and leave them? Can He still work among a people who need to see before they believe? You’ll have to come and hear the story to find out!
I love you, Grace.
— Pastor Jack