For the past few days my husband has been saying, "I need to mow the lawn." But he has been busy. Working, getting new siding on the back of the house, installing a new window in our kitchen, grilling some amazing Mahi Mahi while installing the new window. He has been serving me in doing all these things and I have been... well, watching. When God first told me to offer to mow the lawn, I didn't wanna! ME? Mow the lawn? AS IF! That's a 'boy' job. I don't know how to start the lawn mower, or really what pattern to follow, how to put the bag on the mower, etc... But, I went ahead and offered to mow the lawn.
So this morning, Liana watched as I tried to figure out how to put the bag on the back of the lawn mower. Ya, that didn't happen. After 20 minutes I gave up and said a prayer that God would just have to protect me because I could not figure out how to put that thing on. Then I pulled the string to start the mower over and over until I thought my arm was going to come out of the socket and FINALLY - it turned on. I never thought I'd be so excited to hear a lawn mower turn on.
And so it began... I got into a groove and mowed the lawn, the front yard AND the backyard. And you know what? It stunk! I got pelted with rocks that would shoot out and hit me in my legs, and it hurt! I got the lawn mower stuck in a ditch, and I was pushing with all of my might to get it out. I was sure I wasn't going to be able to get it out, I was losing faith and almost gave up. Then I remembered a passage in Hebrews 10 "... I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back." Yesterday, I met with my Pastor and we discussed this passage in a different context and he told me that I was not a shrink back kind of person... that I couldn't be even if I tried. So I decided to stand on that. But the mower would not budge. It wasn't coming out. I was sure a vein was popping out in my head at this point from pushing and pulling. I was really starting to get frustrated and then Liana started cheering me on "you can do it mama, you are the best mama ever!" So with her cheering and God's grace, I surely did get the mower out of the little ditch and finished my lawn. All I could picture was God smiling down on me, with pleasure.
After that, I decided to start mowing my neighbor's lawn. God didn't tell me to, but I took it upon myself to do it, which was a mistake. At this point, my hands were numb from the vibration of the lawn mower. My head was pounding and I was drenched in sweat. But I began, again. Only this time, I was really starting to feel ill from how hard my head was pounding, but I kept on mowing. And then... the lawn mower turned off. I had ran out of gas. At first I felt bad, and then I laughed. Of course it turned off. God didn't tell me to mow her yard, He told me to mow my yard for my husband. So even though I had good intention with what I was doing, and my motives were right - God didn't tell me to do it. My poor neighbor's yard is sitting over there with about 3/4 of it mowed.
So Just Because It's Friday, I mowed my lawn to honor God by serving my husband. Here I sit, 2 hours later. My head is pounding still. My hands feel wierd. My arms and the rest of my body already feel sore. But you know what? It was worth it. It was worth it because God told me to do it and I obeyed. It was worth it because it's one less thing for my husband to have to worry about. It was worth it because my daughter got to see her mom JOYFULLY do a 'boy' job and persevere through it. It was worth it because when my neighbor comes home to a 3/4 mowed lawn, it may give me an opportunity to share Jesus with her.
Wow, how many times have I been told to do something by God and said no. but the times I said yes Lord..always surprises me. I have to admit I haven't asked HIM what he would have me do in a long time....Need to recommit.
ReplyDelete