Today was truly a blessing. Let me tell you why. First of all, you need to understand that few things strike terror into the hearts of men like "simple" household repair jobs. In fact, "simple household repairs" is an oxymoron. The words simple and household repairs do NOT go together.
It has been my experience that as I proudly and bravely undertake such a task, seldom do things go as planned. In fact, I can begin a task that would normally take 30 minutes to complete and turn it into an all day exercise in frustration and anguish. These types of jobs DO serve a useful purpose, though; they ALWAYS humble me.
Normally, before beginning a repair job around the house, there is a checklist that must be completed. First and foremost on the list; first aid supplies. Gotta make sure there are plenty of band aids on hand... a couple of gallons of disinfectant... sterile cotton swabs and at least one Ace Bandage.
Then, if it's a simple job, I usually do a complete inventory of all my tools. Because NOTHING is exempt from demanding that one weird tool that you only use once every 10 or 12 years. If it's NOT a simple job, then I always check our account balance because there's no doubt I'm going to have to go buy some weird tool that I will only use once every 10 to 12 years.
Today... it was plumbing! That dreaded word so many men hate... Plumbing! Nothing drastic, you understand, just a leaky faucet in Little Red's bathtub... but plumbing nonetheless... So I gathered myself, my courage, my tools, and the first aid supplies and I attacked the problem with a vengeance.
Yessir... I gathered up my crescent wrench and walked (with a bit of a swagger, I might add) out to the curb to shut the water off. Up to this point, everything was going smoothly.
Then I got the faucets disassembled and headed out to Home Depot, successfully giving my bride the indication that everything was under control and that I knew exactly what I was doing. So far, so good. Still no bleeding and so far, no need to call a professional.
I strolled back to the aisle where the faucet repair items were neatly hung on display for everyone to see... except I didn't see anything that remotely resembled what I was holding in my hand. After several minutes of just standing there, pretending I knew what I was looking for, I broke down and asked for help ( an act viewed by most men as a sign of weakness ) from one of the guys who work there. These are amazing people who know more about more than most of us will ever hope to know. He strode up to me, confidently and said, "Let's see what you've got there".
I knew I might be in trouble when he said, "Wow, I've never seen anything quite like this before". Then he turned and we both stood there for several more minutes looking at all that stuff, pretending we knew what we were looking for. After a few minutes, he referred me to a plumbing supply place and told me they have all kinds of stuff there and that they "MIGHT" be able to help me.
Undaunted, I struck out for the recommended location. Not nearly as confident as before, I walked in rather inconspicuously and presented my part that no one had ever seen before. The young man behind the counter took one look and told me he had just what I needed. I reached into my wallet to get the business card for the bank, because I figured I'd need to call them and get a loan approval to buy what I was going to need, and just then, the young man set a small, little package on the counter. "This will fix you right up", he said.
He even took a minute to show me just how to install what I was buying. It was so simple. And the price; $5.19. I just stood there dumbfounded... looking at him for a minute like I was waiting for him to laugh and then tell me how much it REALLY costs. "Are you sure?... That's all I need?... It's really THAT simple?", I asked. Sure enough, it was that simple. And did I mention that it was only $5.19?
I drove back home, smiling, walked in, smiled at my Sweetie and walked right into the bathroom without saying a word. Ten minutes later, the old stuff was out, the new stuff was in, the water was back on... and PRAISE GOD... not one drip!!! Success!
I used 1 Phillips screwdriver and 1 crescent wrench... and successfully completed my mission. It took me longer to haul all my tools back out to the garage than it did to actually do the job. I didn't even bark a knuckle! I had actually completed a home repair and not bled in the process. And did I mention that it only costs $5.19?
I wonder why it is, that I've been a child of God for this many years and I still have a hard time finding a mustard seed's worth of faith when it comes to some areas of my own life. Don't ask me why, but it's like I figure God must somehow exempt Himself from becoming involved in plumbing... But He doesn't.
The word of God tells me that I should pay attention to where I place my confidence, and that my confidence ought to be in the Lord. Once again He has proven that He is my Shield and my High Tower, and that He is my very present help in times of trouble... even plumbing trouble. What a God we serve!
I think I might just tackle that garbage disposal under the sink... OR... maybe I'll wait a day or two before I start that job. Besides, I just want to bask in today for a while. God IS SO good!
Go ahead, see for yourself... why don't you tackle that repair job you've been putting off and see if God isn't still in the blessing business. But then, Hey, It's Just A Thought.
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