— Chapter Twenty-One —
I awakened to a delightful spring morning. From my bedroom window I noticed how green the grass was getting as well as how tall it was growing. God had been so gracious to send help with my lawn when I had been weak and overwhelmed. But now, because I believed God had not led me to move yet, one of my newly acquired jobs was to take care of the lawn.
This morning I decided, “Today is the day.” Donning my work clothes and polishing my Harriet Homeowner badge, I unlocked the door to the tool shed and stared at the lawnmower, the way an old miner would look at his mule, wondering what I’d have to do to get it to budge.
Not wanting to look like a novice, I dragged the mower from the shed to the back of the house so the neighbors wouldn’t see my flailing as I attempted to start it. With great anticipation, I pushed the prime button and yanked the cord with all my might. I didn’t realize that a little sputter could cause such excitement!
“Okay! Just one more good pull,” I reasoned, “then surely it will start.” With a yank hard enough to pull my arm out of its socket, the motor sputtered again, but with less enthusiasm. I primed it again and yanked again, but its only response was a pitiful cough.
“That’s okay,” I reassured myself. “I’ve probably flooded it!” Taking a few minutes to cool down, I walked around the yard taking note of what needed to be done. I prayed, “Lord, I’m in need of You as my Husband.65 If I had a husband, surely he could get my mower started. Lord, please help me with the mower.”
Several more attempts were made, but to no avail. I was frustrated and disappointed. I wanted no pity, nor did I want my yard to be an embarrassment to the neighborhood. All I wanted was to be able to start my mower and God hadn’t helped me. I gave up and walked across the street to borrow my neighbor’s mower. I was thankful for the loan, but I wanted to be self-sufficient.
After cutting the grass and returning the mower, I tried to calmly think through what I should do. Knowing that a shop wasn’t too far away, I called to schedule a pick up.
“Okay, lady, we’ll pick it up on Tuesday and we’ll have it back to you in seven business days.
“Fine,” I replied.
“That’s more like it. I can handle this!”
So Tuesday morning I put the mower on the deck. I felt confident and in control as I drove to work. But when I got home, the windshield wipers cleared my windshield so I could see that the mower was right where I’d left it…getting drenched!
“Oh, no!” I cried, “why didn’t they come? And this rain! Did it ruin it?”
Early Wednesday morning I called. “Why didn’t you pick up my mower?”
“I’m sorry, lady, but our truck broke down. We won’t be able to pick it up for several days. But if you can bring it in, we can fix it in a couple of days; or we can reschedule another pickup after our truck is fixed.” I felt I had no other choice but to take it in myself. My first opportunity would be on Saturday.
The spring rains were great for the lawns, but soaked my ego. For the next five days I watched the grass grow inch by inch. Every day I questioned why God had not helped.
Saturday was going to be tight. A few weeks earlier I had promised to help decorate the tables at church for a Women’s Missions Brunch. I would need to get an early start so I would have plenty of time to decorate the tables, then run home to change my clothes and somehow get that albatross of a lawnmower into the trunk of my car!
So early Saturday morning, I rushed to church, my car bulging with baskets, ivy and azalea blooms. Another volunteer helped unload and quickly we started filling the baskets. Satisfied with our efforts, I hurriedly gathered up the twigs and dead blooms, anxious to make a quick exit. As I headed towards the door, I recognized the wife of a young missionary my son had stayed with in New Guinea while on a mission’s trip. I couldn’t leave without saying hello.
Our conversation led to another and I ended up staying much longer than planned. The men’s breakfast had just concluded on the other side of the thick vinyl curtain. I was amused when the guys peeped around the curtain and joked about the differences between the tables— banal potted plants versus bursts of spring flowers.
After a few more minutes of light conversation, one of those men, the husband of a dear friend and an elder at the church, drew me aside.
“Who’s mowing your lawn this summer?”
Caught my surprise, I looked at him in disbelief. “No one,” I said blinking back the tears. “I’m able to do it, but I’m having trouble getting my mower started.”
Bob commented, “A couple of weeks ago God laid it on my heart to ask you about your lawn. Would you allow me to be obedient to God and minister to you by mowing your lawn this summer?
I was shocked, blessed, excited, and humbled all at the same time! “I can’t believe it!” I answered. “If you only knew!”
Another revival took place in my car as I drove home from church. My heart was ecstatic! “God, I can’t believe it! I can’t believe how You knew my need and even though I was grumbling, You were arranging to have it met all along. Oh, God, I can never thank you enough!”
Obviously, I didn’t need to go to the lawnmower shop. Monday morning, the receptionist at work buzzed me to pick up line four.
“This is Burke Mowing Service. Just wanted to let you know that our truck is fixed. When can we pick up your mower?”
It was all I could do to keep from laughing. “Thanks, but there’s no need,” I said with a smile. I hung up the phone, wondering what the expression might be if they knew why their truck had broken down!
Once again I had much to write in my journal. “God, You have shown me how faithful You are, even in the small and sometimes exasperating times. I wanted You to fix my lawnmower, but You had a better plan. You wanted to take care of my lawn, as my Husband would! Thank you.”
God has such a sense of humor. When I’d start complaining about something else, I’d sense a nudge along with a little reminder, “Speak up, Donna! I can’t hear you over the mower!”
What joy and delight fills my heart as I sing, “My God is an awesome God! He reigns from heaven above!”66
Copyright 2001, 2004 Donna Christensen
All rights reserved.
Published Online by: The Biblical Reader
www.biblicalreader.com