Archive - April, 2007

toilets

April 26, 2007 in funny with 3 Comments

Today I discovered a leak in our toilet. Water was dripping off of a bolt that connects the upper tank with the bowl. After a quick assessment of what needed to be done, I told Parker that I needed to get my tools so I could fix the toilet. By the time I had gone to the garage and gotten back with my toolbox, Parker had managed to run downstairs, retrieve his bucket of tools and dump them all over the bathroom floor. As I began the simple process of tightening the bolts, Parker proceeded to use his plastic hammer on every square inch of toilet he could find. Even though he was kind of in the way and wasn’t really doing anything to help the leak, he was proud to be with me.

I can’t help but think of all the things I do to try to “help” God. After all, I’m really not that different from Parker. I get in God’s way. I think a hammer will do a wrench’s job. And I’m too proud to notice or care.

I suppose that’s not entirely a bad thing. I mean, I really enjoyed spending the time with Parker. And I think God probably appreciates our desire to join in with Him. But I guess the key is remembering that His way is ideal and ours are….well, number #2.

stress

April 23, 2007 in ministry, spiritual with 1 Comment

Things at work have been stressful the past several days. I love working with youth, but the extra responsibility of coordinating children’s ministry adds enormous pressure and time commitment to my already busy schedule. Needless to say, I’ve recently found myself realizing that my gifts, abilities and time, often fall short and leave me stressed out.

In my devotions the other day, I read about a stressful situation in 1 Samuel 30. David is returning from the battlefield with his men. Upon arriving home, they find their town burned to the ground and their wives and children missing. David’s men bitterly place the blame on him. In fact, verse 6 says that they thought about stoning him. Things are quickly going from bad to worse for David.

In the midst of all these emotions, frustrations and fears, David does something amazing. The end of verse 6 says, “But David found strength in the Lord his God.”

He found strength in a situation where he was powerless and outnumbered. It’s not something that he mustered up on his own. He realized his circumstances and offered them to God. I’m glad that He doesn’t leave us “high and dry” when we look to Him for strength. Instead, God somehow transfers His strength to us. We don’t have to let the stresses of this life get the best of us. Our Creator offers us life to the full, not life full of stress.