May 13th entry from "Pace Yourself:366 Devotions From the Daily Grind"
Our internet was crawling slower than a newborn baby. Yesterday I had to reinstall Windows and download all the required service packs and updates. Hence, we exceeded the 24-hour bandwidth allowed with our satellite internet plan. After slogging through my email I gave up, went for a run, and then climbed aboard our beat-up lawnmower. With all the rain we’ve had, it was high time to give the grass a whack.
Our riding mover is an interesting piece of machinery. We bought it seventeen years ago and it has lived a hard life. Grass still falls in its path but the blades, even being replaced and sharpened frequently, are anything but pristine—too many rock encounters. We have to dump in half a quart of oil with each use, the grass shoot is catywampus and the deck is bent. And embarrassingly, we use a screw driver in the key slot to bring life to the old engine. The vinyl seat is split in several places, the edges rubbing uncomfortably on bare legs. But, I guess I shouldn’t complain. It beats cutting several acres with a push mower.
I don’t mind riding the mower. I love to look back at the lines in the grass, looking so tidy in contrast to the uneven grass and weeds yet uncut. Gary and the boys do most of the cutting but they don’t love it; they do it because they have to. I welcome the opportunity to bounce around the yard. My love for working outside come from my parents, I’m sure. Though time-consuming, it’s relaxing. And this year, there’s no shortage of mowing opportunities around here.
Come August, however, it will likely be a different story. Grass without rain is a terrible combination. Before long, the grass turns an ugly brown, no longer feeling soft and squishy on bare feet. With last summer’s drought, there were weeks that went by when no mowing was necessary. The ground was brown and dusty, the life sucked out of the blades of grass.
Though grass is fragile and short-lived, there is something that will stand forever; the Word of God. No drought or blazing sun can kill the Word. It lives on, strong in truth and perfect in directing our lives.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8)
Daily challenge:
Our lives should be green and lush when watered by the Word.
Our riding mover is an interesting piece of machinery. We bought it seventeen years ago and it has lived a hard life. Grass still falls in its path but the blades, even being replaced and sharpened frequently, are anything but pristine—too many rock encounters. We have to dump in half a quart of oil with each use, the grass shoot is catywampus and the deck is bent. And embarrassingly, we use a screw driver in the key slot to bring life to the old engine. The vinyl seat is split in several places, the edges rubbing uncomfortably on bare legs. But, I guess I shouldn’t complain. It beats cutting several acres with a push mower.
I don’t mind riding the mower. I love to look back at the lines in the grass, looking so tidy in contrast to the uneven grass and weeds yet uncut. Gary and the boys do most of the cutting but they don’t love it; they do it because they have to. I welcome the opportunity to bounce around the yard. My love for working outside come from my parents, I’m sure. Though time-consuming, it’s relaxing. And this year, there’s no shortage of mowing opportunities around here.
Come August, however, it will likely be a different story. Grass without rain is a terrible combination. Before long, the grass turns an ugly brown, no longer feeling soft and squishy on bare feet. With last summer’s drought, there were weeks that went by when no mowing was necessary. The ground was brown and dusty, the life sucked out of the blades of grass.
Though grass is fragile and short-lived, there is something that will stand forever; the Word of God. No drought or blazing sun can kill the Word. It lives on, strong in truth and perfect in directing our lives.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8)
Daily challenge:
Our lives should be green and lush when watered by the Word.
Comments
BTW- we had to replace that lawn mower but we keep it for a backup. In fact, Gary actually used it just the other week.