The hubs and I moved to the country about ten years ago. It was a HUGE change from city living. There were a lot of lessons to be learned, some good…some not so good…some hard…and some were just simply entertaining. Friends would eagerly await the next installment of “Country Life Lesson #____. Here is just a sampling…
- Hay fork vs. car…who wins?
- When working around farm equipment, be aware. If not, you will have an egg on your forehead from the auger handle and a knot on your shin from the trailer hitch.
- If you help your husband work the calves, you will get pooped on.
- Remember to shut gates. Otherwise you are chasing cows out of the yard in the middle of the night.
- Never cross a gravel driveway with the mower blades running and a car parked nearby. Otherwise you will spend your Saturday having the driver side windows replaced.
- If your dog is sitting in her favorite chair chewing a bone, you might want to confirm it is a bone…
Those are just a few (a very few) of the lessons that have been learned these past few years. But the most important lesson I’ve learned is to “HAVE THE RIGHT TOOL”.
Most homes have a simple tool kit. This kit would have a hammer, screwdriver, pliers and maybe a couple of random other things. Growing up, my home had a knife for a screwdriver, a meat cleaver for a hammer and a pair of scissors. There might have been other tools but not to my knowledge. The hubs on the other hand, grew up in a home where they actually had REAL tools. They fixed things…with REAL TOOLS!
It is amazing how much easier it is to use a screwdriver with a screw than to use a knife! Or to use an actual hammer vs. a meat cleaver to try and hang a picture. The right tool…what a simple concept…a concept that carries right over into our Christian walk. God has given us the tool we need to navigate this life. However, it is up to us to use it wisely…to pick it up…to have it in our “toolbox”.
If you haven’t guessed by now…this tool is His Word…the Bible…
This “tool” has multiple uses, let’s look at just a few:
- KEEPS YOU FOCUSED: Philippians 3:13b-14 tells us “…But one thing I do; Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Lots of time can be wasted when we are constantly looking back. “Shoulda-Coulda-Woulda” are not words we should focus on. Learn from the past…don’t dwell on it.
- KEEPS YOU SAFE: 2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” This life is full of trials, temptations and troubles. Satan never quits…BUT…neither does our Lord. Our Lord is faithful…He is always with us…He protects us.
- MAKES YOU STRONG: Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. ALL THINGS! I can’t speak for you, but I don’t always feel strong. Doubt creeps into my thoughts and that strength just flutters away…It is during these times we must dig deep and reclaim that confidence found in this verse. “I can…through Christ”.
- GIVES YOU MERCY & GRACE: Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach Gods throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” We will fail in this life…it is just that simple. What a blessing to know we can still approach our Father IN CONFIDENCE and He will help us.
- GIVES HOPE: Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.” The word of God was recorded over a period of 1500ish years…40 men guided by the Spirit. Why? So that we might have hope. Hope for a future far greater than anything we could ever imagine.
- GIVES US A PROMISE: Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…” It’s a promise!
God has given us the Bible as the ultimate tool to use in our daily life. Use it! Accept no substitutes 🙂
Listen to His Voice,
Lee Ann
