Christine's Story---God Is In The Details!

I was already having a bad week, feeling particularly raw for no reason other than the obvious. As some of you on Lifeboat might remember, I was asking the group about my hands shaking—wondering if anyone else had that happen. The shaking has been getting in my way, making it hard to use utensils, drink from a cup, typing, etc. Well, I saw my doctor this week and it seems I’ve developed something called essential tremors, also called benign essential tremors. It doesn’t seem very benign to me! It’s scary and embarrassing. No treatment is available except for going decaf and possibly taking a blood pressure pill (I don’t have a BP problem). Of course the medication will carry its own package of side effects.

I’m not just writing to complain (although I'd welcome your prayers!). Instead, I wanted to share something that happened last week. I woke up thinking it was Saturday (but it was actually Friday), and I was going about my Saturday routine. I didn’t realize what day it was until around 10 a.m.--- I should have been at work!

I decided that if I was so stressed that my subconscious gave me a day off, I would use it. I let my very understanding boss know I wouldn’t be in.

After calling him, I went the town office to confirm the orientation of cemetery plots because I was in a fog and hardly able to think back in January when I purchased them. I then contacted the people who should be working on the grave marker (3 months and I’m still waiting for the 2nd proof). Two week-day errands I needed a day off to do were crossed off my list.

Finally, I went to my garage to prep the weed-eater. It was one that my husband bought at the end of last season, so I hadn’t used it yet. I'd tried it once earlier in the week and discovered that it needed a certain kind of oil. OK, today I had the oil, had the fuel, had the owner’s manual, and actually got it started first try! Yay! I got about 20 yards of weeds done when the machine ran out of string. Drat! Trudged back to the garage, opened the manual to the string replacement section, and could not remove a necessary part. Remember, I have this benign tremor thing going on, plus the parts were made for man-sized hands. Grrr!

Careful use of a screwdriver (a step not included in the instructions) got the thing disassembled. I loaded the string, and then had another epic struggle getting it back together again. Success—I thought.

I started the thing up again, parts flew in a few different directions, and the string wrapped around the end of the machine! Apparently I had not gotten things locked together. Too bad I didn’t get it on video to send "America’s Funniest Videos", because I could use the prize money.

As I wandered around trying to find the parts, without a clue as to what direction they went, trying not to cry in frustration, and having gloomy visions of ordering parts that would cost too much and probably take a month to arrive, a landscaping crew pulled up to my neighbor’s house.

Great—I really needed professionals here to critique my lack of expertise. I just glanced at the men and continued my search, but one of them drove his machine up my drive. It was a friend of my step-son’s! He had come to say "Hi" before starting the job next door. I thought he’d get a laugh out of my adventures in weed-whacking and told him what had happened.

Instead of laughing, he helped me search and we actually found the parts! He went on to do his job next door, but his co-worker came over and asked if he could use the outdoor water faucet for his weed-killer container. I offered a trade: my water for his help putting the parts together. He cheerfully agreed and we both went to our respective chores.
 
What’s the point of telling you this? My husband and I learned over the years that if something is ridiculously hard or takes a strange turn from what we planned, it might mean that the Spirit was telling us we weren’t supposed to do it, or we were supposed to end up somewhere else.

So, if I had been able to use the weed-eater earlier in the week, I would have had the same problems, but I would be alone in my struggle. If I had known it was Friday, or resisted the way the day was going, I would be on my own with the trouble when Saturday came. Either way, I would have ended up feeling alone and helpless. Some of you may think this is a stretch, but I feel God arranged my week in this small thing (for Him) so help would be there when I needed it. Thank you Lord!

--Chris Sokol, 5/3/13

I'm thanking the Lord with you, Chris! Thank you for sharing! By the way, your neighbor's yard guys don't do printers, do they??? lol!
♥ ferree