“And life… that jumps up and bites ya every now and then.” quoting my last article
I had a good week going this week. All scheduled out. With a new mindset of “I get to..” creating the feeling of anticipation for my next days work load.
Then as I was hitting a good stride with this boat project I’ve been working on, I hit a snag… the boat would turn over, but then cut out. With the starter getting very hot.
It was the only component I did not take apart, as I had the boat running after having jumped the starter as a very first test.
I was going to perform the last test on the boat before we put it into the water… putting it through it’s paces… finding it’s stride… before going whole hog on it’s maiden… three hour tour.
It never did start.
So I started taking it all apart to get at the starter bolts. It’s a 1978 model, so odds are good that I could find a rebuild kit for it, instead of buying a new one.
As I was getting along in the garage, having the starter apart, doing all the cleaning necessary… it looked like everything was ok… I might get away with just a good cleaning.
Then… out of the corner of my eye, I caught a bright red truck that had pulled into the driveway.
I quit work and went to see who had pulled in.
John 15:13 was explained to me by a young man that I had watched grow up, coached in youth baseball… and who had asked me to be his CCD Sponsor when he was getting confirmed.
At the time, he was in high school, and I had a small used car lot, with an auto repair shop business going on down on our Main Street, just a few blocks from home.
It was late… I was at my desk doing some paperwork… and he popped in.
[I set aside my work when he stepped inside the office, as when he would stop… we usually talked for awhile.]
As we started B.S.ing we touched on the topic of favorite bible verses.
His was John 15:13.
As we talked I asked him what he thought that meant.
He said, “You know, like what you do here?”
How’s that?
“You know, when you set aside your work, your life, just to talk with me.”
That’s as simple… and as spiritual… an answer your ever gonna find.
I felt honored, humbled, and… small… experiencing Gods word like that.
Today… working on that starter… when I checked to see who it was that had pulled in… it was Uncle Orville… from Michigan… just popping in!
What the heck!
In my younger days, I would feel anxious when life jumped up on me like that, feeling rushed while talking with company, feeling like good work hours were slipping away.
Not today.
Today… I just do the old Floyd Mayweather Jr. shoulder roll, and enjoy the company… because I’ve allowed for margins, have learned not to feel rushed… and have employed thought processes learned studying Stoicism that have showed me… I do not control any external happenings… I can only control myself and how I react to those external happenings.
I like to envision God and the devil having one of their talks… like in the book of Job… but about me.
The devil keeps wanting to bet… “This time, this time I’ll win… betcha twenty-bucks… this is “the thing” that gets him.”
God says, “You know Dave?”
devil: “HA! See there! This is it! He messed up now!”
God: “The days not done yet.”
devil: “What’s he doing? He’s not stopping… again? He messed up… he’s feeling bad… he knows he’s not worthy. Why’s he talking to that guy??”
God: “The days not done yet.”
devil: “NO!”
God: “Here we go. That’s what I love about him.”
I told my young friend my favorite verse(s)…
“Trust in the Lord… with all your heart… and lean not on your own understanding… in all your ways… acknowledge Him… and He shall direct your path.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6
My youngest sister has a saying, it applies here…
“Not today devil, not today.”
Paul says
Good one Dave!
Dave Bosquez says
Thanks