Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Making Ends Meet (01/16/14)
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TITLE: Watching Mike Make Ends Meet | Previous Challenge Entry
By Trudy Newell
01/17/14 -
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I grabbed the board, held it at the desired angle, and smiled at my husband.
I wanted to encourage him, but I wasn’t so sure about this latest venture – a path from the garage to the house.
We moved to George. Then we bought a home out in the country. The first couple of years after we moved it was dry. Then the rain levels were back to normal.
With the rain came puddles and mud. As I ran the 40 ft. obstacle course between the garage and the house I thought “Take me where the sidewalks grow!” I’m a city girl.
Mike came up with a plan. He described the path made out of rocks and stones. It seemed a practical solution. I could visualize it.
As we went to Home Depot I knew I had never seen him work on a project of this nature. I knew he could preach. I knew he was a leader, I knew he had a ton of practical skills. But could he pull this off?
We returned with the supplies. I helped as he put the boarder up so the pebbles wouldn’t sneak away. I handed him nails. Then came the stones. We laid them in place to walk on. We filled in with the pebbles. Mike had to go back and pick up more pebbles. Three hours later we had our walkway.
The next heavy rain came. No longer did I have to avoid the puddles. The end of the walkway met at the garage. I was embarrassed that I didn’t trust Mike to get the job done.
Sometimes God has a “project” in mind. I question it. Even after He shows me the plan, I have my doubts. “Can He pull this off? I’ve never seen Him do this before.”
When we first moved to Georgia, it was on a wing and a prayer. Even though we knew it was God’s plan for us, it was a bold step of faith. As we flew across the pond my thoughts went like this. “Jim and June told us we have a bed, there’s an electric range in the kitchen. So the first thing we need to do is get a fridge, a table and chairs, washer and dryer. Other things can wait.” I wasn’t sure how we were going to get just the basic necessities. Even a simple move is expensive, and an international move is much more. I was also recovering from pneumonia, and my strength was limited. How was I going to have the energy, even with Mike’s help, to get a new home set up?
Jim and June picked us up at the airport. We arrived at the rented house around 9:30 p.m. Jim handed Mike the key to our place. When we opened the door to our spotless house, it was full. (Did Jim and June have something to do with this?) The living room was put together and even had a recliner for Mike! In the master bedroom was a king-size bedroom suite. I wonder if we would need a roadmap to find each other after a double bed. Washer, dryer, table, chairs and fridge were all there. The kitchen cupboards were full. The next morning I put on a pot of coffee and made breakfast in our new home. We celebrated with eggs and bacon. We had never experienced God’s provision in this unique way.
I was so embarrassed, and humbled. How is it that when God always comes through, I tend to worry? Mike tells me that I worry enough for both of us. The theme verse for our wedding was Proverbs 3:5,6 (NKJV) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” I need to put this verse into practice. Trust and worry are mutually exclusive. I know this with my head, and ask the Lord to make it more a part of my life.
It’s fun to watch God work. Only He can put the pieces of our lives together so well, and make the ends meet.
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That said, I hope to see you continue to grow as a writer and hone these skills. One thing we talk about a lot is showing us the story instead of telling the story.
For example, when the king-size bed and all the other unexpected things were seen, would have been a great place to describe the surprize and elation on faces and body postures. (eyes bulge, a hand clamps over a mouth, a mouth gapes open in shock, etc.)Rather than telling it was surprizing, show it.
I sometimes still struggle with this myself, but it comes with practice. I am eagerly anticipating your next entry!
Keep up the good work.
Nicely done!
God Bless~
It's always a great idea to use a spell checker and really scrutinize your writing before submitting it!
Thanks for sharing!
Wendy, I apologize again for the mix up. I'm embarrassed - and mentioned the wrong article. However, your thoughts were very helpful. I trust they will help me to grow as a writer.
God bless~