Lessons From A Dryer

Ah . . . perhaps you think that I have taken leave of my senses when you read the title of my posting, I have not. For the past two weeks we have been without a dryer. The appliance person who came to repair it was not the most honest person neither was the company he represented. Along with our experience, we took a loss of funds from our family budget which disturbed us greatly especially during the Christmas season.

Yet I can rejoice that all of this is working for our own good. You ask, "how?" So glad you asked. A couple of factors come immediately to my mind. First our dryer vent system was too long and was causing the lint to become trapped. Secondly, it could have created a dryer fire. Indeed we consider this a major PRAISE!

Most importantly God used dear brothers and sisters in Christ to bless and encourage us as well as strangers. One family came by the first Thursday evening of our dilemma to pick up 3 baskets of laundry to dry. Then they graciously delivered the laundry back to us the following night. Mind you, the weather that evening was wet and cold, but still they went out of their way to insure we had our laundry back.

Last Saturday, the second family came over and made some minor adjustments to our dryer and wah-lah it worked long enough for me to dry everything that needed to be dried. Then it stopped. When I called back to this particular family, they shared that perhaps it is indeed the motor and it's best to purchase a new machine. My friend said to me, "at least you now have resolution that you have worked through all the options and now have closure." Indeed she was right.

When we put everything into perspective, Rob and I have been married almost 22 years and have never had to buy a new dryer as a couple. I purchased the first dryer the year before we married back in 1985 and it stopped working in 2003. We received 18 years of excellent service. Then when we moved to Fredericksburg, a dear family at church gave us their extra dryer which has lasted for 4 years. The Lord has provided every step of the way and for that we can rejoice and rest in Him.

The Israelites often reflected back on how God worked in the past, the present and the future. How many times when circumstances do not go the way we want them to go, we either panic or get stressed. I must confess that at the beginning of this situation, I was not a happy camper. However, the Lord has given me the strength to look at it through different eyes and now see it as an adventure and an opportunity to trust Him.

Thursday evening, we went to Lowe's and purchased our new one. This Sunday afternoon, it will be delivered. A funny or perhaps to some an insignificant fun fact, we were able to use the $25 gift card from Lowe's that Rob won at his company's Christmas party. Although not a large amount, but it was nice to be able to apply the card to a major purchase.

Some final thoughts are, God has given us the body of Christ to encourage, strengthen, pray for one another and to help one another. He did not intend for us to go it "alone." We all have various gifts and abilities and it is God's Will that we put them into action both inside the body of Christ and outside.

My challenge to each of us, what do we have in our hands or possession that we can use to bless others? Is our physical vision and spiritual vision in check whereby we can look for the daily blessings God sends our way? The lessons of life come in various ways. Are we ready to receive them? It does not matter if we understand them.

Here's a familiar passage that my late Mom prayed over me throughout my life and now I share this with our sweet Christine and each of you.

In Jeremiah 29:11-13, we read the following from the Amplified Bible.

(11) For I know the thoughts, and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

(12) Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.

(13) Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. [Deut. 4:29-30].

God wants us to seek Him as our vital necessity for living not just when we get in a crunch or in difficulty.

What lessons are you learning today?