Snowthrower

No, not trying to unload this bad boy on Craig’s List.  Far from it after the last three “wet cement” snowfalls!  I’ve had this machine for two winters, but I’m just learning to use it well.  Let me explain…

Not long ago, a friend was getting rid of his outdoor equipment. Having a failing lawnmower myself, we agreed on a price for me to buy his mower.  As an aside, he added his snowblower for free. Having never owned one and not convinced I really needed one, I paused, but then relented at his generous insistence.

Why have I let it sit in my garage and barely use it until recently? Three reasons: pride, preferred routines, and new perceived need.

Pride- I’ve been shoveling snow since I was eight, helping my parents, making money in my teens, and then taking care of my driveways.

Preferred routines– I enjoy the quiet chaos of a snowfall punctuated by the rhythmic scraping of a shovel that’s restoring a driveway to full function.  I find snowblowers to be a bit loud and disruptive.

New perceived need– One of my shoulders has rather insistently been sending angry messages to my brain since the start of 2023. Time to rest it, trust the machine, and let the doctors have at it!

It occurs to me that faith in God and following Jesus can be a lot like my little snowblower odyssey.  A faith-relationship centered on Jesus Christ is offered to all through the love and generosity of God.  It’s fully capable of improving our capacity to love others and ability to find satisfaction in life.  Also, though these benefits are all freely available to us in Christ, it is often pride and preferred routines of thinking and doing that can keep us from the benefits. Thankfully, Jesus remains ready to embrace us with enthusiasm when our perceptions of him and our own need do change!

Let’s get Jesus out of the garage and onto our driveway!