Made for more than just mowing.

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
I Peter 4:10,11

What a day was yesterday. We are on the north end of town, adding air to my front mower tire, when all of a sudden it "threw up". Two weeks prior it was flat and they put a sealant in it as they couldn't find a leak. Yesterday from two splits, it threw up this lovely purple/pink sealant.

After dropping Kathy to mow on a property, I started off on what became "My Repair Journey".

Arriving at Ron's Tire in 20 minutes, they informed me that they didn't have this size tire in stock.

Arrived at Farm & Home - 15 minutes later.

During my driving time, I decided to place an order for a new muffler for my weed eater. Mine had fallen off last week and it now sounded like an incoming airplane while in use. At the counter I met "Jeff". While looking up the parts number, etc. we began to have a conversation. He asked me how long I had had my business - beginning my 8th year. He then said he was a Christian, and had been praying about going into his own mowing business. He told me that he made under 20,000 a year without benefits. I told him - Go mow! Then he started to ask me questions about how to get started, equipment recommendations, clients, etc. I answered his questions and also recommended very strongly to buy the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and live by it.

He then said that he would have to convince his wife, who has a job with benefits, that this would be a good move to go without his income. Then he said that they were on their way to divorce court.

I told him that my husband and I had been there also just this past year. When he asked me what made things change - I recommended the "Love and Respect" by Dr Emerson Eggrichs, also to go to their seminar if possible. I can not say enough about this awesome tool. $20 for the book and $50 for the seminar. I then gave him the name of our counselor that we have been going to in Keokuk.

Leaving Farm & Home 30 minutes later.

Leaving Ron's 15 minutes later with my new tire. I purchased a spare for future use.

Arriving at job site. I had been gone for over 1 1/2 hours.

There went my mowing schedule for the day. Supposed to be done around 3:30.

At 5:00, we are on our next to last job site. I look up and see a man walking towards me. I am dirty, hot, tired, want to go home and DO NOT want to converse with anyone. As he gets closer, I see that it is "Jeff". Just happened to be driving home from work and recognized our uniforms. He stopped to tell me - my muffler would be in tomorrow. He had called our counselor and set up an appointment. And thank you. That when he was praying about going into his own business, his marriage, it had been that morning while driving to work.

Isn't it God that my tire decided to "throw up" on that day two weeks later, that Ron's was out of this tire, Farm & Home was the only place in town to get this tire, that my muffler had fallen off and I needed to go to the counter to order a new one, that "Jeff" was working while I was in.

I finished up my day thinking that my "special gift" from God isn't mowing. I often relate to Barnabas (encouragement) when I think about my "special gift". Although I am quickly humbled when I remember that he was skinned alive and then beheaded. My irritations about being thrown off schedule were replaced at the counter when I met "Jeff". And when I was towards the end of my day, about to die, God had Jeff drop by to let me know how He had been working through my encouragement.

God is so absolutely fantastic. I just love Him to pieces!