Knights on loan

You know what? Sometimes it's a bit difficult not having a fella around the house... or at least no fellas whose age has hit the two digit marker as yet.

House maintenance is the issue du jour. You see, I'm not very good at it. In fact I'll be completely truthful and confess complete ignorance and incompetence. I have never even mown a lawn, never replaced a part on anything- at least not successfully. I don't know anything about plumbing, or insulation, or window grout or spackle or whatever that goo-ey stuff is called.

We have had some ferocious wind storms here of late and my sweet old gal of a house is having a hard time standing up to the strain. She shudders and moans and quakes, her windows rattle. A couple of weeks ago we had a particularly bad one.. the house was shaking and we were wakened by the sound of shattering glass. So in the middle of the night my children and I were up our freezing attic stapling plastic to the empty window frames. When we came back down we found the window pane missing in my daughter's bedroom, and we had no more plastic left.

Then I went outside in my nightgown and winter boots and swept the broken glass shards from where they had fallen on my neighbor's driveway. In case you didn't know, it's pretty humbling to be outside in the dark, the wind whipping up your nightgown and blowing your frowzy hair across your face while you are apologizing to a very irritable neighbor. It's hard to come back inside and be cheerful.

It's a humbling thing to have to depend on your children at times like that. When you have to waken them out of a sound sleep and a warm bed.. to bring them into cold and wind and possible unsafety because you just have no other hands to use. It's humbling to have to ask the advice of a nine year old child because he is your best asset at figuring out the stapler. It's hard on a teenage girl to be startled awake and asked to do something new and scary, and then find her cozy little corner of the world isn't so cozy anymore. You know, I really wish that wasn't the reality for my kids.

But can I also tell you something that almost makes it all worthwhile?

The love of friends. The care of my brothers and sisters in Christ. People who are willing to spend their own precious spare time to help us out, even though it isn't convenient or fun. When Caroline and Jason heard that we had lost windows, fixing my house became the priority for their day. Jason showed up on my doorstep, with a truck full of tools and an extra set for Noah. He spent the entire afternoon with Noah at his side... the two of them sawing and pounding and measuring and laughing. As Jason made our home warm and safe once again, he took my son in hand and taught him important stuff about being a Godly man.

Not two days later my clothes dryer stopped drying my clothes... as I fretted about laundry piling up and tried to negotiate trips to the laundromat, Ginger quietly offered her husband's help... on his day off. And on his day off over he came, and in his quiet way got right to work. My dryer works better now than it ever has, and with every load I do, I think of Jamie... a hardworking man who spent his free time in my basement working on an old appliance.

I am so blessed to be surrounded by such giving folk... men who share their time and skill, and their wives, openhearted women who are willing to share their men with us in this wonderful way.

Ginger and her Knight in Shining Armor

You know, I was wrong before when I said all this almost makes the trial worthwhile.... it's absolutely worth it all. In fact these trials seem small payment indeed for the love and care the Lord has shown us through these dear friends. Back in the day when my life seemed secure, I was the one who always gave the help, sent the meals or wrote the check... patted the poor soul on the back and promised my prayers. It feels good to be a benefactor... one feels capable, mature, in control. It was hard to shift positions and be the one who was in need of help, and it took me some time to be able to do it graciously.

But here's something I never would have suspected: humbly accepting help can be a joyous thing. The reality is that we are all vulnerable, we all have our needy moments.... God has designed us that way. He wants us to be dependent on each other...He wants us to be real.

It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.

The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

Psalm 119:71,72