Lawn Mower

The lawn mower started with one pull.

It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it is.

For years I fought against being a single foster mom. I had taken in a child on an emergency basis a few years ago and even though it was more than I could handle at the time, it broke my heart when she left. I vowed I would not ever foster alone. I needed a husband to make it work. So when I felt God pulling on my heart to foster, I kept reminding Him that I was alone and that it wasn’t going to happen. He gently (but firmly) said, “Am I not enough?” Sheepishly, I admitted that yes, He is enough and promptly signed up for training classes. “But,” I said, shaking my bossy little finger at Him, “Don’t you dare ever leave me!”

So every morning, before I open my eyes, I check to make sure He’s still there. I feel His spirit and talk to Him about my day and I lean heavily into Him as I climb out of bed. And He’s there. He’s there when I have to have the “She’s not just some girl, she’s my daughter, so treat her with respect” talk with a boy. He’s there when I don’t have enough money to pay the bills and we have to stretch everything out for one more week. He’s there for driving lessons and division homework and trips to the emergency room. He’s there when the night is lonely and my sweet brown dog jumps up on the bed to fill the empty half (and by half, I mean she takes the warm spot in the middle and I have to sleep like a contortionist around her).

And He’s there when the lawn mower won’t start. This week with all of its rain, there was one dry day and the grass simply HAD to be cut before the prairie dogs and buffalo moved in. The riding mower had stalled and been jump started four times, so we had to resort to cutting our two big lots with a push mower. I dragged out the push mower, knowing that never ever ever, in all the years I’ve owned it, have I EVER been able to start it by myself the first time in spring. I always have to call over a neighbor or some teenage boy walking by to get it going for me and then I’m able to start it the rest of the season.

I filled it with gas and gave it a few of my strongest pulls (I think I heard it laughing at me), and I told the girls, “If this thing starts, it will be a miracle!” I looked around outside and nobody was around to help. Starting to panic because of all the yard left to mow and the forecast of three more days of rain, I prayed out loud, “Lord, I don’t have the strength to start this lawn mower. Please help me!” I gave it one more pull, and it roared to life.

The girls just looked at me and grinned. They’re beginning to know they’ve got the best Father they could ever want.