Deanna, outside of Trujillo, Peru.


This past weekend, Deanna and I finally bought a new lawn mower. The one I had been using came from a friend who was called overseas, to serve in a full time capacity, on the mission field in Asia.

This mower did the job for us, at least for a time.

I am afraid I am a bit snobbish about mowers. I like them simple and inexpensive. I tend to look for the factory refurbished ones that did not work out for someone else. I am not a fan of the ones that cost great sums of money and then spend most of their time in the shop waiting to be fixed.

When I was growing up, mowing was one of my sources of income. I used all kinds of mowers. I learned that I don't like "self-propelled" mowers. They are way heavy!

That self propelled thing got me into trouble on more than one occasion. They seemed to want to take off for places unknown, and my job was to try to keep it corralled in the yard I was mowing.

They didn't discriminate back then. Today, you can turn that mechanism off if you need to...at least on some of them. Back then, if the mower ran, so did the wheels, and they liked to cut up anything in their path! Non-discriminating mowers are a bad idea. I don't think I will tell you what kinds of things I shredded, but please know, it usually wasn't intentional!

When my friend was preparing to move, and I needed a mower, the deal seemed right...except that the mower was "self-propelled."

I am a bit older than I was back when I struggled to stay in charge of angry, never stop moving forward, grass cutters. I decided that I would be okay.

Well, like most mowers I have had that were more expensive, soon that self-driving function, ceased.

Do you know how heavy those things are to push if they aren't self-propelled? That specific aspect of technology must weigh in at...well, lets just say gastric bypass is in order.

Soon, other issues began to happen. Piece by piece, it just started to fall apart. Most every time I used it, I had to nurse it to run, or reattach some new piece that fell off.

I was annoyed.

Since Deanna is not going with me to Peru this summer, I decided I better not leave her with a mower that needed intensive care.

Last night I put the new one together and went out to mow. It fired up with the first pull! This new mower is so light I can hardly believe it. I had forgotten just how much weight the whole self-propelled thing added, until now!

For me, there is no comparison! This lighter weight, easier to start, less expensive yard machine was the way to go. I hope Deanna agrees!

Way too often in our country, we seem to think the more money we spend on something the better it will work. This is often not true.

Many tend to look at Salvation that way as well. Since we are a rewards based society, we tend to think we must pay out significantly if we are to receive Salvation. Frequently, people try to add things to what it takes to be saved. It stands to reason that we don't get something for nothing, they think.

Salvation did come at great cost...just not to us. It did not cost us our physical lives. It cost Christ His. He gave His all that we might live, and be free from guilt and sin.

His Salvation is a gift, an extension of grace to those of us who need it. We cannot earn it, and we cannot pay for it. It is ours by simply asking Him to be our Lord and Savior.

Many try to buy their way into heaven by works or by doing good. These will fall woefully short. His Word teaches us that our righteousness (or good works) is like filthy rags.

He came that we might have His righteousness, and with Him alone, our lives change, and the fruit born comes as a result of who He is (if we allow Him to use us). The works and good deeds become an outpouring of His love through us.

In this way we accept no glory for what He does. We reflect it back to Him.

Many are walking a "self-propelled," heavy life and they are weary and looking for a way to unload the baggage.

Jesus is their answer.

His burden is light.

We need to let people know.

dad