Categories
Tag: 4716
It’s becoming more and more popular to criticize and give warnings about technology. I’ve read 1984, Brave New World, and have owned an iPhone since the summer of 2008 when they first came out. There are certainly problems that exist. Our smartphones can distract us, they can become idols, as can almost every other good thing that God has given. This post isn’t an argument that such tools are only good, but rather an opportunity to express thankfulness.
We had another hot water leak under our house this past week. A similar leak happened last summer and we needed to call a plumber to fix it. This time around I was able to find the leak and, with the researching and know-how abilities of my wife, was able to make the repair.
But it wouldn’t have been possible, or at least not nearly as convenient, without my iPhone.
Could I have done it without it? Of course. Or at least, maybe. As my family and friends know, I stink at repairs. I do demolition. In this situation, though, I was better able to crawl under and over pipes in the crawl space and lay in the puddles with rat poo than other members of my family, and cheaper than hiring a plumber again. To get help and do the work I used my phone’s flashlight, camera, video camera, FaceTime app, and Safari browser to actually watch a YouTube video on how to make the repair. (Okay, I could have watched the video on a regular computer, but I did watch it on my iPhone anyway, which is sort of amazing if you think about it).
All that to say, as a Kuyperian Calvinist I am thankful to God for His common grace in the metallurgy and electronics and WiFi and engineers and Steve Jobs and code jockeys and delivery drivers and a whole bunch more.
Categories
White Christmas
We’ve never had a white Christmas in our seven previous years in Marysville. That changed today. Here is a boring 10 second video, not only to show snow on the ground, but also to celebrate December 25 snowfall at our house.
Merry Christmas!
I’m only familiar with the first few lines of the poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas. While we were watching a movie tonight, a loud snap in the garage brought the first few lines to mind.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a [RAT].
Apparently with all the snow at our house, everybody wants to come inside, including the rats. I say “rats” plural because when I went back out the garage to take the above picture, another one scampered across the floor. Perhaps we’ll have another “gift” to open Christmas morning.
UPDATE [10:29AM December 25]: Indeed, rodent #2 was caught overnight. Here’s Mr. & Mrs. Rat.
Yesterday was a monumental day in my life. Although there was no parade and no fireworks, it was an absolutely great day.
Yesterday, for the first time ever, I mowed my own yard with my own, brand-new mower! I’ve mowed a lot of times before, but both of the above details made this occasion truly historic.
First, I have never “owned” a yard. I’ve mowed my dad’s yard many times. I’ve mowed neighbors’ lawns; I’ve mowed strangers’ lawns. I’ve mowed for businesses; I’ve mowed as a business. I’ve mowed for fun; I’ve mowed for funds. But every other time I’ve been taking care of someone else’s property – never my own. Until yesterday I’ve never known the great sense of pleasure and “ownerly” pride in manicuring my own lawn.
Second, I’ve never had a brand new mower. I’ve used push mowers, self-propelled mowers, riding mowers, lawn tractors, and small farm tractors (there are differences, you know). There are a lot of ways to cut grass. But a true “mowing man” always envisions the day when he will push his very own, never-used, first-pull-starting, not-a-nick-on-it, shiny, new mower out of the garage and engage the evil Lord Grassgrowwild in the epic battle for dominion over Surface Earth. And now I too have joined the ranks of Sod Soldiers with my very own red, Craftsman 6.5 horse power, 21” deck, rear bag mower/mulcher. It really is a mowing man’s dream machine!
Some of you have read all this and are thinking to yourself, “Mowing is a chore – not a drama!” Others perhaps are thinking, “Who stinking cares?” And I guess on one hand the whole discussion is somewhat silly. On the other hand, there is benefit and blessing in the work. I think one of the reasons I like to mow so much is that it gives an immediate and quickly increasing sense of fulfillment. There are a lot of things that we do that we don’t see results from, and many more things we do that we will never be done doing anyway.
Even though mowing is something that needs to be done on an ongoing basis (as long as the grass keeps growing), with each pass through the yard and with each revolution of the blade there is advancement. It is obvious. It is progressive and “profitable” labor. It is always encouraging to see something “get done.” The ability to work is great, but the opportunity to see results from our work is no less a good gift from God.
Whatever it is that you do, or need to do, or like to do – you should enjoy it. In fact, it is the gift of God to be given the power to enjoy and rejoice in your labor (Ecclesiastes 5:19). It is “fitting to…find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot” (5:18). Seeing the completion and accomplishment of our work is just one of the ways we are able to enjoy our labor.
So remember: In all mowing there is profit, but mere talk leads to overgrown landscape. (cf. Proverbs 14:23)