Small Fix-its

As every homeowner knows, there is always something that needs fixing. And if a house is not maintained well, those small fix-it jobs turn into major headaches! Several years ago we bought a home in need of a lot of tender loving care. It took 3 months to get it ready for us to move into, partly because of my reactions to new flooring, paint, etc., but mostly due to the poor shape this house was in. It had been greatly neglected by its previous owners.

Today we have a friend here who is fixing the bathroom piping after we discovered a drip of water coming from upstairs down to the main level. When he checked it out he said, "The pipe is completely rotten." We all three chuckled and shook our heads since we had heard him use those same words years before when we hired him to fix up the house. (In fairness to Joel, he would have fixed this himself before Lyme hit.) Staying ahead of things and doing what needs to be done, keeps minor problems from turning into major ones.

Our spiritual life needs this same kind of care. Staying ahead of things by having daily devotions, studying God's word, and maintaining an active prayer life will help keep minor spiritual problems from turning into major ones. Sometimes doubts will come into our minds, or we began to question where God is when a trial lingers on. When we "maintain" our spiritual life we will be sustained during those times that problems crop up. Neglect is not an option! We need to be nourished! Our relationship with our Lord is vital to keep us healthy! It keeps those easy "fix-it" problems from becoming major headaches!