The Cost Is Great

Well, after years of depending on someone else to mow the grass at my house I’ve decided to take on the chore myself once again. I had gotten away from doing yard work for several reasons, the largest being allergies. I think I’ve actually gotten over most of my grass and mold allergies as I’ve grown older, though some symptoms still remain. Another reason is that the guy doing my lawn is becoming undependable, or too busy, or something, as he doesn’t get around as often as I would like to see him. This year I especially want my grass mowed more often because of all the rain we’ve received. Not keeping the grass cut down sure breeds the mosquitoes, not to mention it just makes the place look trashy. Of course that means more money to pay out and my wife doesn’t like to do that at all. So, I looked at the cost and weighed my options before making my decision, which also included the fact I could use a little exercise. Now I’ve got to tell you I went “green”, buying an electric mower and weedwacker. I just don’t want to have to deal with gasoline and all the problems that come with it. Putting a pencil to all of this looks to be a full return on the investment if it keeps raining all summer, which looks pretty promising at the moment. I’m doing a good job so far and happy with my decision. I just hope the new domestic chore won’t wane, like it did before.
One day a housework challenged husband decided to wash his favorite sweatshirt. He shouted to his wife from the laundry room, “What setting do I use on the washing machine?” “It depends”, she replied. “What does it say on your shirt?” He yelled back, “University Of Oklahoma!”
Two fellows took their wives into a nearby Gulf Coast town to do some holiday shopping. While their wives were shopping they rented a boat to get in some winter saltwater fishing. While they were out a storm blew in. Retreating to shore and running to fast, the men ran the boat up on a sand bar. They jumped out to try and free the boat from the bar. With mud up to their waists and ice cold water up to their chins, one fellow turned to the other and said, “Sure beats holiday shopping, doesn’t it?”
With picnic sandwiches clutched in his hand, the father was standing at the edge of a cliff admiring the sea below. His son approached and said, “Mother says it isn’t safe here and you’re either to come away from the edge or give me the sandwiches.”
[Luke 14: 28-35] Do we not all keep vigilance over the activities of daily life weighing the favorable and not so favorable aspects of what’s happening around us? Of course we do. It’s part of our self-preservation instincts. My biggest problem is, when someone approaches me with a thought to get me involved in something, I weigh it to a point where I think it’s going to cost me too much, then draw a line as to how involved I’m going to get. What does it cost to be a Christian? Can you imagine what people thought when Jesus said, “…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Even today, people want their Christianity to be a “part” of their life, dedicating so many hours a week to worship and depositing a set sum of money for the “church” to do good works in the community. The Christian life is every day in every way. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3: 17) Christian = Servant.