March 4, 2020 (Wednesday)
Sometimes we have to improvise.
For example, if our recipe calls for buttermilk and we have
none, we can add a little vinegar to sweet milk, and the
baked goods will believe it’s buttermilk.
There have been times when we learned to “make do” with
what we had because we didn’t have what we wanted.
Yesterday I wrote about secular jobs I’ve had and also mentioned an old car that gave us a lot of trouble. We lived north of Azle in
a country community known as Briar. The car provided a way to
commute to Fort Worth for seminary classes and secular jobs. But
it had two recurring weaknesses: the automatic transmission and
the engine that needed a valve job every 10,000 miles.
I had to back up a high hill to get to our house one day. The forward
gears were too weak for the climb. Those who saw me laughed and
those who did not see me later said they wished they had seen it.
The next day I did it again going the other way. That was the day I took it to a transmission shop and got a rebuilt transmission installed for $75.00. We had very little money and I don’t recall how we paid for the work.
Shortly after that, the brakes went out and I installed a rebuilt
master cylinder from under the car. The pliers slipped off a spring I
was stretching and went strait into my eye. I suffered no ill effects
from that.
Several times I had to do a valve job on the engine. To do that, I had to remove the cylinder head from the 1951 Chevy. I had few tools, and needed a socket wrench to remove the bolts from the engine. I bought one socket without the handle or rachet, and tightened my vice grips on the socket to turn it. But it kept slipping, so I used a file and cut grooves on the socket so that the vice grips could hold it. I removed and replaced the bolts with that makeshift tool. I improvised. Someone showed me how to grind the valves myself at no cost, so I was soon back in business with an engine that ran OK.
As I said earlier in this blog, “There have been times when we learned
to “make do” with what we had because we didn’t have what we wanted.”
The old saying seems to be true, “Where there’s a will there’s a way.”
Paul’s version of that old saying was inspirational: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).
He encouraged the Christians in Philippi with the words, “My God shall
supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 4:19 NKJV).
He set the example for us, saying, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11 NKJV).
SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS
Words and Music: B.B. McKinney
1956
Serve the Lord with gladness in our works and ways.
Come before His presence with our songs of praise.
Unto Him our Maker, we would pledge anew
Life’s supreme devotion to service true.
Chorus:
Serve Him with gladness, Enter His courts with song.
To our Creator, true praises belong.
Great is His mercy, wonderful is His name.
We gladly serve Him, His great love proclaim.
Serve the Lord with gladness, thankful all the while
For His tender mercies, for His loving smile.
Blessed truth enduring, always just the same.
We will serve with gladness and praise His name.
Chorus
Serve the Lord with gladness, this shall be our theme.
As we walk together, in His love supreme.
Listening, ever listening for the still small voice.
His sweet Will so precious, will be our choice.
Chorus