Hello to all of you in Facebook land! Continuing from yesterday … A few days later my brother loaded that little bent up Volkswagen on the trailer and carried it to my house. I went to Walmart and bought $50.00 worth of tools and the fun began. The happenings of the next few days, weeks, and months were to give the word fun a whole new meaning. Hardly knowing where to begin I started by taking out all of the seats and everything I could pry loose from the interior. I figured I could work on these parts in the house at night after work. I went to the parts store and put in an order for a brand new engine to be shipped from the factory in Germany. Hey, if I was going to do this I intended to do it right. I also began to study my resource book titled “For the Idiot Who Knows Nothing About A Volkswagen.” This wire bound volume of immeasurable Volkswagen wisdom was to become my best friend in the very near future. Content in my heart that I was doing exactly what Father wanted me to do, I set my face like flint and got down to business. I’ve always been somewhat talented and creative working with my hands so the reupholstering of the seats went fairly smooth. Yes, it was work but after several hours (actually about 5 weeks) I was pleased with the outcome of my labors. I had a little difficulty holding the new gray tweed and black vinyl seat covers in place over the springs and frame but strategic placement of a few pig rings completely resolved the problem. For those of you who might not know what a pig ring is; they are curved pieces of brass about the size of a small nail that is place in a pig’s snout and squeezed together like ring using a special tool to keep the pigs from rooting up the ground. Who knew pig rings could have a dual purpose as upholstery hooks? It worked and they were cheap. And, that was what mattered at the time. On the weekends I began disassembly of the body of that little lifeless Volkswagen. One after another I removed nuts, bolts, and screws until all the fenders, doors, hoods, lights, mirrors, and other exterior parts were laid out on a huge piece of cardboard in the garage. Tires, wheels, and brake pads were all disassembled. Brake lines, the fuel line, and the electrical wires were all pulled loose from their hiding places to be checked and replaced if necessary. And what about me? How was I making it? I had jacked it up on the gravel driveway so there was no way I could use a creeper. I had to crawl on the ground on a piece of cardboard. Some days my body hurt so badly I could hardly move from rolling around on the rocky ground. My hands and arms were all bruised and I had cuts on my fingers and busted knuckles when the wrenches slipped. I would go to work on Monday’s and all the guys would tease me and want to check to make sure I got the grease out from under my fingernails. Everyone still thought it was a waste of time and I don’t think anyone believed I would ever really make that little car run again. But, I was still determined. Failure wasn’t an option. In fact, it never crossed my mind that I would fail. I knew God had spoken and I wasn’t about to give up. I was on a mission and there was no turning back. I had to see this through to the end. If I gave up and quit I would not only be giving up on myself but giving up on God. Quitting would have said I didn’t trust Him and that I didn’t believe He would do what He had promised. It may have looked impossible in the natural but you have to remember, nothing is impossible for God. Finally, the new engine arrived and that was when the fun really began. How would I ever figure out how to put all those pieces back together? It would have been okay if I had taken the engine apart, but I didn’t. It was a good thing my book had pictures. And, God sent a helper. His name was Morris Creekmore; aka Creeky. He was my landlord. I lived about fifteen steps from his back porch. He was in his eighties and crippled by emphysema. But, he knew all about cars! He couldn’t help me do the work but he could sit in the lawn chair and tell me where to put the different parts and how they were meant to work. And, so Saturday after Saturday we worked together. I would read the book and look at the pictures to find the right pieces and Creeky would sit in the chair and tell me how to connect them together and what they were supposed to do. It was kind of like putting together a huge 3-dimensional puzzle. If something didn’t work, I prayed and asked God to help me. Time after time He awakened me in the middle of the night. I would have a thought come to my mind and I would know the answer to the problem. Without a doubt, God was there with me at the turn of each bolt and the tightening of each screw. Yes, it was hard work. Yes, I got tired. Yes, it was difficult when everything didn’t work the way it was supposed to. And, yes, it was extremely discouraging when everyone made fun of me and only spoke negative about the project. But, after several months of blood, sweat, tears, and prayers the day we were waiting for arrived. Ladies and Gentlemen – Start The Engine! To be continued… Thought for the day: Believe God! He will not lie to you. His intentions are always for your best interest. When you can’t do it alone He will send someone to help you. Sometimes it will be another person, sometimes it may be an angel, and sometimes He will help you Himself. He wants you to have a victorious life here and now. He does not want you to be discouraged or have thoughts of failure. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Don’t let discouragement take over your mind. Hold fast to the promises God has made you and what He speaks to your heart. If He is for you, who can be against you? The Scripture tells us of a time when Jesus didn’t do many miracles in his own hometown. The reason was because of doubt and unbelief. These two things are crippling the body of Christ. We must take our stand, not give up, and never quit. What have you got to lose? If you believe God and step out in faith and you see a miracle you have won the victory. If you believe God and step out in faith and don’t see a miracle you are no worse off than you were. You have lost nothing; that is unless you’re still concerned about what someone else says or thinks. I wonder how many miracles we have forfeited because of fear to take a stand and believe God. Take hold of the miracles God has for you and the slogan, No Fear Here! Remember, He gave His all for you because “Jesus LOVES YOU!”
Posted on: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 11:26:23 +0000
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