2 years ago my Dad got a great deal on a brand new riding mower from his neighbor. He thought he would use it for the non-profit community service organization he co-founded > People Helping People of Pinellas Park. But it never really developed as planned so it sat for 2 years under a tarp. On Sunday he pulled off the tarp, tuned it up, and gave it to me!! My Dad is such a selfless and generous soul. He is happiest when he is serving and giving to others. I respect him deeply. I've always dreamed of having a home with a yard and a riding mower... so after receiving some mower instructions from my Dad I immediately trailered it home and mowed the back yard while the sun was setting. I LOVED every second of it!! The next day I finished the rest of the yard... then turned off the blades, put it in its fastest gear, and started driving around the trees as if they were cones on an obstacle course!! It was so much fun! I used to have a part-time lawn service about 20 years ago and have always enjoyed lawn work... and that internal satisfaction God gives us with a job well done. So many people dread work, but purposeful work is a blessing from God that elicits all sorts of natural "highs", personal growth, confidence building, internal self respect, developmental skills, a means of glorifying God, and a shared connection with our Creator as image bearers with a God who shared with us with capacity and inner drive to work and create. There are very few joys that compare with accomplishing something with excellence - big or small. I love that feeling of satisfaction when I look at the lawn after I finish mowing and edging it. I can identify with God when He looked at each thing He created and He saw that it was good or very good... and now I get to do it every week on a lawn I've been given stewardship over. That is very good =)
I had a friend ask me to keep a running tally of the costs related to owning and renovating this home. In this case I received a $1200 riding mower for free as a gift from my awesome Dad. Praise God =)
