I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

I didn’t plan on it turning out the way it did.

The plan had been to trim the tops of the hedge in front of our home. Plans are good things.

I, however, seem to have a talent–no, a predisposition–for changing things up. Not settling for the assumed path. Wanting to flex with the  moment. Possibly my female brain. More likely my inability to settle with the given way of doing things. Plans are made to be improved upon. While in process.

We were out front, working at dramatically trimming a too-tall hedge. My neighbor, Dawn, came over and offered to let us borrow this sweet clipper thing. Better than any tool we had. Truly sharp. It made all the difference in the job at hand. She warned us of its ability to cut well–you could lose a finger without paying attention. With the first clip of those bad boys, I knew I wasn’t going to be happy with just trimming.

The whole thing was going to come down.

It was a lot of work. I was using muscles I didn’t know existed–until they reminded me of their uncomfortable presence the next morning. And when we were part way finished, I looked at what needed still to be done and questioned my sanity. What were we thinking?

Huge challenges require perspective to move us forward. Our next-door neighbors, Ed and Sylvia, came out with encouraging comments about how much bigger the house looked. How much brighter. (Yes, it did look a bit like a bat cave behind those bushes. Folks might have questioned what we were hiding back there. There was a ladder that we’d forgotten about.)

Words are great, but Ed and Syl pitched in and helped. They moved branches. Raked leaves. Bagged lawn debris like pros.

And made quick work of a really tough job.

What began as a task that John and I knew needed to be done became easier with the help of friends. They saw we had a need and stepped in to provide what they could. Tools and time. Life needs to be that way more often.  I need to be that way more often. Step out of my comfort zone to help others.

God does that for me on a consistent basis. He knows every need I have–or think I have. And He seeks to provide for me in a way that grows me into a better person.

“And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 4:19

We all have needs. Whether we choose to admit them or not. We each need others around us to make life work better. None of us are islands. Though we may feel like a peninsula every now and again.

I need God more. He understands my deep heart needs. That life with its complications and scope is more than I can handle on my own. So He steps in. With more than a kind word. With power, love and hope.

The best possible Friend.