This morning, Father has been singing How Sweet It Is…to be loved by you…James Taylor’s version. It is reciprocal I believe. It sure is sweet to be loved by Him. I am smitten. Have been for years.
The sweetness makes me think of two things today.
One…these wild roses I took some photos of while out and about with a friend yesterday. They smelled sweet. I think they are lovely to the eyes.
The Camry
The second thing that pops into my head is a story I feel led to share about a part of my trip to NYC last week to see The Lion King. In my previous post regarding that trip, I shared I drove Mitchell’s Camry to NYC because the tires on the Colorado were shot. Mitchell took the truck to the tire shop that day and had all four tires replaced. The truck is sporting new tires now. 🥰
Bobbi’s Camry is a new one…but Mitchell’s work Camry is Bobbi’s old one. Mitchell recently sold his sporty little car to live the dad life. Becoming more safety-minded…his perspective on life is changing since having a baby. LOVE. Funny how parenting can change you. 😍
Before I left, Mitchell gave me the 411 on the Camry.
Burning Oil
The car has been burning oil lately. At first, he thought it was a leak. Mitchell replaced a seal or gasket on it…thinking that might help the sudden loss of oil issue.
It didn’t.
He instructed me…every single time you fill up the gas tank…check the oil.
I did. Once on the way to NYC, I put a quart of oil in it as it had dropped below the acceptable limit.
On the way home, I was still checking the oil at every gas stop.
Obedience
Around 6 am, Father said to me…I want you to stop at the next gas station to eat breakfast…and check the oil.
As soon as He said to check the oil, I looked down at the gas gauge. I was at just above half a tank. My response was…I am just at half a tank.
He instantly said…a bit more firmly this time…CHECK THE OIL.
OK. 😳
Here was my plan. I am just outside of Louisville, KY. I KNOW I can make it to Henderson on that tank of gas. Then I could fill up the tank and pull in the drive with a full tank of gas. AND…check the oil then. It made sense to me to end the trip with a full tank and oil checked when I pulled into the driveway.
Father had other plans.
At the next exit, I pulled into a gas station…NOT getting gas…but instead just to check the oil and pull breakfast out of the cooler.
I check the oil and it BARELY registered on the dipstick. I was in disbelief. A half a tank ago…I checked the oil and it was fine. SO…I stuck the dipstick in again and again…a serious lack of oil showing. I do it a third time…wiping that dipstick clean each time.
I wondered…where did the oil go in that half tank??? 🤔 😳 🤯 🤷♀️
Pulling the remaining quart out of the trunk, I poured it in. Then I went into the truck stop and bought another quart. Poured it in. The dipstick showed it STILL needed more oil. I went back into the store and bought another quart. Poured some of it in until the oil was back to an acceptable level.
How Sweet
I find it sweet…He did that for me. For us.
One…had I not put oil in that car at that point in time…I would not have made it back home in that car.
Two…had I not put oil in that car when He told me to…obeyed…Mitchell would have been out of a work car.
Three…had I not put oil in that car and blown that motor up…I would have felt TERRIBLE for putting Mitchell in that position with his vehicle. Especially since he was being obedient to Father in telling me to take it to NYC so I could be obedient to Father.
That is love. How sweet that love is…to keep us all going so we could be obedient…because we were obedient.
When you obey…He will bless you. If you choose life…He will give life back to you. What you sow…you will reap.
When you disobey…He will curse you. If you choose death…He will give you death in return. What you sow…you will reap.
Every choice is a financial transaction. Death choices have death consequences tied to them. Life choices have blessings or rewards tied to them.
Obedience…is based out of love…and how sweet it is to be obedient to Him…and loved by Him.
It is all about love! 💙 ❤️
Have a LOVEly day!