Loved by Grace

We had just bought some run-down acreage.

I was eager to help my husband improve the property but didn’t have a lot of physical strength. When I saw the new riding lawn mower, I quickly announced I would take over the mowing. My husband looked dubious and reminded me not to get into the mud next to the pond. I proudly made a few circles and thought, this is easy. Just one more clump of long grass near the pond. In an instant, I was sucked into the mud. The mower stopped right before landing in the pond. My husband and his brother had to get the tractor to pull me out of the muck. My brother-in-law made a few unintelligible comments in his native Newari, but my husband said not a word.

My next adventure involved mowing the horse pasture.

My husband explained the intricacies of the brush cutter on the back of the tractor and reminded me to stay away from the fence.

The tractor still had the loader attached. Long prongs were attached to the front. It only took two rounds before I had hooked the fence with one of the prongs. Damage included one broken corner post and two broken wires.

My husband said not a word. Ah! I would make it up to him.

In town one day, I washed his beloved 1990 Toyota and filled it with gas. As I put my hand on the ignition, I had a strong inclination not to turn the key.

I looked down and realized I had just filled his priceless old relic with unleaded gas instead of diesel! A ride on a tow truck and US$300 later, the gas tank was clean and full of diesel. My husband said not a word. The next summer I backed our new-to-us car out of our new-to-us garage. It required a ninety-degree turn to head down the drive. Oh, well, the car has a backup signal if you get too close to something, right? True, but that doesn’t necessarily warn you if you are hitting something at an angle.

The warning buzz came just as I felt the car crash against a column on the porch. For a moment, I knew what Samson felt like while waiting for the roof to collapse. It didn’t, and my husband ordered a new taillight.

My husband has my total love and gratitude for putting up with my messes for thirty-seven years. Our heavenly Father is like that.

He watches us make mistakes again and again but still loves and redeems us. That is what grace is all about!

Sherry Taujale Shrestha