My steps are ordered. Order my steps. I pray this prayer every day. It’s also one of my favorite songs to sing. Sometimes we may wonder if God hears our prayers. Today (and every day), I have evidence. This morning, I really wanted to attend my church in Savannah. However, I chose to support my family’s home church by attending the Men and Women’s Day service with my boys. I think it’s important for children to make a connection in worshipping with their grandparents. On the way, we had a discussion about men, women, and their roles. I wanted to preface what they were about to experience in this type of service. Tyler had the most questions. We ended up discussing the difference that age plays in gender roles. We talked about the obvious difference between them and their grandfathers’ generation. Tyler noted how his grandfathers’ generation is very hands-on. They are fixers, they have trucks, trailers, and can maintain most of their duties without regularly calling a professional.
Basically, they are resourceful in tangible ways. We, too, are resourceful in our own way, but sometimes lose that “old-school do-it-yourself” feel because we’re too busy or honestly too lazy to do the work. Paying someone to do the work that you could do is not a bad thing. We do what works for us. However, I must admit it takes away some of those character-building opportunities.
With this weather change, I knew it was time to check the air pressure in my tires. I checked the dash and it showed they were low. I told the boys we’d put some air in the tires after church.
Service was great! The women’s speaker, Paulette Chavers, delivered a phenomenal message on unity . The men’s speaker, Jonathan McCollar, gave nothing less than a Word from the Lord! He spoke directly into the conversation we’d had in the car on the way. This was the second mention of roles today.
Well, we got into the car after service and drove to a gas station a few miles down the road. I always carry a tire pressure gauge. I handed it to Tyler so he could check the pressure before filling it up. (Trenton was in the car. He’s on crutches again, but that’s another story.) One of the tires gave us a hard time. The valve stem was sticking out really far. When Tyler attempted to fill it up, it let more air out. The tire was going flat right before our eyes. It was cold and I was in dress clothes and heels. My solution was to call AAA. I looked at my card and it had expired just two months ago. What next? I looked for a guy with a work truck. Guys that drive big trucks mostly always have tools. The first guy I asked, finished pumping his gas, parked behind me, and came out holding what? A tool. He twisted the valve stem back into place, but the tire still wasn’t keeping air. He discovered that the air pump was malfunctioning and directed me to a free air pump across the lot at a home improvement store.
By then, I had called my uncle. I knew he was the last one at the church and would be coming by shortly. He showed up in minutes and conversed with the other gentleman. My uncle took over from there, and I graciously thanked the other gentleman. Knowing exactly what to do, my uncle drove across the street to the part store to purchase a tire valve tool.
When we arrived at the other pump another guy was waiting behind us. He complimented Tyler for being out there helping me. He shared that the car he was driving was his wife’s car. He was filling the tires and headed to fill her tank so she’d be good for the week. As a concerned gentleman, he asked if I had someone coming before he left. There was the third confirmation of today’s message.
No more than 20 minutes had passed and by then, my dad had shown up. I had 3 men assisting me with such a small problem. My uncle returned with the valve tool, and Daddy finished it off. They got me straight.
I knew God had me. I never did worry. I was just so pleased to see how it all unfolded today. I was also pleased that my sons were able to witness this example. Had I driven to Savannah instead of my hometown, my solution would have looked different. I don’t believe it would have been as personal. The message would not have permeated throughout the day.
There’s a lot to unpack from the experience today. I am independent because I have to be. I am resourceful and do not mind getting my hands dirty. However, I recognize the validity in gender roles. I'm grateful that I had someone to call. I think of two main takeaways. Men are ordained to cover (uplift, cherish, and protect) their women. When the Lord orders your steps, you are covered.
