Passing Inspection

          "I’ve got a can of bondo for when you come home. Can you putty some holes in the truck?", Mom asked. Their truck wouldn’t pass the annual safety inspection without some body work so I blurted out a slightly hopeful, “I’ve never done it before but we can give it a try.” It’s been my experience not knowing how to do something is not an acceptable excuse to get out of doing it.  
          I watched a YouTube video on technique, and Dad supervised from the porch. I took a hammer under the truck to beat out some dents in the fender, then before I could talk myself out of it, I laid an electric sander into the perfectly good paint around the gaping holes. We mixed up bondo and filled the empty spaces, let it dry, sanded it more, and repeated the process until a new fender had been created. After a layer of spray paint, it still didn’t look good, but it was definitely better than before, and mom called a few days later to announce it had passed inspection! 
          There have been countless times during my life when I did not know how to do something and jumped in regardless. So it was when I attempted to fix the commode, expressed the dogs’ anal glands, finished hardwood floors, started my art business, and helped produce the Swiss Family Balli documentary.
This plow-ahead mentality was groomed in me since youth.  I distinctly remember having my arm in the backside of a sheep fishing around in a place unseen for a lamb’s legs I was somehow supposed to grab ahold of and pull out. I had no idea what I was doing, yet there I was clear in up to my elbow! The rewards were great though. Seeing the lamb take its first breath of mountain air and watching the mother clean it while steam rose from its warm wet body is a scene etched in my memory I’m thankful for. The trick to success was and is having good instruction.
          Between my Dad and YouTube, a person could conquer the world, but occasionally a task requires additional training and advising, like flying a plane or folding a parachute. In the Spirit of how to be saved, I’ve included this most important How To. It’s not necessarily a DIY because it’s mostly already been done for us, but a response is still required on our part.  1.)Admit I make mistakes and am imperfect, therefore separated from a perfect God.2.)Acknowledge Jesus as God’s son, sent to make a way for us to be reunited with Him. He died to pay for my sin, rose again, and is alive today. 3.)Ask Jesus into my heart and declare I will live each day trying to follow His ways.
          The government form explaining how a safety inspection sticker works reads, “Whenever a vehicle is presented for inspection, it must be either approved or rejected.” The reality is there will come a day when we ourselves will be presented for inspection. While we still might be rough around the edges and aren’t the prettiest repair job on the lot, I pray that we have listened to our Father’s guidance.  For when we accept His gift which fills the hole in our hearts, I believe we’ll get that stamp of approval and pass inspection. 
          I’ve got to go watch another YouTube video now because our cat needs declawed and neutered. My husband refuses to be of any help in the matter and insists we take it to the vet. I’ll admit, sometimes you must let professionals do the job or you’ll find yourself in over your head…or at least up to your elbows.  

​“Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3
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