This weekend my wife and I spent Friday & Saturday doing something we enjoy doing together. We rode through part of Kentucky in search of bargains along Highway 127. People set up in their yards, local parking lots, fairgrounds, and anywhere there is open space to sell items to others traveling, looking for those bargains. The Highway 127 Yard Sale runs from Addison, Michigan to Gadsen, Alabama, and proclaimed to be “The World’s Longest Yard Sale.”

While you can find just about anything imaginable for sale, my wife and I do not buy anything that will sit around the house not being used. In other words we look for and purchase items we can justify that we will use. I enjoy looking at a lot of things, cast iron cookware, garden implements, tools, old signs, antique furniture, and more. But if it is not something I will use, and it is not a real bargain price, I do not buy. This weekend we did find a few good bargains. In fact we spent more than we ever have on one of these weekend saling adventures. (We’re not big spenders)

One in particular was an item I have desired to have for several years, yet would not pay the retail price. In one family’s backyard I spotted a plug aerator to pull behind a lawn mower or other small vehicle. My father-in-law has also wanted one for several years. I inquired about this one and the lady quoted me a very good price and stated they had only used it one time. Indeed it looked almost new, so I believe this to be true. However, there was something different about this one from one’s I have seen and used in the past. I counter-offered, and she countered back. I told her I would think about it.

She walked away and my wife and I looked it over and talked about it. Then it hit me. I knew why this one looked different from others I had seen and used. This one had been put together wrong. The top section of the aerator which included the trailing hitch and weight tray had been mounted upside down leaving the hitch 6-8 inches higher than normal. The downward angle needed to attach it to the mower would put the aerator at a disadvantage for accomplishing its purpose. It also meant there was no tray for weights normally used for depth of aeration. The bottom line is the aerator could not work properly because it was not properly assembled.

Sitting here this morning thinking of the situation with the aerator, my thoughts turned to the question, “How much of our lives are lived in similar fashion?” How many times do we miss complete satisfaction because we skip one step, or we do not read the directions? If we do read the directions, do we sometimes try to put the pieces of life together based on our own presumptions and past experiences? It is time to break away from those practices. God has given us the directions for life. They are found in His Holy Word. I have found that when I follow His directions as written, life is much simpler, accomplishment is much greater, and stress levels dissolve.

If you haven’t tried it lately or if reading this you realize you have drifted away from God’s instruction for life, why not give it a try today. There is no hardship or trial you will ever face on earth that God does not speak to in His Word, The Holy Bible. If you are wanting a fresh start or in need of encouragement and care, why not give God and His word a try. There may be some assembly required, but the stress levels will shrink and the satisfaction levels will increase with positive results.

And, yes, I did make the purchase and will be making the assembly adjustments this week. My Father-in Law will be happy too.