I, at most times, believe I am pretty savvy when it comes to tinkering with things to get them working.

Many years ago I worked at Citibank; I worked as clerical worker in the credit department but I was also a person people would seek to see if I could sort out issues with office machines because I seemed to have a knack for fixing them.

As part of my job I operated an Address-o-graph 6400 Graphotype machine. It was this big clunky over-grown typewriter punch machine that embossed credit cards and then heat sealed the gold foil over the top. Yes, I in my life have made thousands of credit cards. One card at a time, placed in the machine, typed the number and moved across the make those embossed numbers shine. That thing would break down daily. I was always clearing jams and straightening the ribbons.

So there you go, I am a self-sufficient woman, I can accomplish a lot with a hammer, screw driver or a butter-knife. Just give me the manual and I figure it out, the vacuum, the sewing machine, and a variety of household appliances. Last summer I discovered something even better than the manual, YouTube. With the help of a video, I replaced the pump on my washing machine.

As I am boasting a little here I must confess that all my “fix-it” attempts have not always been successful or without drama.

There was the time just after my son left home and Chris was traveling and I thought I should be more security conscious, so I came home and shut the driveway gate and ran a chain around it to hold it closed. I came in poured a glass of wine and decided figure out the alarm system.

Now sometimes my thought processes jump from one “what if” to another which often leads to problems. I set the alarm and turned it off. I thought: I should change the code…someone who lived here before knew it. I changed the code. I set the alarm. I see there is an emergency code. I decide to change it. I set the alarm, and I turn it off. Good. It works. Well about 5 minutes later there is someone banging on the front door. I jumped up, terrified, and look downstairs — there is a policeman at the front door and one at the back door. First thought, “Oh my, I’ve got to figure out how to turn off the alarm.”

When I finally answer the door, I discover that my brain misfired because when I “tested” the new number, I actually triggered a panic call. I, totally embarrassed, apologized profusely. They covered all the bases and checked the house just in case someone might be holding me hostage and had told me to tell them I was OK. The worse part was because I had locked the gate the officers had left the cars at the end of my 1000′ driveway and run down to my house. Such heroes… they protect silly old ladies too.

That was 11 years ago, fast forward to last night. Husband out-of-town again. I come home to take a shower and no hot water. We have a tank-less hot water heater outside the house. I had noticed the power had gone out at some point in the day and I thought maybe it tripped the switch. I flipped all the breakers, no water. Then, I went looking for the manual.

My thinking was if it was something simple, I could fix it, surely I could. Troubleshooting instructions say make sure you have gas. Yes, the tank was just filled last week. Make sure there is power, check, already did that. Thirdly, make sure the water line is not clogged. Yep, I deduced, I think that is the issue. Last summer we had to replace our water line and sand and grit got into all the fixtures. It seems the hot water flow has been slow since then.

So I put on a robe and some clogs and go outside, it is dusk but still a bit of light, I start following the steps to remove the drain plug and filter. One: close the water supply valve… it showed this one-arm valve at the base of the appliance but I can’t find one that looks like that. I look around and the only valve I see is a double wing black shut-off dial. So I turned it the right. Next it says have a bucket ready as 1/2 gallon of water will drain out of the appliance, and remove the inlet and outlet plug. Check I did that. However, what came next was like opening the floodgates of the Hoover Dam!!!

With the final turn the plug shot out like it was coming full force from a fire hydrant. I am frantic! I reach down trying to locate that dial but when I touched it I received a nasty shock!! The water was coming out so forcefully I assume it had intruded into the electrical outlet. Calamity of calamities, my brain was in overdrive!!! I am thinking, here I am standing in puddling that quickly turning into a pond and I can’t turn the valve off. I frantically find the plug and try to put it back in against the force of the rushing water! Futile, I know… I was like the little Dutch boy putting his finger in the dike.

Finally, brain kicks in and I realize I need to run to the well house and turn off the water. Slogging across the yard in soggy shoes and soaked terry bath robe I find the shut-off valve and turn it. Dear me, I took a deep breath. It is off.

I go back over the lake now formed under the hot water heater and I am thinking, it is only by the grace of God I did not kill myself here. The thought flashed through my head of being found dead in this lake under the rushing water still spewing from the hot water heater by the barn workers in the morning and with nothing on but a white terry bathroom with the Waldorf Astoria embroidered on it. Can you imagine how that story would have gone down?

I get the plug back in and tightened it best I can. When I turn the water back on there is constant drip, drip, drip, from the plug. Further reading in the manual it says, “Take care not to lose the washer to the plug.” Well heck that thing is probably a mile away with the force that plug came out!!

After all this drama, I come back in and still no hot water, which is a shame because by this time I could really use a hot bath!! I sit down with the manual and start from the beginning. It says, “Setting Up Your Water Heater.” Step One: Set the water temperature on the thermostat (the thermostat is in the closet downstairs), Step Two: Turn the power on.” What??? Yes, apparently there is a power button on the thermostat. How, in 13 years did I not know that? I go downstairs and push the button. I have hot water.

My Mother used to say, “God watches over fools and drunks.” Well I am not a drunk and I’d like to think I’m not a fool, but thankful He was watching over me last night.

The strangest things I see often send my my mind on weird thought processes.

This morning driving into work there were two little birds in the road, as I approached one flew off but the other was struggling to pick up something in the road. As I got closer, I could see it was a large feather, it seemed to be a little too cumbersome for the bird to be able to fly off with but as I got closer it did manage to take flight just as I was applying the brakes.

I started thinking about that little bird and it’s treasure…this feather. Why was it willing to risk its life to collect it?  The other bird obviously sensed the incoming danger and abandoned the quest. What value did he see in the “right now” need to hang onto it? Possibly unlike us he couldn’t comprehend the feather would still be there after the car passed, possibly the other bird was trying to steal his treasure feather and he felt if he let go the other would steal his find, or maybe it was his own feather and he was trying to rescue a part of himself. I will never know, however the incident has rolled over in my mind and I try to find a correlation or lesson it it all.

I don’t know why I tend to do this but it is me, and I often say, “It is just the way God made me.”

What’s up with this little scene? What do I do that I might take some understanding from this? Do I hold onto things when I should let go? Do I risk my physical and emotional health on things that will be there after the storm has past? What things am I holding onto that are weighing me down and keeping me from flying freely?

Well, as the day wore on, the answer became more clear. Continuing troubles, old problems, dealing with things I cannot fully control … I need to let them all go and let God be in control. I don’t have to keep picking things back up that are too heavy to carry. I can just do what I know is right in my heart and let God sort out the the fine details.

It was only a feather, but for the little bird it far too heavy, however for me it would have been easy. For me the troubles of life are sometimes overwhelming, but for God managing them is effortless.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV