Ok, full story.
Earlier today, these two dumpsters were full of trash, as is normal for trash day, but behind them sat a queen size box spring, which is now gone, take by the trash men, as a bulk item.
Ever since we moved in, my garage has been full of extraneous stuff, things that did not fit in the house. Over the past 7 years, the stuff has multiplied to the point where the garage is full to the point of overflowing. Chairs, beds, boxes, etc, have accumulated to the point of nearly bursting, to the point that our cans sit outside the garage instead of inside where they belong. The weightiest of the occupants of the garage is an old standup piano, which we have tried to give away but got no takers.
I have long wanted to empty and organize the garage, but knew I needed to get rid of all the junk. I have always assumed that this would require the rental of a trash dumpster. At $400 for the dumpster, and needing to then dedicate a solid block of time to fill it, there has always been something more important to do with the time and money (ie, I-54, missions, debt, weddings, food, etc).
So this weekend, we cleaned up a room and restored it to being an exercise room. Doing that, we discarded a queen size box spring that had been there. With no room in the garage, it sat outside the garage, awaiting trash day (which was today). I was concerned that the trash men would not take this large item, so I contacted Waste Management. To my surprise, I was informed that I could set out one bulk item per week that they would take away along with my normal trash, at no extra charge. So the box spring was fine.
Then the light went on….
I could set out one item per week. At no extra cost. A box spring this week. An old mattress next. A broken futon after that…and so on, and so forth, until eventually, an old standup piano (which they specifically said they would take, as long as I called them first).
One bite at a time, one bulk item a week, my vision of a clear usable garage is going to be realized. Without the extra expense. Without the major disruptions to life.
This is a lesson that God has been trying to teach me for some time. Most greater things happen through the day-to-day, the week-to-week. Through the process that doesn’t get noticed but happens under the radar. As we love, as we serve, as we seek excellence, in the little things, we come closer and closer to the greater things.
In a few weeks, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. This was a momentous occasion a ‘giant leap for mankind’, but as his words so aptly put it, it was a small step for the man. Down several steps and off a pad onto the moon. But the step itself was the public recognition of countless hours of work by tens of thousands of faithful men and women to accomplish what had never been done before, to bring that one man, to that one spot. Everyone marvels at Armstrong’s first step on the moon, but it was brought about by the many steps of those who made it possible. They overcame obstacles, trials and tragedy to bring the vision to reality.
JFK initiated the vision, and Neil Armstrong completed it, but the faithful many made it happen.
The Bible says not to despise small beginnings. At the start of any greater vision, the end may seems so far away, perhaps out of reach. With faith and faithfulness, just take one step at a time. It will amaze you how fast that distant goal arrives.
I have a vision of a clean garage. Today I took the first step in that direction. Might seem kind of simple, but it’s important to me and God is using it to teach me things.
What is your vision? And what first step can you take?
