Columns In The Tennessean

Mr. Green shows cardial warming.

Follow up:

I like cutting grass much more than I like cleaning.

With both jobs, I feel like I’ve accomplished something. But after cleaning, I know that things are going to decay again, there will be more waste produced, and I’ll need to clean up after myself and others.

But cutting grass is different. I have to cut grass because of life, not decay. The green blades of grass (or in my case, weeds) reach up towards God every day until I make the time to neaten them up and trim them back a little. And when trimmed, the lawn goes from being gangly, uncared for, and unhealthy to fuller, richer, and loved.

In John 15, Jesus says he is the vine and our Father is the gardener trimming branches so the vine can be more fruitful. Even though the saying is “cleanliness is next to Godliness,” somehow cutting grass feels closer to God’s work.

But I had a problem with yard work. My cordless weed trimmer’s battery only holds a charge for about five minutes – barely time enough to go around one tree. I still had my gasoline powered weed trimmer, but it was at least 25 years old and I hadn’t even tried to start it in at least 8 years. I shopped new trimmers in the home stores and they wanted more than I felt justified in paying.

So I just let grass and weeds grow around the edges of the lawn.

A few weeks ago, in front of a house on Confederate Drive off Columbia Avenue, I saw a sign which read “Green’s Small Engine Repair: Lawnmowers, Trimmers, Chain Saws.”

I know enough about fuel to know that after a fairly short time, gas goes bad and can even turn to jelly – gumming up everything in the carburetor. Even if my gasoline trimmer couldn’t be fixed, I thought the shop could use parts for other machines.

Inside the gate, behind and beside a dozen riding lawnmowers, twice as many push mowers, and a forest of weed trimmers, I saw a pair of legs sticking out from under a miniature race car/go cart looking vehicle. When he heard me come in, Mr. Green rolled out from under the car and hopped to a standing position.

He was older than I expected - 74 years old – I know because he told me - he is proud of his age and he should be. Here he is, working, doing detail work, and laying under cars.

His eyes had the sparkle of youth and were sharp as he studied me (and my antique weed trimmer,) but his conversation was friendly. He told me he hoped to get the go cart going soon so he could putter around for a while, then maybe sell it.

I told him my story about the trimmer and he agreed that it probably wasn’t worth repairing, but he would look at it and call me back. I told him if the trimmer wasn’t worth repairing, it wasn’t worth anything to me and he could have it if he could use it for parts. I told him that anything I could do to economize would help and told him about Marcy and our situation at home.

The sparkle in his eye brightened when he said, “I have a gasoline trimmer that someone gave me as payment for another job. It’s not much, but it works.” He wouldn’t let me give him any money for the trimmer. It looked like it hurt him when I offered.

I took the trimmer and our yard looks much, much cleaner. And, after meeting him, I can see why everyone today wants to “go Green.”

If you know someone in need, look for ways you can put your talents and experience to work for them. You don’t have to be the namesake of a movement to help someone closer to Godliness.