“Rebecca,” my dad called. Dressed in his paint splotched white overalls, he waited for me to join him outside.
To supplement his meager teaching and coaching salary, dad painted houses and barns in rural Indiana on weekends and each summer. One of his customers had given him a surprise for me.
It was like Christmas. My insides bounced with excitement. A blue twenty-six inch bicycle with a huge basket stood ready for me. I could hardly wait to jump onto it and whiz down our gravel driveway.
Dad held the bike so I could climb on it. My short legs pumped my body up and down on the large pedals. He grasped the seat and ran down the drive. The handlebar wiggled. Each time he let go, I wobbled and fell. My dream disappeared.
Day after day he would trot up and down the gravel with me while I tried to master bike riding. When he was at work, I would drag the gargantuan vehicle out of the garage and attempt to maneuver it.
He thought I could do it. But after a while, I gave up. It was too hard. I was tired of gravel in my knees and elbows. I decided to wait until I grew up.
A younger friend changed that. One day Marcile and her parents stopped for a visit. As the adults talked, we played in the yard. When she saw my bike, she asked if she could ride it. I knew she wouldn’t be able to but gave her permission.
With little effort, she took the bike onto the bumpy drive, got on it, and took off. She couldn’t reach the seat either, but that didn’t deter her. As she expertly rode, I cringed. How could a younger friend do what I couldn’t do?
Determination and pride overtook my fear of failure and bruised knees. When she finished, I grabbed the handlebar, hoisted myself onto the pedals, and jiggled away. Slowly the bike steadied, and I was really riding.
A used bike, a younger friend, and a dad who ran alongside me all helped as I achieved my goal. While growing up, my brothers and I didn’t have lots of new toys. We did have parents who provided for our needs, loved us, and spent time with us.
Like my parents, God doesn’t supply every want but does provide for the needs. He loves His children and desires to spend time with each one.
Know this, my God will also fill every need you have according to His glorious riches in Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. So may our God and Father be glorified forever and ever Amen. Philippians 4: 19-20 (The Voice)
Heavenly Father, thank you for walking alongside us and giving us exactly what we need. Help us to accept it when we don’t get what we want. Thank you for your constant love. Amen
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