Service Required!

I have been exercising five days a week since January, 2011. Before this time, a regular plan of fitness training was not on my personal radar! Now, these years later, I am in my second generation of equipment. My latest treadmill was purchased in 2015. Although I purchased a service agreement at the time, I neglected to use it while it was still in force. 😞

A Service Tech's Dream!

The other day, I noticed that my walking belt was frayed and catching one of the guides every time it passed. I trimmed it back so it would not get further damaged beyond use. Then, I called for service. Some days later, the service technician came to replace the part. During his time looking over the machine, he detected a potentially more serious part failure. The drive belt that powers the entire treadmill was badly frayed and in need of replacement as well. As they say, “When it rains, it pours!”

Isn’t it interesting how household maintenance comes in multiples? After two years waiting to find a contractor, we had just put down a several thousand-dollar deposit to have our roof re-shingled when the washer and dryer needed to be replaced that same week. This all occurred simultaneously with the treadmill service!

We have been proud homeowners since our first pastorate in Houston. I have learned this lesson throughout the years, something needs to be replaced, maintained, or repaired in a house nearly every day! It can be as routine as replacing light bulbs, furnace filters, or tightening cabinet hardware. It can also be as harrowing as eradicating yellow jackets or wasps from nesting in the light fixture above the front stoop.

Dr. Orison Swett Marden, a brilliant and inspirational author of the nineteenth century, offered this perspective, “Success is the child of drudgery and perseverance.” This surely applies to many areas of our lives! If we neglect regular service on our automobiles, it can create even greater frustrations and costs to restore those vehicles to working condition. That’s why the garage where I get my car serviced puts stickers on the windshield to remind me to change my oil and rotate my tires on a regular basis!

Last Sunday was the first of the month and time scheduled to observe Holy Communion at our church. These special occasions are great reminders for congregants to take stock of our spiritual lives. While the Scriptures make several references to the Lord’s Supper in the Gospels (Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22), I like what Paul quotes from Jesus himself to remind us of the significance in the symbols of the bread and the cup, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me… This cup is the new covenant between God and his people… Do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25, NLT).

My spiritual life needs regular maintenance. Every believer needs this! If I miss a Sunday of worship, a day without Bible reading and prayer, or participation in a regular small group Bible study, I feel like I am not keeping my spiritual accounts current. Our Daily Bread, my daily reading app of choice, keeps track of my program of reading the devotional along with the Bible reading that applies. I like seeing the notification, “You have read ‘X’ number of days in a row! Keep it up!” This serves to motivate me and remind me how much I need scheduled service of my spiritual life.

Build some “service required reminders” into your daily life! They can be of great benefit!

(Today's blog article represents my 200th written over the last four years. I want to thank each of you who read these "humble reflections!" I sincerely mean it when I say, "Where would writers be without readers?!" You encourage me to keep on keeping on! Thanks again, for your time and willingness to read! I appreciate you!)

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,

active churchman and
doting grandparent.

Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com

Check out this link on building into your schedule a regular program of Exercise.