Empty Tank

During our engagement, my husband and I set out one day to find an apartment.
We were to be married in October, but my husband needed to move in at the end of June.
He was beginning his engineering job and needed to be close to work.
I would move in after we were married, four months later.

We began our search early in the morning.
The first apartment we saw was exactly what we wanted.
But, my soon-to-be husband, the engineer, wanted to see other apartments first.
I agreed, but I knew that at the end of the day, this would be the one we would choose.

It was.
We did.
The lease was signed before the end of business that day.

When I moved in, after our wedding, we soon talked about buying our first house.
A new plant was starting up and my husband wanted to be part of the start-up team.
We spent many Saturdays looking for just the right house…the right location.
The search was a bit more involved than finding an apartment.

We found the perfect house, for us, that was convenient for my husband.
We moved into the house in August, two months before our first anniversary.

Homeowners.

Our first daughter was born a year and a half later.
My husband was going through a required licensing procedure at the plant.
Long hours…lots of studying.

Our second daughter was born twenty-eight months after the first.
By then, my husband was taking MBA classes.
He would come home from work, eat dinner, then leave for classes three nights a week.

It was a very busy time.
Three more children would be born…in another house…in the next nine years.

I loved our first house.
We were blessed with wonderful neighbors and a park right down the street.
Not having a budget for swings at the time, the park was the place my girls liked to be.

A busy road ran behind our development.
There was an embankment that kept the houses far above the roadway.
Along the back of the properties was a tree line, which acted as a barrier.
There was only a partial tree line on our property, however.

The tree line ended right in the center of our back yard.
The previous owners must have cleared a section, perhaps for a garden.
If a car broke down on the roadway, people often climbed the embankment, knocked on the back door and asked to use our phone.

Not wanting to turn anyone away, my husband would allow them to use it.
He worried about this happening when the girls and I were alone during the day.
What if someone broke down or had a flat tire and knocked on our door then?

He was busy one Saturday morning doing something on the small front porch.
He came in very proud of himself.
He installed an outside phone jack and bought an inexpensive phone.

Now if you’re here alone, and someone comes to the door, just hand them this phone and tell them where to plug it in. They can leave it on the bench when they’re finished.

Sure enough, it did happen quite a few times.
I was so grateful for his practical solution.

We built our next home and put our house on the market.
Realtors were bringing people through, while my husband was away on business.
My husband instructed the realtors not to mention that we were by ourselves.

A family came through the house one evening before dinnertime.
As they were coming up from the basement the realtor announced, You might want to call for an oil delivery, since your tank is low. With your husband away, you don’t want to be without heat!

As soon as she said it, she realized what she did.
She was embarrassed and I felt very vulnerable.
As the family left our home, she lingered and apologized.
Apology accepted…an innocent mistake.
I was so glad when my husband came home a few days after.

You might want to call for an oil delivery, since your tank is low.

Is your tank low?

We are so busy.
We don’t take time to be still.
After a while, the fast pace takes its toll on us and our well-being.

How do you replenish your fuel supply?
What do you do when your tank runs dry?

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
(Mark 6:30,31)

Come to Jesus.
Be quiet.
Be still.
Get some rest.
Refill your tank that has run dry.

Tell Him all you have been doing.
Tell Him all that is on your mind.
He knows what is on your heart…but He wants to hear YOU tell Him.

He loves you.
He will quiet you with His love.
Your tank will quickly fill.

Filling is not a once and done process for an oil tank.
Filling is not a once and done process for you!
Being filled is ongoing…as long as you walk with Him.

Don’t run on empty any longer.
Come to Jesus.