Night before last, I had invited a couple over to eat supper with me. Dana is a handyman, so I asked him to take a second look at my grandfather clock.

For a number of months, I couldn't get it to run right. The pendulum would swing for six or seven minutes before it would stop. I had no intentions of taking into a West Des Moines shop. I had that done about a year ago. So I knew it didn't need any major repairs.

But what was the problem? Dana is no 'clock repairman' but he started to toy with making it run. "I wonder if it is level," he said. I didn't know but it had worked for that year following its 'major tune up'.

So we started to play with it. "Get a couple of jar lids," he said. So we tried putting them under the two 'legs' to the right. Ran the couple of minutes before it again stopped. What about front to back. Same thing.

"Next time I am out here," he said, "I'll bring my level." But we attempted one last possibility. Move the jar lids to the left side. What do you suppose? It worked and has been running ever since. Ticking and chiming away like it hadn't for a long time!

I couldn't help but think about us. How hard we try to 'run' the right way on our own. We can 'tick' along for some time before we 'stop running'. Sometimes we can't figure out what or why we can't 'go' like we once did. God, who made us, knows what it takes for us to begin 'ticking' again. He has the answers. Like my asking Dana for his help, we need to stop and ask God for His help. And "He will supply all our needs from His riches in glory" (Philippians 4:19).

Thank You, Heavenly Father, that we don't have all the answers to life. But You do! Forgive me for all the times I look to myself and to others for help, when You have the solutions to every problem I might encounter. You are my 'tour guide' through this life and for that I am thankful. In Jesus' Name. Amen.