After we bought the old home place from my husband’s mother, he began to destroy some old sheds and clean up the place to use as rental property.

After a while, he began to notice the old car shed was leaning over towards the fence around the pasture. The upstairs storage space was useful so he decided we needed to “prop” the shed up so it would stand a few more years.

I had my doubts and wasn’t physically able to work, but I provided the encouragement to help him commit his physical body and emotional spirit to saving that old building. Although it looks rather rough, it is still standing now after about 30 years of being propped. You may be wondering why I am writing about this so as I continue, I hope to show you how God gave me this story.

Eight years ago when I got my computer and printer, I began to copy off some interesting stories that I received through e-mail. After a while they began to stack up and finally my new resolution for 2016 is to go through everything in this TV/ office/card room, saving some things and destroying others.

Lo and behold, I came across a story about an elderly deacon who had an old barn that had stood there many years and withstood a lot of bad weather. One day he noticed it was leaning a little bit to one side so he took some poles to prop it up on the leaning side.

I am like our old shed. I’ve withstood some bad weather and “hard times” and even though I can no longer stand like that old shed, I see myself “leaning to one side” now and then even when in the wheelchair. I go to the Lord in prayer and ask him to help me avoid “leaning towards anger, bitterness, hatred, and other things where disability can encroach on my moods and spiritual life.”

Those of you who can still stand might need to pray like the old deacon did. Some folks asked why he would pray, “Lord, prop us up on our leaning side, so we will stand straight and tall again to glorify the Lord.”

I may never be able to physically stand on this earth because of multiple sclerosis and other health issues, but there is a song that encourages me to “lean” on the Lord. When I first heard this song, I viewed it as a love song where my husband encouraged me “to lean on him” when necessary. Now, I know that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the one singing the song to me. I just keep praying like that old deacon did: “Lord, prop us up on the leaning side.”

The song “Lean on me” was written by Bill Withers, and says, in part, “Sometimes in our lives we all h ave pain, we all have sorrow … Lean on me when you’re not strong, an d I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you ca rry on.”