My car died. I hate it when that happens. This wasn't one of my cars that I have now, this was years and years ago. But one day I went out and it wouldn't start. I turned the key and nothing. I was so frustrated. I was even infuriated. One little truth about me, if something is mechanical or technological doesn't work, I have a VERY short fuse.

Stupid car. Why wouldn't it start? "Stupid car".

After having a conniption fit (I like that word by the way, conniption); I finally gave up and walked to my church office. As I walked away you could have heard me mumble something about my "Stupid car".

I called a friend who was a skilled mechanic. He sent a wrecker to get the car. Later that day I went by his shop and he shared the news with me. The car was dead.

It needed a resurrection. In mechanic talk that means it needed a new motor. The old one was totally shot, totally seized, and ready only for the trash heap. I was so bummed. It was costly to rebuild a motor. It was costly to replace it. This was an expensive proposition, no matter how you looked at it. I repeat: "Stupid car".

I told my friend I couldn't afford a new car. I didn't have a choice. Fix it. "Stupid car".

He offered to make me a deal, and indeed he did. He promised me he would and he did. He told me how long it would take and it took about that long. Now this stupid car was costing me financially and costing me time. I repeat, "why wouldn't it start!? Stupid car!"

As I walked out of my friend's shop that day, my mechanic buddy walked out with me to get in my other car. That's when he put his black-stained, grease-and-oil-soiled-hands on my shoulder and gave me some very sound advice, "Kevin, let me tell you something about this car of yours. If you would change the oil with regularity, the car would last longer. The reason your motor has to be rebuilt is because you didn't change the oil."

"Stupid me!"

It was a revelation. It wasn't that I didn't know that. It was just that I was busy. I had things to do. I had places to go. It was a pain to have to have the car in the shop, even for a couple hours to change the oil.

But you know what, if you want to keep what you have and if you are a good steward of the gifts you have been given, you have to do the proper maintenance. You can't avoid it. You don't want to wait until the "thing" dies.

That's the way life is. That's just the way many areas of life just are. It requires maintenance and care if you don't want to lose what you got.

Yesterday was the date we asked you to put your deposit down on the Western Kentucky Marriage Retreat that is being sponsored by New Work Fellowship, on February 8-9. Some of you know you need it, but you didn't put down your $50 deposit.

Why?

Too busy? Don't have the time? Too expensive? Really???

Listen, don't wait until the thing dies, totally seizes up, is totally shot and only can be saved by a total rebuild. Your marriage is too important to treat that way. Plan ahead. Do the important task of maintenance. Make sure you are putting care into it on the front end, instead of just responding to the crisis on the other end.

Today would you pray about your marriage? Would you pray about the marriages in our church? Some of those marriages are in need of a rebuild. All marriages are in need of maintenance.

But you missed the due date for the deposit! What are you going to do? Go ahead and sign up, and turn in your deposit. It's really not too late today. But TODAY, do something about it. Your marriage is worth the investment.

And who knows, what you do today might save someone from having a conniption.

Proverbs 5:18, "Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
    Rejoice in the wife of your youth."