S04E077, Cables, Hard Work and Doing It Right, Andy B 2 Minute Video
Every day is a learning day!
We saw some friends recently who gave us a TV they no longer needed. It’s bigger than the one we have, so we were really grateful for such a kind gift. And, at home, we have a universal flat screen stand – which we knew could handle the job of holding up the TV.
I don’t know about you but I’ve recently come to the conclusion that the something designed to be ‘universal’ really means it’s something that is designed to accommodate or fit anything other than the very thing you need to, which it is specifically should be able to fit. Because, unfortunately, the bracket that attaches to the back of the TV, actually completely covered over the back of the TV where all the sockets are placed!
And while I’m always one for problem solving, I just didn’t fancy cutting through a sheet of steel with my junior hacksaw, just to plug in a DVD player.
The problem was simply that there was not enough room between the back of the TV, and that metal plate on the ‘universal’ fitting so I bought some right angled plugs that will fix the problem because they create a lovely, flat, right angle so we have as much as room as we need for those cables, and no thumbs would need to be put at risk!
We do this in life thought, don’t we! We injure ourselves, physical - and emotionally – by trying to make ourselves fit into something, that we just don’t fit. We squeeze ourselves, causing untold damage trying to fit in.
The school playground comes to mind – where we commonly try and look like everyone else, just so we don’t stand out and get noticed. But, as people who call themselves Christians, however, we are supposed to stand out. We’re not supposed to blend into the background!
Let’s let God do the problem solving for us and be willing to look for simpler solutions. If He can design the hydrological cycle, he can help us no matter what issue we’re facing, whether that’s trying to fit cables into the back of a TV through a universal stand that isn’t as universal as it thinks it is, or something far more important!
Just a thought...
Andy B
Listen
Download
Transcript
0:07
So another Andy B 2 Minute Video.
0:11
Over the weekend, we saw some friends and they gave us a TV, which they didn't need any longer. We brought it home and it's really cool, it was great. However, we've got a TV stand at home, which is universal. And by that it means it kind of sort of maybe fits some things, but probably definitely not the very thing you want it to fit. That's the definition of universal as I understand it.
0:32
So, trying to plug some cables in the back and, a good bit of noise that, we've we found we couldn't get some of the cables in because there's trhis big metal sheet that goes across the back of the universal coupling, and it blocks, well, it blocks all the plugs, quite frankly, on the TV, so we can't use it.
0:51
So what I found with these little teeny, tiny, right angle things and you can plug them into the back of the TV, it creates a nice, perfect right angle. It doesn't stick out very far. And then you can actually use a TV and plug things in. And we tried to, you know, work away around it. Do I bend the metal around. Do I get me saw out, and try and use my little Junior hacksaw and cut away the metal. And there's got to be an easy way! And it happens to be these little right angled pieces. I bought pair, which is all we need. They'll go in the back of the TV and the cables will go in no problem whatsoever.
1:22
Do we have this situation in life? Where we we try and make ourselves fit? And we can talk ourselves to all sorts of situations that we just don't fit. Or we try and bend stuff around, and we take a hammer, and we saw this, and there's often a much simpler way.
1:40
And, with Jesus Christ in your life, there's always an easier way. It's not necessarily the easier path. But it's easy because there's someone's to guide me and to guide you on the path that He chooses for us.
1:53
These little right angle things will make it much easier for us to plug in what we need to plug in, and actually use the TV.
2:00
Are you user friendly. Are you struggling with a universal remote which doesn't actually work? Are you struggling with forcing and contorting yourself to fit? Sometimes it's good to make ourselves adapt to the situation around us. We read that of Paul in the Bible. He fitted to the people he was with. He didn't change and become different. He just adapted to the situation he was in.
2:20
Do you adapt to your situation too? Just like my little right angled piece of plastic and metal, it'll make life easier.
2:28
Where's God asking you, I wonder, to do something, the easier way? The right way? Not the harder way, just the easier way.
2:37
Take some time with God and ask Him what you might want to change in your life.
2:40
Just a thought
Andy B, 24/05/2022