Provision and Blessing

Life is filled with all kinds of things that we don't think about until they are gone... like a kitchen sink. Its been confirmed: I would not make a good pioneer woman.

So, our remodel project was just tacking along, right on track, just like the general contractor (Dave) planned. Everything went perfect, complete with a planned stall around Faith's baptism weekend. We were told that once the bottom cabinets were in, they'd be out to measure for the countertops, we'd wait about a week, the sink and counter would go in, and bingo! Kitchen fully restored to its complete function. Remodel project successfully survived. Even enjoyed. Answer to prayer.

Well... its not going quite that way. We don't really want to complain, but we are simply not used to taking all our dishes downstairs to wash them and then bring them all back up again. We really miss loading that dishwasher! We have learned from past experience through the years not to take that for granted. But bad things happen when you don't have running water in your kitchen, where you are preparing your food, and you do downstairs where you are not preparing your food. Like this:

 

Yes, that's water all the way to the top- the very, very tippy top.... but not over!

 

Yes, I left the water on and completely forgot about it. It wasn't until Marcus decided he should go down and finish his school first before going outside as Jared requested- an amazing mark of good character- that he found my forgotten faucet- with the water within a drop of spilling over. Whew! That was very close. I know this kind of thing has happened to more than one other mother- but the one I know about has way more kids than me and is older, too! :)

 

So, after nearly two weeks of trying to handle this new system, my dear husband, inspired by Grant and Hannah and their sink ;), decided he could help me- and boy did he ever. He rigged up our new faucet and now I not only have running water, but a makeshift "sink" and best of all, a working dishwasher. I am so indebted to you, Dave! You've done so many amazing things during this whole project.

 

We are still waiting for the countertops, but at least now the wait doesn't seem nearly as long. Answered prayer.

 

Its safe to conclude that God is often getting me out of scrapes, like sending the boys downstairs just in the nick of time. He did it again Monday! I know He was telling me He loved me. I took the four oldest kids to the dental clinic- our wonderful annual trip that we 've come to count on. Actually, you really shouldn't take anything for granted- not even the dental clinic- because they changed their scheduling practice and we were out of the loop for awhile. We were really excited to get to go back this spring, weren't we, kids?! You have to understand that this clinic starts very early and its a bit of a drive and we were out very late Sunday night, too. It was fun to see another family from Fairbury that we know well walking in just ahead of us! That hasn't happened in all the eight years we've gone (one or two times, we ran into a family we knew from another area, but that was way back at the beginning). Well, its a good thing- because when I got up to the front desk, feeling all prepared and quite pleased we had all gotten there on time and all- I realized that they don't accept credit cards. The clinic is basically free (which is a huge blessing for us compared to what we'd have to pay at a local dentist) and I didn't even have what I needed to pay the nominal fee. I don't know why I didn't remember that from other years, but thankfully, God arranged for that dear friend to be there on the very same day I was, when actually, she had been scheduled to go the week before but the weather had cancelled her out. She kindly bailed me out as I realized that God once again had provided just what I needed to get through. That's worth a big (shiny, white) smile!

 

There are plenty of things to miss as the days go by- things as simple (or not so simple) as running water, but we are working on gradually becoming more aware of blessings to count each day. Its not easy when demands are innumerable and the pressure of the day mounts, but I imagine its always worth the effort, if I can just make the right choice! Faith inspired me with a lovely poem she wrote one day as she tried to put together the lessons God was teaching her through the week:

Joy is kind of mystical, 

It's something you can't touch.

But if it's present in my life, 

Others will know as much!

It doesn't depend on happenings,

Or this ever-changing world.

Joy depends on my relationship

With Christ my redeemer and Lord! 

So even when life is out of control,

And everything seems to be wrong,

Jesus doesn't change, so if I do my part,

I can have joy deep in my heart!

 

 

Thanks for being a blessing to me, Faith, and inspiring me to seek the joy that doesn't depend on circumstances- the joy only through Jesus! And thanks, Jesus, for helping me every step of the way!  - Kara