So, how do you fill yourself when your well is dry?
A few days before Christmas, I was finally done with all the shopping, all the errands and all the baking. I was so excited to be able to spend the remaining 48 hours just relaxing and taking in the joy of the season.
And then I returned home to find out that we had no water, like not even a drop. A pipe had burst under our house. Because of all the cold weather, the plumber couldn’t come for a week. A WEEK!
I wish I could say that I accepted this development with grace, but I did not. I was angry and really sad. I’d worked so hard to prepare for the holidays and I deserved the peace and joy I was sure would follow.
You forget how much you rely on water until you don’t have it. You can’t wash your hands, flush the toilet, get a drink, wash the dishes, take a shower, or do the laundry.
I went into a funk. I tried arguing with myself. I knew intellectually that other people had it so much worse. I had friends facing their first holiday season without their spouses. I knew people fighting serious illnesses. All I had to face was greasy hair and big piles of dirty dishes and laundry, but I just couldn’t snap out of my anger and sadness.
As the days went on, I only sunk lower. Traveling to town to go potty, feeling gross and sticky with dirt, eating fast food and watching the kitchen and laundry piles grow towards the ceiling just ruined any happiness I felt. To make matters worse, our much-anticipated Christmas house guests had to cancel because of the lack of water.
When the plumbers did not show up when they said they would, I lost it. It wasn’t their fault. The winter storms gave them more than their share of work. I researched and called so many other companies, only to be told the same thing – it would be ANOTHER week before anyone new could come out. We had no choice but to wait for the first company to show up.
That’s when I decided to go feral. I really did. I laid in my bed and made the decision to rub mud on my face, wear dirty clothes and stop even trying to keep the house semi-clean. I was going to wallow in the filth and embrace it. I am nothing if not dramatic.
Late that night, two lovely men came over and repaired our burst pipe and returned water to our house. In spite of working way too much overtime, they were kind and sweet. I hugged their dirty, wet bodies and filled their pockets with cookies, candies and sodas. I wanted to smooch their cheeks, I was so happy!
So, what did I learn?
I did gain empathy for all those who don’t have access to clean water. I admire the people who live their lives with joy in spite of those conditions. I saw my spoiled tendencies. I expect to have water at all times. I rely on it. I count on it. I also understand that I have some work to do to find joy when times are dark. And, I saw that I tend to blame God when things go really wrong. I feel like He has abandoned me.
So, I have some work to do, BUT I do have water now, so I can sip some tea while I search for the living water. I am so grateful for that.
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7: 37-39
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