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mara williams
on May 21 2013 - 06:00 AM
Summer break has this mom on a house upkeep war path.
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Lindsay Metcalf
on May 21 2013 - 06:00 AM
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- christi diggs - Profile | Pictures | Blog
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I learned something about myself during three cold showers this past week.
My class of Humility/Gratefulness 101 in the school of life came courtesy of a malfunctioning water heater this past weekend.
I had just come home from officiating a girls’ basketball game when my mother-in-law noted the water wasn’t getting any warmer in the kitchen. I hoped it was just a blip. No blip. The water heater wasn’t working.
Our family spent the weekend boiling water for baths and dishwater. After watching my husband carrying large pots of hot water for one of my baths, I decided that a cold shower would be easier. What I should have said was: easier during a heat wave.
Sunday morning I steeled myself for the first “arctic” shower. My nine-year-old said, “It’s colder up there Mommy.” I told her that Mommy couldn’t really tell the difference. I felt very alert afterward but eager to get warm clothes on.
On Monday, I felt like Mommy could easily tough out one more shower. Surely we’d be first on the list. Our call had gone into the home warranty company on Friday at 11:30 p.m.
That same day I regaled different people throughout the day of our cold water adventure.
One of my friends mentioned that her grandmother had never had running water in her home. This same woman died in 1969. In fact, she had a short stint in a nursing home and had a rude introduction to a shower. She had never had one. In a conversation with family, she said, “They threw water at me.”
So Monday became a day of reflection. I thought about my friend’s grandmother. She obviously didn’t find herself daydreaming about warm showers or dreading her next cold water experience. She lived her life and survived. That thought humbled this woman spoiled with our modern comforts.
I also thought about the fact that my home (yes, a roof over my head—another blessing) has heat. I just paid off my car and it still runs. We have food in the refrigerator and freezer—a huge blessing. I felt overwhelmed and mentally slapped myself. What’s a couple of cold showers, Christi? Get over it.
When Darin let me know that the plumber couldn’t come until Tuesday, I almost drifted into pity-party mode. But wait hadn’t I just reviewed about 112 wonderful things or people in my life I surely didn’t deserve?
My daughters weren’t going to do cold showers and we didn’t need to boil gallons of hot water. We have showers in our church bathroom (another reason to go to church) and the girls showered after basketball practice Monday night). They were in great spirits and we made the night fun. Have I mentioned how much I love our girls?
Three cold showers for Mommy. Just another couple of days in the life of the woman who needed to be reminded that we take so much for granted.
And while I rejoiced to be standing in steamy, hot water Tuesday night in the shower, I was glad to have chilled certain body parts in order to get my mind right.
God bless you and please have a Merry Christmas!
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