Most people can sympathize with what it would be like to be a few days, maybe even a week, without hot water…while not camping. Most people have probably experienced that at some point in their lives. An inconvenience, yes, but nothing earth shattering.
Two and half weeks though…with 4 kids….with cloth diapers: Now that’s a different story.
Interestingly enough I heard more than one time how “well” I was taking this whole thing of no hot water.
Here’s my question: How should I have taken it?
Would I have seemed more “normal” if I had ranted and raved about the injustice of no hot water? If I had stormed out of house refusing to reenter until civility had been returned? Should I have cast my husband from our marriage bed because he couldn’t {notice I said couldn’t, not wouldn’t} prioritize waters return?
Was it hard to have no hot water? Yea, it was. Was it impossible? No. Did I get frustrated and mad? Yes I did. Did I remain constantly at peace with not being able to wash my hands, easily, while preparing meals? No, I didn’t.
So, what did I learn from all of this about myself. I can manage. I can make a choice to not be negative and demeaning to my husband who was trying his very best to work a job, solve our problem, and not spend a fortune on repairs {which we ended up having to do anyways}. I can make a choice to carry on, life as usual, without letting my children see how we SHOULDN’T respond to the inconveniences in our lives. I can make a choice to look at the bright side, and praise the Lord that we at least had clean, running water.
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
The bottom line….regardless of any situation, I have a choice, a choice to choose how I react to the unexpected, to the inconveniences. Yes, I could have run around bad mouthing my husband, decrying the injustice of 4 kids and no hot water, and most people wouldn’t have thought I was out of line. Most people would have thought that response was natural, expected and completely OK. Instead…I laughed.
After attempt after attempt to fix, replace, and buy a new hot water heater, ended again and again with no hot water. I laughed. Because it was just so ludicrous that every single thing was not working; there was nothing more to do than laugh. {Don’t get me wrong there were a few strained looks and words between Matt and I…we’re not perfect}.
We have a choice, we always do, even if that choice is not always the easiest to follow through with, we do have a choice. A choice to model grace for those around us: Grace not only for the people around us, but for the circumstances we are in. <---- a="" href="http://clicktotweet.com/cD1Xg" nbsp="" target="_blank">Tweet This!
Of course this week has been so hot and humid, I’ve done nothing but take cold showers anyways :-) But, Lord knows I’m thankful for being able to wash those stinky diapers.
What inconvenient situations have you been in that you responded differently than how others thought you should?
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