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When no water reveals a flood of blessings…

Yesterday morning, we woke up to no water in the house. We discovered that our deep freeze had died some time ago (ruining all of the food in it) and that it had tripped the GFCI. That circuit also powers the heat wrap for our well, so we also found out that our well had frozen outside and the pipes/tank had burst.

So I put a call in to the well company and tried to figure out how I could work dealing with the well repair person and getting this freezer and ruined food to the dump in the middle of a horribly busy day.

But thankfully, I was working from home today, and I have an amazing team that I work with who are all trustworthy, hardworking, and who are supportive whenever something comes up in our “real lives” for any team member. I just let them know what was going on and that I might be AFK (away from my keyboard) a few times throughout the day dealing with everything. Mia and Mandee were also very understanding and used bottled water for getting ready for school and work.

The well ended up being really costly repairs, but we are now better prepared for the future, and the unsightly shack we had built around it is now replaced with a less noticeable fake rock. And the money that was left over from the insurance paying for my stolen truck (along with funds from our Dave Ramsey inspired “Emergency Fund”) helped us cover the expenses. No doubt, it will have implications on our budget for a year or so, but my wife and I remembered earlier times in our marriage where we would have been looking to help from others or paying high interest to cover our emergencies — and we had an opportunity to thank God together. And we got to share with so many how the unexpected situation of a stolen truck ended up being a blessing in the end.

And I was able to load up my trailer and make it to the dump literally as the last person they were letting in. I got everything unloaded and even had employees at the dump driving out right behind me to leave for the end of their day! And I made it home in time for time with family before covering a long night of scheduled maintenance work for my team that helped cover for me during the day.

Several times, as I hit what seemed like roadblocks, I just humbly prayed, “Lord, I could really use some help with ____” and thanked Him — and my wife and I had a great conversation about how amazing it is how heartfelt, surrendered prayer when we are beyond what we can control have a miraculous way of being answered time and time again. What a wonderfully exhausting and grateful sleep I had after such a crazy day!

Then, this morning I woke up to Facebook reminding me of this graphic that I created 7 years ago:

What a great reminder to do be JUST, be MERCIFUL, and be HUMBLE in everything we do.

If there is something worth making a resolution for this year, it’s that my life will better reflect these three — and I need the power of Love, the power of the Holy Spirit, of Christ in me, to fuel this into who I am at my core.

We have so much to be grateful for that even the emergencies, even the unexpected expenses, even the unexpected inconveniences have the handprints of God’s justice, His mercy, and His willingness to humble Himself to be a part of “our little lives” daily.

Thank you Jesus!

hballingerLeave a comment

I’m sick, praise the Lord!

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT
http://bible.com/116/2co.4.17.NLT

Things lately have been extremely hectic. At work, it seems like so many things are a challenge. In my relationships with others, some are strained and stressed out over the hustle and bustle of the holidays. And yesterday,  I started realizing that I was  coming down with a cold. I woke up this morning with full blown, can’t drink water workout it hurting my throat, can’t move my head without it hurting, eyes crusted closed, nose stopped up completely, and lips so chapped they feel like a gravel driveway. And this too is worthy of praising God.

The past couple of years,  my health has kept me out of work for various problems,  be it eye surgery,  kidney stones, sickness,  etc. And I’ve used all of my PTO days so I inevitably end up having to take time off without pay for periods of time, which has an effect on our cash flow and our monthly budget.

And you see,  we are on a very strict budget as we are doing the Dave Ramsey thing and getting ourselves or of debt, so there is so little wiggle room in our budget that a loss of any amount of money truly affects us. And while digging out,  we’ve started a weekly ministry out of our home providing meals and Bible Study and even providing Bibles to those in the jail that I visit each week. And food for a group and buying Bibles doesn’t come cheap.

But in all of this seeming chaos, as my body is weak and fights against me in sickness, and as my finances aren’t going exactly to plan – I get to see some amazing things happen in my life.

As I suffered multiple times with kidney stones,  wracking my body with pain, I was reminded of Jesus Christ who suffered for me. As I am humbled at times and made to wait patiently for the things that I have planned,  I’m reminded that it is His timing and His purpose and that perspective helps protect me from pride. Even as I go through trials and experience pain and struggle, I’m reminded that my life here is like a breath compared to eternity. And I realize there is not quite as strong or undeniable testimony for others than someone facing hardship and circumstances that they don’t allow to steal their peace or joy.

You see,  my challenges are an opportunity for God to demonstrate His power. And I’m not talking about miraculous healings, even though I will joyfully take that – as much as I am talking about my backing up my words about faith through my actions – even in the midst of challenging circumstances.

And what is a cold,  or even kidney stones, or even the loss of a loved one compared to the struggles and trials that many face in this life? Don’t I know those living on the street with so little? Don’t I know those battling addiction and all kinds of serious and terminal health problems? Don’t I know those who have made poor decisions that have landed them in prison where their time will click away a day at a time until they might ever be free again? Don’t I know that there are those who are locked up in a spiritual prison,  far from God and facing the eternal flames because they are lost?

So yes, I’m sick,  and it’s very much worthy of praising Him. Because I know His plans for me are greater than the distractions and trials of this life. You see, I used to allow my circumstances to dictate my attitude (and yes, I still fall short at times in that area) – but now I have  a hope eternal. And it provides a freedom and a peace that is being what I could have understood previously. So I’m going to praise His name today,  even for this cold – especially for this cold.