Sunday, December 12, 2010

Be Thankful

A little over a week ago, our hot water heater died. It simply went kaput and stopped working. No gas flame, and rusty water all over the floor. We actually had to face a night and morning without showers. Instead we went to the community center, played in the pool and took showers. Less than 21 hours later, we had a brand new, bigger hot water heater installed.

Yesterday morning, in the middle of the largest Minnesota snow since 1991, we woke up to no heat. The exhaust blower on the furnace was no longer working, thereby not allowing the furnace to turn on. Wendy then informed me that the cabinet under the kitchen sink was soaked. The faucet, one of those single handled all in one kitchen faucets was leaking like a sieve.

The snow shut Minneapolis down so that our furnace guy, Joe, couldn’t make it until Sunday morning. Our home temperature got down to 64 degrees Saturday evening and we wore sweatshirts. Chase and I helped three other neighbors shovel their driveways. I tried to drive to Target to get a couple space heaters but couldn’t get the van 10 feet down the street. We decided to just tough it out.

When we woke up on Sunday morning the house was 53 degrees and the plow truck had plowed about five feet of snow into everyone’s driveway. Chase and I worked again for several hours helping several neighbors get clear. Joe the furnace guy came and replaced the blower. I drove to Home Depot with Wendy (Chipotle date while we were at it) and got a new faucet.

So, here I sit, in the favorite corner of my couch, while my family bustles around me, in a warm 69 degree home, listening to Wendy wash her hands in the kitchen sink with warm water...

...and give thanks.

At what point in the last two weeks did I face hardship? Everything that failed was fixed within 24 hours. We were inconvenienced, but those inconveniences turned into fun adventures. What an amazing country we live in.

Yes, failing appliances are a product of the Fall. Appliances repaired within 24 hours when 16.5 inches of snow are falling is not. That is a product of mercy.

Tonight, my overwhelming emotion is thanksgiving.

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