Three's

This is my pool pump. It looks like I could pull a few weeks, straighten up some of those pebbles and put away our hose attachment when I'm finished. If life was only that easy. If those items really were the issue here. I also wished I knew how half the things work in my household. For instance, I really don't understand the concept of the pump in the swimming pool. There are all these pipes under the ground and then these pipes that stick out above the ground. My ignorance I know, but when things aren't working right I don't have the time to sit around and wait for someone to come out to fix the things that are broken and hope that you have enough in your pocket book to pay for it. There is never one straight answer. Wouldn't it be great to have a book that says to fix a pool pump the cost will be $10.00, to fix your car $20.00 and on and on no matter what is wrong with it or how badly it is broken. And yes, you have guessed it, last week my pool pump broke. The dang water in the pool isn't circulating and the pool is slowly changing colors. It's hot and sticky outside and the pool is broken. For those of you who do not own a pool, well..... I know you don't feel sorry for me, when we looked for houses this time around, the house had to have a pool or the yard big enough to build one. We are water people, not T.V. people and we eat beans and wienies just so we can have a pool. Actually, there is a sacrifice with our income to have a pool, but once you've experienced having a pool it's hard not to imagine life without another. Pools keep you cool!

Strike One.

This is my thermostat at 6:30 in the morning. Imagine what it looks like at 3:00 in the afternoon. I would have taken a picture of it at that time of the day, but I hang out at the mall now everyday from noon til 9:00pm. Our air conditioner in our house broke. It can't be fixed. Need a new one. Can't afford a new one. Situation getting worse especially since I am spending so much time at the mall in the heat of the day and spending all my money, money that should be spent on a new unit. Just kidding. The house is about 10 years old and when the house was built it was installed with a cheap air conditioner that is only to last approximately 10 years. Well, it's been 10 years for us. Go figure. It's hot in here...

Strike Two...

Next item on my list this week that drew my attention to the idea that things run in three's or things break in three's, was my refrigerator. It fell victim to being the third mechanical/electronic device/appliance that broke on my property in one week. Are you feeling my pain? I can't even feel my pain because I am numb to the fact that all three of these items have an element of cooling things down in the summer months and let me not fail to mention that all of these items are not cheap. My nice glass of cold milk before bedtime is all but history now. The frig isn't frigid anymore.

When I was a little girl I didn't have a pool, I didn't have an air conditioner in my house and my mother use to tell me how she didn't have a refrigerator. She would always remind me to shut the door quickly after opening it. Must have been something her mother reminded her about when they had ice to cool it. I guess she felt it was always necessary to remind me of her misery while growing up. Of course, my dad always reminded me of his outhouse in his back yard and having to use it in the dead of night in the dead of winter. I'm glad my toilet works, that would be misery.

What is misery anyway? No toilets??? No air, no refrigerator, and heaven forbid no pool pump to pump that cool water around in the pool. Do we have it easy or what??? Just think back about 2000 years ago where Jesus and the disciples traveled about with no cars or luggage or frequent flyer miles to expedite their travels. Think about the dust, no showers, grime and not being able to wash your hands with soap and water before eating. Some only had the clothes that they wore on their back. And in my world, not having a closet would be drastic. I just can't imagine not being able to coordinate my clothes to the weather, my emotions or how bloated I feel that day to determine my wardrobe. No bed for my head, no chair for my seat and too many other numerous items that accommodate our pleasures in life.

I've had three strikes last week. Could have been worse I'm sure. I don't doubt the big Daddy and his mighty powers to get my attention. I'm just sure that he wants me to share my misery with the rest of you so we can remind each other of our luxuries in life and these so called luxuries are just that, Luxuries. We don't need any of them to survive. The only thing we need is Christ and we need to be mindful of what he endured so that we could have such a life.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants for you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.

I AM finding joy in my misery. I watched as my husband found a way to fix our refrigerator. I enjoyed watching him find a way to fix the pump and saw joy in his proud eyes as he saved us a bundle of money. I just hope he can build us a new air conditioner at no cost, that would be pure joy, as I know that will not be possible. He is only human, he's my husband.

We will eventually have to buy an air conditioner, maybe next summer. I know now how thankful I am now for refrigerators, pool pumps and air conditioning. Never thought twice about them before. Something I took for granted. God opened my eyes. God made me think about the disciples journey in the hot dessert sun, infrequent baths, no wardrobe, no splashing in the pool and definitely no cold milk before bedtime.

There aren't 4 strikes in baseball. Only three strikes and your out. Bad things only come in sets of three. I believe God is out of strikes for me. We are on our way to recovery from this dag gun heat.

Two down, one to go......... In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.... AMEN