Wednesday, November 23, 2011

laughter, a blade of grass, and a leaf

So God is really teaching me a lot about looking for the blessings of the day.  He is reminding that every situation is an opportunity to see Him work.  Several days ago, I got a text from one of the house moms early in the morning asking for a Bible.  I was thrilled that she wanted one although I thought she already had one.  I have to admit that even in such a simple request, I began analyzing the whys and then the hows of getting it to her.
God gently said, "Just go take her one."  I had to smile, my great, all-powerful God telling me to chill and stop making it complicated.  I got dressed, and walked over to her house in the cool morning breeze. On my way, I got to greet and say good-bye to the secondary kids as they drove out for school.
When I arrived at house 4, I was greeted with a huge smile and a great, big thank you from the recipient of the Bible.  And then she said. . . "I just texted the matron, but the water is going everywhere in the washroom; the tap is broken."
Oh, dear! So I walked back and God gently reminded me, "this is an opportunity for you to see ME."  I did see Him in the laughter of the little girls as they showed me the water squirting everywhere.  The water tap on the back wall had broken totally off and the water was a constant flow out of the back wall.  Water was going everywhere and the girls were splashing around.  I tried wadding through the water to see what I could do but it was absolutely impossible to put the tap back on.  We all started to laugh that I would try to put it back on!
Now, let me say at this point, that I am a girly girl and don't understand the mechanics of anything but know how to pick up a phone and call someone who does.  Problem being, it was 7:15 in the morning and the mechanics were not around yet and Mark was still getting ready for the day.  I did know where I thought the shut off valve was so I walked around the back to see; all the while the girls are watching and laughing.  The shut off valve did not have a knob, I would have to have a wrench, pliers something (remember I am a girly girl).  I sent one of the girls to our house to get something and hoped she would come back with Mark and his tool bag.  But I stood there for a moment realizing that the water was still coming and wouldn't stop till I did something.  All the while, I realized I was enjoying the girls and the moment.
Okay, I will try to turn it, and then I heard, "Auntie Amy, it is stopping!"
"Oh, it is still going!"
So I tried harder.  I looked around to find something to help me get a better grip.  I looked around for a leaf but couldn't find one so called for one of the girls to go get one.  I then picked up a blade of grass and wrapped it twice around where the knob should be (remember I am a girly girl and MacGyver I am not), somehow it worked and I heard again laughter and yelling.
"It is stopping!"
"There is little, Auntie Amy!"  one of the little girls cried out laughing!
Finally a big leaf came and I was able to shut it off totally.
They began to chant, "It is over.  . . It is over. . ."
I went to look and there was not even a drop coming from the wall.  As I walked away, I thanked God for laughter, a blade of grass and a leaf and for the opportunity to see Him in the moments of everyday.