My husband and I have not been home to spend Christmas with my family in America since 2003. We decided this was the year. We are going home to South Carolina for the holidays! As my excitement builds and we begin to make our plans -- one thing becomes apparent -- LIFE's PUNCHES!
Within the last two weeks, life has begun throwing left hooks and chin shots our way to block our every move. Two weeks ago our dryer died and my heart sank. I thought, "No, no this can not be happening." Well, it was happening and it seemed our trip would be postponed, AGAIN.
Not giving up easily, my husband called the family electrician, our nephew, and over the telephone they were able to discover the problem sucking the life out of my clothes dryer. A few clicks later on the Internet and a small part was ordered. Within a matter of days, the part arrived, from America no less, and my husband soldered the tiny piece in place and with finger crossed and prayers said, our ailing dryer was raised from the dead and is now working perfectly.
I could once again breathe easily with the realization we would be spending the holidays with our family in America.
Much to our dismay, two nights ago our refrigerator (almost 20 years old) decided it's life with us was dwindling as it began making a terrible noise. Rushing to the kitchen, my husband, came to the rescue and calmed the ailing appliance by raising the temperature a few clicks. Seemingly, the problem was solved -- until today. The moaning and groaning of the old faithful refrigerator has led way to it's ever decreasing fall in temperature. A sure omen it's life with us is coming to a heart wrenching end.
Once again, I began my complaining and worrying as I saw our Christmas plans slipping away. Another quick search on the Internet and a reasonably priced refrigerator was found and with a little bit of luck will be delivered tomorrow before "Old Faithful" completely gives up the ghost.
Major appliance failure can throw an enormous snafu into anyone's plans if you don't have a buried treasure in the back garden. I'm here to tell you, my ship sunk a long time ago off the coast of some far away island and no treasures are lying in wait to be plucked from the vine like ripening grapes.
To some of you these problems may seem small, and if I look around me and let the problems of others facing much worse problems them ours -- life threatening situations -- then my dryer and refrigerator problems can not compare to theirs and I feel humbled for allowing my worry to take precedence over the more important reason we are granted life every day.
Life is going to throw us punches -- we never know when or if they will come -- but they will come my friends -- and when they do, I have to learn not to sweat the small things in life because there will always be someone somewhere facing larger life punches than mine and with a little bit of faith and a lot of prayers God will provide for all our needs.
Just in case -- I'm pulling out the boxing gloves!
Within the last two weeks, life has begun throwing left hooks and chin shots our way to block our every move. Two weeks ago our dryer died and my heart sank. I thought, "No, no this can not be happening." Well, it was happening and it seemed our trip would be postponed, AGAIN.
Not giving up easily, my husband called the family electrician, our nephew, and over the telephone they were able to discover the problem sucking the life out of my clothes dryer. A few clicks later on the Internet and a small part was ordered. Within a matter of days, the part arrived, from America no less, and my husband soldered the tiny piece in place and with finger crossed and prayers said, our ailing dryer was raised from the dead and is now working perfectly.
I could once again breathe easily with the realization we would be spending the holidays with our family in America.
Much to our dismay, two nights ago our refrigerator (almost 20 years old) decided it's life with us was dwindling as it began making a terrible noise. Rushing to the kitchen, my husband, came to the rescue and calmed the ailing appliance by raising the temperature a few clicks. Seemingly, the problem was solved -- until today. The moaning and groaning of the old faithful refrigerator has led way to it's ever decreasing fall in temperature. A sure omen it's life with us is coming to a heart wrenching end.
Once again, I began my complaining and worrying as I saw our Christmas plans slipping away. Another quick search on the Internet and a reasonably priced refrigerator was found and with a little bit of luck will be delivered tomorrow before "Old Faithful" completely gives up the ghost.
Major appliance failure can throw an enormous snafu into anyone's plans if you don't have a buried treasure in the back garden. I'm here to tell you, my ship sunk a long time ago off the coast of some far away island and no treasures are lying in wait to be plucked from the vine like ripening grapes.
To some of you these problems may seem small, and if I look around me and let the problems of others facing much worse problems them ours -- life threatening situations -- then my dryer and refrigerator problems can not compare to theirs and I feel humbled for allowing my worry to take precedence over the more important reason we are granted life every day.
Life is going to throw us punches -- we never know when or if they will come -- but they will come my friends -- and when they do, I have to learn not to sweat the small things in life because there will always be someone somewhere facing larger life punches than mine and with a little bit of faith and a lot of prayers God will provide for all our needs.
Just in case -- I'm pulling out the boxing gloves!
