So there I was down in the basement with my face against our new washing machine's top. Trying not to cry. "Why is this happening? All of this?" I whispered.
The machine wouldn't fill. After lining up the settings, I pressed the start button, yet only a bit of water trickled in, then stopped. Tried it again, same thing.
And that's when I leaned upon the machine, wanting to crumble. These past 4 weeks! The exhaustion, the coughing, hearing loss, uti, fibroid issues, bad outside air quality (so no sitting outside to heal), trying to keep up with housework, 3 weeks of men tearing out our street to repave it, the loss of all but my indoor tomato seedlings, my laptop threatening suicide, and that very morning Tom awoke with excruciating hip pain --
But God reminded me of the beautiful moments.
Help for weeks from Tom and Naomi. A card and letter from a friend. Facebook messages wishing me well and lots of folks there praying for me. Last week when Tom and Naomi oversaw the entire washing machine installation and carry-away. The days we had sunshine and others with rain for my gardens. And what did we do before helpful Youtube videos?
I lifted my head. Eyed that start button then pushed it one more time. Poof! It began filling normally.
Oh, how times like these dip us down to the deepest pools of gratitude. So deep, that we learn to view everything (everything) through eyes made new by all that gratitude water.
Whew.
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For the record, our former washing machine was 20 years old and I'd babied it along for months. I specifically asked Tom to order a very basic machine as much like the old one as possible, but there are still a few too many little green lights on it for my liking.
Oh, and I am feeling much better from that virus, maybe 85%. Thanks if you prayed for me. You'll never know how much I appreciate it.
Please pray for Tom. He's going to try sitting very still this weekend then see his acupuncturist next week.
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To give you an example of how badly I felt, I finished reading only one book last month! My goal is eight. Plus I bought two new middle grade books, but have not even opened them. So unlike me!
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Clinging to this one, trust me! --
'They' say not to talk about illness--and to an extent I agree when it's the only thing one speaks of. Yet if no one ever shares this stuff then others will think everybody else is feeling great and they, themselves, are alone in their hard times.
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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15