Today when I woke up, there was no water. Actually that’s not entirely true. There was just enough water left in the pipes to drench the load of soapy, stinky laundry I planned to wash.
Ironically, today was supposed to be cleaning day. I have the house to myself for a rare five-hour-stretch while Nate goes to work and a friend takes the girls to VBS. All month I had looked forward to giving the house a long-overdue cleaning—until our water pump broke.
Maybe I’m just glad for an excuse to NOT clean. Maybe I know that many of my friends are facing troubles bigger than a water pump. But whatever the reason, as I stared at my empty faucet, I couldn't resist finding irony and humor in the situation. Water always go out at inconvenient times. Like the time I dropped a liter of oil on my apartment floor. Today, like most days, I have a choice to make to be angry or grateful.
- Angry at the broken water pump. Or grateful that we normally have clean water available in multiple rooms in our house.
- Resentful that my introverted day has been invaded with questions, conversations, and a team of workers who keep entering the house to turn off the electrical breaker. Or thankful that I have five people at my house who are trying to help.
- Annoyed with the pile of wet/dirty laundry. Or grateful for a street filled with coin operated washing machines. (Better yet, thankful for a husband who offered to wash the laundry outside by hand before leaving for work!)
- Frustrated that I can’t take a shower. Or thankful (as everyone else who keeps filtering through the house should be) that the water didn’t go out yesterday right after I finished my 7-mile run.
- Bitter by the change of schedule. Or content knowing that God arranged this in His schedule.
Today’s perspective does not guarantee tomorrow’s emotions. If I wake up with no water tomorrow I will have a choice to make all over again. But for today, may I choose gratitude.
