I am somewhere in the middle of a raging storm, not related to one of the hurricanes with their devastation, wreckage, and loss, but one also involving water and flooding. What began for my husband, Brandon, and me as a simple weekend DIY project hanging a coat closet shelf turned into an unexpected nightmare! Unknowingly, we drilled into an unmarked water line which serviced our entire condo building of 147 units!! How is that for a little surprise?? After a minute or two of water dripping, the compromised pipe exploded shooting water 6′-8′ across the room (with a pressure you would not believe) pounding the opposite wall! With my in laws helping, we did everything within our power to make it stop, but the water kept pouring in for over an hour.
Quickly, family dove into action as neighbors/friends also began showing up with towels, shop vacs, and whatever else they had available to help soak up and contain the water. While all this was going on, we were desperately attempting to get the pipe shut OFF! Only after many failed attempts and much confusion were we successful in cutting off the main water pipe which supplied the entire building. Needless to say there was water and more water everywhere!!
In the blink of an eye, my newlywed husband and I were jerked out of the honeymoon stage! Thus for the past 3 months we (including our cat, Chester) have been living with all our material possessions, including unopened wedding gifts, packed up in boxes stacked floor to ceiling in our condo. We have been waiting for the insurance/contractor estimates and construction schedules to come through for the renovation to begin. Finally, 3 weeks ago the demolition crew arrived, and we (cat and all) moved in with my parents, where we will stay until this is complete.
This is NOT what Brandon and I had expected for our first few months of marriage! No, we had dreamed about morning snuggling, coffee on the balcony, and romantic dinners watching the sunset from our living room. We were finally married, getting settled in our new home, and now THIS!!!!(Hence hanging a little shelf in the coat closet which started the storm .)
At this point I must confess…..this has been HARD! We have both been upset and disappointed and even angry, and I have for certain shed many tears. Why did this have to happen to us? We had our plans, but we found out once again, we are not in control…..GOD is! Again my life verse Jeremiah 29:11 has been ministering to my heart.
” I (God) know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you to give you a future and a hope.”
Regardless whether problems are big or small, we have choices to make. We can choose to TRUST God knowing that He is God and in control of all things, and we can choose to be THANKFUL in the storm rather than complaining and whining. Now a sobering thought, our choice is actually very telling about who we really are. Outside behaviors show to the world the real person on the inside. So keep this in mind, what comes out when things go wrong is the REAL me and the REAL you.
Please pray for Brandon and me, as we still have much more to do. Also would you mind sharing how God showed up in your life during a storm? What lessons did you learn? It would be very encouraging to hear from you.
