...it pours.  Literally, in our house.  In buckets.  Even as I sit here and write, I can hear the sweet sound of water hitting the tubs and soaked beach towels.  And I've had to get up from my computer several times already and tend to new puddles on the floor.  I mean, don't get me wrong, living in a 107 year old house definitely has it's perks:  testing your kids for lead can be fun, our hardwoods are actually made of wood, and we have our own wildlife retreat living in our crawlspace.  But besides those fantastic benefits, we also have a roof that has a large, gaping hole in it.  Let me tell you people, it's paahh-retty fun cleaning up the mess, especially in what seems to be the wettest month of my existence.  It's become like the game "Whack-a-mole," trying to guess where the next leak will spring from and rush to get a bucket there before it hits the floor. 

But you know I'm not just writing about water.  Let's be honest....when life gets hard, it gets really hard.  Just the other day, the HVAC guy was at our house doing a repair.  The AC unit that is only 3 years old and has been repaired twice already, now needs A LOT more work done. Did I mention that it was installed only THREE years ago?  With my hubby out of town, I sat at the kitchen table and cried sobbed, while the poor guy stood there with a blank stare.  Through the snot and slobber, all I could say is, "I'll have Brad get back to you...."

Roof and AC repairs are just the tip of the iceberg....I could go on about bills that need paid, junior high friend problems, coaching decisions that need to be made, parenting doubts, and the emotional roller coaster that results just from having 3 females in the house.  I want to get down about it, I want to have a pity party.  I have cried out to the Lord, asking him why we just can't get any tread under our feet.  My husband quickly reminded me that all this stuff is temporary. All of it is circumstantial.  But what's eternal--what's important--is not the WHAT, but the WHO.


Life seems so overwhelming at times, like we may drown in the water leaking from the ceiling or suffocate in the Indiana summer heat.  We aren't guaranteed that things will get better, or given a time frame for change.  But what I can bank on is that my help comes from my God.  He will never fail like our house will.  He will never disappoint like people do.  He will never fluctuate like a bank account.  When you feel like circumstances are sucking the life and joy right outta ya, remember that the Creator of the universe cares, loves, and sees what you're going through.  And He feels your pain and discomfort. He knows your suffering.  And He will sustain you when you feel like you can't take anymore.  Let's fix our eyes on WHO is in control, not on the WHAT that only seems to be.