Wow! What a week!
Since last weekend, we have had warm, sunny days...ICE days, a missed school day...and snow.
All in a week.
That's Arkansas for ya. One of our meteorologists has a saying, "never say never to Arkansas weather." It's the truth!
Joshua missed his group outings on Tuesday and Wednesday. I took him on Thursday, and then could.not.get.home.fast.enough because it started snowing.
I had looked forward to Friday all week, and it was so great. After I got Jim off to work and Clark off to school, I crawled back in my bed with a cup of coffee and my lap-top. When I heard Joshua come down the stairs, I went in to eat breakfast with him. He was sitting in "my" chair at the kitchen table. He sits in HIS chair for every meal but breakfast. My chair is close to the outlet where his phone is plugged in, and after he gets done eating, he will sit there for a minute or two and check his messages from the night before.
One of the first things I do every morning is to open all the blinds. I do not like being in a house with the curtains drawn and the blinds closed. So, Joshua is sitting in my chair and he is looking out the window. He mumbled something and I said, "what did you say?" He said, "I was looking at our bird house." I said, "we don't HAVE a bird house." He pointed out the window and said, "well, THAT'S not right."
I walked over to look, and there is the biggest, most gigantic icicle you've ever seen. It is coming from just under the overhang by the roof...and it goes all the way to the ground. It is SEVERAL inches thick.
Ruh-roh.
I thought I would take a picture of it and send it to Jim, but I knew he was busy at work with all of the power outages...I figured it could wait.
Well, Jim has worked late, late, late every night, so I was surprised when Jim walked in at lunchtime. I had made a quiche and was just pulling it out of the oven. Holly had come over, and we were all getting ready to sit down and eat. Holly points at the kitchen ceiling and casually asks, "what's that?"
When we looked, our hearts sank. We knew what it was because we had seen it before, in our last house. It was a water spot from a leak from upstairs.
Jim went up to the attic and sure 'nough...the water heater had frozen, burst, leaked and frozen some more. HENCE THE GIANT ICICLE.
I am so blessed to have a "handy" husband. He knows a lot about a lot of things. He went back to work, but before he came home, and as the snow started coming down in earnest...he ran by and picked up a brand, new water heater. He and Clark spent the better part of the evening draining and removing the old one, sopping up all the water that was in the attic...and then installing the new unit. It took HOURS but I was able to take a hot shower by 10:30 that night!
I was also blessed to overhear a conversation between Jim and his Dad, and I've had it on my heart ever since. Jim called his Dad to tell him about the water heater situation, and to just ask a few questions about the installation process. Jim then relayed the information to Clark, and the two of them hooked up the water heater. Three generations...one goal.
Being willing and humble enough to ask for help. It's something I pound into the head of my boys...because they can be pretty stubborn and think they know more than they do. None of them really wants to ask for help or appear like they don't know what they are doing...especially in front of their dad. I'm sure it could be intimidating to them, but it's very comforting to me. If they would have a willing spirit and a desire to learn, their Dad could teach them many things...just like his Dad taught him.
I am constantly telling my boys "a wise man receives counsel," and how, even to this day, their Dad calls HIS Dad when he has questions or needs advice.
I just want them to know that they are never too old to ask for help.
And if I am being wise...neither am I.
"A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel." Proverbs 1:5
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