Things To Be Thankful For: Condemned Heaters

Man alive, has today been . . . interesting.  Not necessarily in a bad way, but certainly in a somewhat adventurous way.  It all started when flipping the switch didn't turn on our heater.  Not a huge deal - we are in the South, after all, & it's not been terribly cold.  By northern standards, it's probably bordered on summer-like weather!  This is also the third winter that we've had this issue.  The first time, it was easily fixed, & last year flipping the switch several times made it kick on.  That wasn't working this time, though, so we had to call our trusty electrician company.  Mark got it working, delivered the expected news that there was a part that needed replacing, & was just wrapping it up when we heard a very abnormal flickering sound.  It was obvious that there was a large flame getting too much oxygen in a very bad place.  Long story short, we now have a condemned unit because it is both a fire & a carbon monoxide hazard!  Obviously, we can't run it & have to order a new unit.  And tonight's supposed to be our first frost!

When Mark told us the bad news, I laughed & Michael said, "Well, God knows we're a one-income family trying to honor Him in how we live & give.  He knows we're financially stretched, & He has a reason for this."  All of that reading on suffering & God's sovereignty is seriously helpful when you're surprised with a situation like this.  Not that this is anything like what others are going through even as we speak, but it's still a little trial that presents an opportunity to fret & be upset.  God kept us from that reaction, & I thought it might be good to write down some of the things that I'm thankful for in this little predicament of ours (in no particular order):

     -Mark diagnosed a very serious problem before it became a very serious problem.
     -This didn't happen on a weekend, in the middle of the night, or in a snowstorm (hey, there's a chance it could happen . . . a very slim chance, but still).
     -We have space heaters, an electric blanket (thanks to a very quick trip to W-M), & warm clothes.
     -The dogs can be our bed buddies if we need extra warmth.  ;-)
     -Mark's already gotten the ball rolling on getting us a new unit, which will hopefully take place in the latter part of next week.
     -It warmed up a bit today, so the house wasn't frigid.
     -My very gracious Mama is going to be our financing department; we abhor debt, & it's a relief to not have to worry about interest.  We're incredibly thankful for my family's generosity in helping us out with this.  We will pay you back quickly!
     -We like the house really, really cold when we're sleeping; for the next couple of nights, we get that for free!  ;-)
     -I had an opportunity to show my faith in God & His care of us when talking to Mark about this unexpected little expense.
     -This is an opportunity for Michael & me to observe how God cares for us even in the unexpected, even when we don't have $4,500 saved up.
     -God is always faithful to care for us & uphold us in unexpected & scary situations.
     -God is always in control, even when we're not.
     -We got to see how little "in control" of our lives we are.
     -This is another way that God can strengthen our faith in Him.
     -If we ever sell, a new unit is a good selling point!

Isn't it funny how bent out of shape we can get when we don't get our way?  Yet, if that heater had come on like we had wanted it to, we could have been killed in a house fire or by carbon monoxide poisoning.  Rather than get all huffy about the incovenience, we're thankful that God had His way & preserved our lives.  No matter the situation, there are always evidences of God's grace.  Isn't He the most marvelous God?!