The Day of “And then…”

As I sipped my coffee one morning this week, I contemplated all the tasks I needed to complete. And then…

My houseguest from The Netherlands came out from her bedroom on the other side of the house and gently let me know that it was really hot and the heat wouldn’t stop blowing. A few weeks ago, the thermostat – that is now part of our “smart home” package – malfunctioned and it was freezing in her room. Now we had the opposite problem. I walked toward her room and about threw up because it was so hot. The heat was at 92 degrees and climbing. We couldn’t get the heat to shut off. I spent an hour on the phone with the “smart home” people.

During the hour, I shut off breakers, took the thermostat off of the wall, pulled wires out and twisted the copper ends together, turned breakers back on, waited for the heat to turn off, untwisted copper wires and reinstalled the multiple colored wires into the “thingy holes” (my words – not the “smart home” people’s.) I did some of the steps multiple times. I have proof thanks to my Dutch houseguest who almost spewed her coffee when she walked in and found me with pliers in hand twisting the wires together with my lovely bedhead. And then…

I was told to call the HVAC company because it was the “smart home” people’s issue. HVAC guy came out and charged me $89 to tell me the “smart home” people didn’t program their thermostat correctly. And then…

I had to call the “smart home” people back to request a refund and spent another twenty minutes on the phone with them. And then…

There was a knock on the door from the water company telling me the leak in the yard wasn’t their fault and I would need to call the irrigation people. So I did. And then…

My Dutch friend spilt water on her computer so we stopped everything and located a place she could take it for repairs. When she came home with sad news about her computer, I dug a wireless keyboard out of a drawer thinking she could use it with an iPad. The first step was to open the battery compartment with a coin to insert batteries. I was the cheerleader chanting “rightie-tightie, leftie-losey.” Just so you know, that is NOT a Dutch term.

We couldn’t get the penny to turn the cap so I got a quarter and repeated “rightie-tightie, leftie-losey” just in case it didn’t work. Nope. So my friend held the keyboard and I used pliers to try to turn the quarter. We bent the quarter! Then we bent a penny. And then…

We watched the deer walk through the backyard because we were frustrated. That lead to a discussion about the difference between does and bucks and what the fox says. I’m not sure where my Dutch friend was when the rest of the world was asking what the fox said and singing the silly song. (Maybe working with Syrian refugees?) Anyway, I educated her on that little bit of pop culture as well as educated her on what a fox really says. (How I know what a fox really says is for another blog.) And then…

My Dutch friend cooked me a curry dish for dinner while I scooped dog poop in the yard and weeded the beds. Two whopping things ticked off of my long list of things I had intended to accomplish that day. And then…

A neighbor and his son stopped by to look at the water leak. I held a light while they bailed water out of the hole the water company dug. We found the leak, turned off the water and will wait until the hubby comes home to make the repair. And then…

My houseguest and I sat down in the now cool house and enjoyed a movie. And then…

I thought about how, though my day was hectic, crazy, interrupted and not very productive, it was a good day. A few weeks ago, I learned of four friends who received a cancer diagnosis. Add those to the long list of family and friends already battling cancer and it maddening. I want to shout, “NO MORE CANCER!” but I know that won’t help and so tonight as I put my head on my pillow, I pray. I pray for those battling to be successful in their fight. I pray for those loved ones on the journey with them to have comfort and strength. And then…

I trust the Lord to answer my prayers and heal those in the battle against cancer.

I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him,

and he answered my prayer. Psalms 120:1

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But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

Isaiah 53:5

 

Note: my Dutch friend informed me that “cancer” is a cuss word in The Netherlands. Seems fitting.

Have you even had an “And then” day?