Lessons to Learn from a Smelly Refrigerator…

We were blessed with a fantastic weekend with family and friends south on I-35 this past weekend…I will be sure to post photos of our adventures soon…

But…

When we got home (late last night) we were welcomed home to a big fat stinky bummer!  I opened the front door, I and was greeted to a nasty, disgusting, repulsive smell…as I walked inside  I thought to myself, I changed the diaper pail before we left, I took the kitchen trash and recycling outside, did an animal die in our house…what could that be? I walked into the kitchen to investigate and much to my surprise and disbelief  discovered our refrigerator to be oozing rotten food and the floor under the refrigerator bowed and buckled due to the amount of moisture that had pooled and sat for an entire weekend…DISGUSTING & quite a WELCOME HOME!

C and I were quick to put B to sleep and then got to work. I lit some candles and then threw everything in both the freezer and refrigerator away while C frantically searched for the owners manual for the fridge in hope that we might find a telephone number to call and a learn that everything would be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.  No such luck with the warranty, but thankfully the previous owner of our house purchased the fridge through a company that would allow us to purchase a new warranty (which is cheaper than a new refrigerator) and then would send a repair person out to try to service very sad and stinky fridge.  Thank You God for that blessing!

 

After securing a plan, C and I worked to clean the kitchen floor and then headed to sleep after realizing what time it was. As we laid in bed, trying to fall asleep and wrap our heads around this unanticipated problem we both realized how totally blessed we are. Yes, we we had to throw away all of our food.  Yes, our house smells! Yes, our new floor is bowing and buckled in places.  But there are people, who probably don’t even live that far away from us who aren’t even able to have refrigerators. Or if they do, maybe they can’t afford to turn them on. Or, if they can afford to keep them on, maybe they can’t keep them stocked.  C and I  know that it will be a major expense to get everything fixed and up and running again, but we ultimately  know that we will be able to have milk, bread, butter, eggs again in the not too distant future….and we fell asleep so grateful for that! 

So as hard as it is to admit this,

Lesson # 1: Food that is supposed to be kept cold, need to stay cold…otherwise it STINKS!

Lesson # 2: Hiccups in life happen. We can choose to let them overwhelm us, or we can allow the Lord to teach and refine us through them.

“Thank You Lord for allowing our refrigerator to break! Thank You for reminding us to keep an eternal perspective! We humbly admit that this perspective has not come from ourselves, but from Your gentle reminding. Thank You for Your provision! Amen”