Mark came to bed a little after 1am..."I think it's blowing cold air..." Kept one window open as I lay sweating. Got up around 4:45am...thermostat=80 degrees. Oh. Turn off the AC that isn't doing anything and opened all the windows to let in the last of the pre-dawn cool. Turned every ceiling fan on high. Went for a run. Waited for Mark to get up. Discussed. "No one is going to be working today"..."Let me just try..."
Called the company of a former co-worker's family...ringringringring, "Hello?" (Really!?) "Sure, we can have someone come out. Let me track down the guy doing calls. I'll call you back". 5 minutes later="He's on his way".
Nice guy shows...professionally gets out his tools, checks, delivers the news=shot compressor. "So-n-so (a guy I knew) will give you a call about options". "Today?" "Yes--today". Nice guy leaves. I leave to go to Walgreens. Former co-worker's husband calls while I'm on my way. "Yeah, I recognized the name...(when I reminded him that we'd met before)" "Well, I wish we weren't having this conversation but what can you tell me?" Option 1, option 2, option 3..."I really should take a look at it. I can come over now". "On a holiday?" "It's hot". "I'll be home in 15 minutes".
FCW's husband shows in 15 minutes. Looks things over. Reviews Option 1-3. We decide. "What kind of time frame are we taking about?" "I can make it happen tomorrow". We sign. He leaves. We discuss. We agree on our decision. We agree on the blessings surrounding it. Mark takes a nap and I head to the beach again.
I get in the car to drive away and begin to pray. And I start to cry. All I began to say was, "Thank You". Thank You??? (so might say) For what?
1. That it's not July
2. That a reputable company of which I have trust was open on Labor Day
3. That 2 people came, assessed, and made a plan of action in 90 minutes.
4. That it can be done tomorrow
5. That since Mark's been making more money and I've gotten a little promotion I've been squirreling away $$ and we have it to pay for this $$$ repair without touching our investment $
6. That Mark will be home in the morning and I can come home early for the 7+ hour repair and replace job
7. That it's not a power outage and we still have fans
8. That I lived without central air for 31 years and know how to deal with it
9. That there are worse things
10. That writing this I'm outside on the deck in the shade in the breeze and it's not sweltering.
11. That all of the above happened
In my quiet time this morning (of which God reminded me on my way to OCNJ) the passage was from 1 Peter 1..."living hope" which, humbly, I strive to have. One part says that trials WILL COME and "These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed".
That's why I was crying. Because I did not lose faith. I trusted. I accepted. I didn't boo-hoo or "Why us???" at the whole situation. Granted, 9 above factors helped this immensely, especially the $$$ part, of which I am incredibly blessed and humbled by (which is why we tithe!!!) As I was driving to the beach I even asked the Lord, "Did I prove my faith in this? Is it worth more than gold today?" and felt that yes, indeed, it was/is.
Life will happen. FCW's husband said that the little blips that had occurred all summer were indicators of a larger problem to happen. In essence, clogged arteries before a heart attack...and our 12 year old unit had indeed suffered a heart attack yesterday. RIP air conditioner. It would have happened eventually.
Trials will come...if not an AC unit breaking in the beginning of a rare September heat wave then an unexpected diagnosis or the loss of a job or Mark's $$$$$ car repair bill we haven't even paid for yet (gulp!) But God is still good...and He is still on the throne...and if He wants to allow a few "life" events in to my life to "prove the genuineness of my faith" so be it. That's worth far more than gold to me.
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