RANDOMNESS #1 - THE CRAWLSPACE AND ME - PART DEUX - When last we left off, I was twirling a stick in front of my face collecting cobwebs...
In the crawlspace...
Under my house...
In sub-freezing temperatures...
But I think I forgot to tell you what I was wearing.
You knew I had my snow day attire on (red plaid flannel pajamas), but did you know I was also wearing my Daddy's big ol' denim coat AND Mikie's big ol' tennis shoes?
Did you?
I put a toboggan on, but I didn't think I looked very good, so I just went out (and under) with my uncoiffed mop of hair because static electricity hair is SO much better than a smashed down toboggan head.
Am I right?
Here's a fun fact for you...
The toboggan is not my friend. I am not at all pleasing to the eye when wearing any and all kinds of toboggans.
Hard to believe, I know, since I am so pleasing to the eye at any other given time.
But I digress...
I had crawled approximately two or three feet into the belly of the crawlspace when I noticed two very disconcerting things.
There were quite a few metal pipes. Not just two big ones like I had thought before actually entering the dark, dank, cold, cobwebby space...
AND none of the pipes were labeled.
I yelled for Roxie to bring me a phone.
The Chick was very responsive to a point. While she had hurried to bring me the phone, and while she was sympathetic about the cobwebs and everything else going on, she was not willing to trade spaces.
Nope.
Not even for a second.
I called Mike hoping to get an idea of which pipe I was supposed to point the hair dryer toward, and he started to describe where I was supposed to be sitting...
And I was not even close.
I tush-scooted 50 feet (or maybe five feet) to the right and found myself under three pipes. This was good. This was doable.
Keep in mind during all of this time, I was still twirling the stick and collecting cobwebs. My stick was almost full, but I hadn't really made a dent in the Wall O Cobwebs. Not even a little one.
Mike kept trying to help me figure out which pipe was frozen, but I finally had to hang up and figure it out myself.
Roxie turned the non-working water on in the shower, and I began to blow. This went on for at least an hour (or maybe 11 minutes), until she started stomping on the floor above my head to let me know we had success.
I don't know when I've been happier. I had done it. I was now able to leave the cobweb-infested crawlspace, take a hot shower and sip hot chocolate for the remainder of the snow day.
I was almost back to the crawlspace door. I could see sunlight. Life was almost good again.
And that's when Roxie yelled, "The water in the sink isn't working yet."
WHAT?!?
I dropped everything (cobweb stick, flashlight, hair dryer, etc.) and called Mikie one more time.
"Why is the shower working, but not the sink?" I asked him with a wavering voice.
"Different pipes," he answered.
And that's about the time I almost started crying, but I pulled myself together and started toward the "different pipes," following Mike's directions perfectly.
I made a mental note to have TWO cobweb sticks with me the next time I crawled under our house, because one just didn't do the job. The one I had looked like a giant gray cotton candy ball. I've never said this before, nor did I ever think I would, but I don't think I want to eat cotton candy again.
And now I'm sad once again.
One hour later (or 11 or 12 minutes, more or less), Roxie started stomping and yelling the water was running. The ordeal was almost over. All I had to do was crawl out of the crawlspace.
I emerged dirty, cobweb-covered and sniffling...
But I did emerge.
I have to admit, I am a better woman for having spent those four hours and 32 minutes (or 46 minutes) in the crawlspace that bitterly cold January morning. I am stronger and wiser.
And now when Mikie gets out of bed around midnight to turn off all the dripping faucets in the house mumbling something sounding like, "It's 65 degrees outside. The pipes are not going to freeze," I do not hesitate to hop out of bed as soon as he settles back in...
To turn them all on again, just in case.
By the way, I have a new title now...
The Enchanting Belinda, Protector of the Pipes!
RANDOMNESS #2 - Judith can now stand on one leg.
Of course, she still needs a little help from large pieces of furniture or walls...
But she does it and does it very well.
As you can see, her whole body is an entire blur except for that sweet little smile.
Obviously, standing on one leg wears a girl out.
RANDOMNESS #3 - I'm sharing RT parts this week.
His hair.
Precious.
His right hand.
His left hand.
One ear, one fist, half a nose and one eye.
Blog Linkage - I have added a new blog to My Blog List (see Sidebar). I have been following this family on Instagram for about a year now, and her blog is just as pretty as her Instagram account. If you have a minute, go to www.mommasgonecity.com and take a gander!
Pinterest Stuff (NOTE - Remember, any items shared under "Pinterest Stuff" are from Pinterest. I like them, but they are not my ideas!)
How to Keep God First in Your Home
1. Start my day in God’s Word. There’s no mandate for this, but it stands to reason that the main thing just might deserve to come first in my day.
2. Read the Bible with my kids. There’s value in Christian books and devotionals written for children, but they really can’t replace the living, breathing, powerful Word of God. No, they might not understand every word, but I’ll be showing them the main thing in a way that will be memorable for the rest of their lives.
3. Pray, pray, pray. Our God isn’t restricted to the pages of a Book. He is alive. He is active. He is engaged. He is constantly working on your behalf and mine, and on behalf of our children. One of the best ways to show our children these important truths is by praying as though He’s really listening, because He is.
4. Work with my kids on Scripture memory. Our church has an AWANA program which provides the structure we need for Scripture memorization. If your church doesn’t have this program, seek the accountability of a small group of friends, or implement Scripture memory into your homeschool routine. It’s really as simple as picking a verse and then setting a time of day that is conducive to this task. My favorite place to work on Scripture memory is in the car as we run our errands. Why waste those valuable minutes when you can make them fruitful?
5. Talk about God often. Is God the main thing? The reason I live and move and have my being? (Acts 17:28) If He is, then it won’t be hard for me to talk about Him all day long, in a way that’s natural and pleasant. He has something to say about my kids’ sin. He has something to say about my discipline of them. He has something to say about our service. About our relationships. You and I might realize that our family's perspective comes from the Bible. Let’s take the extra step and explain it to them.
6. Make church attendance a priority. Above clubs. Above sports. Above work. Above all. Faithful church attendance is an important way to show my kids where our family’s true priorities lie.
7. Discuss world events in a Christian context. Terrorism. Racism. Abortion. Unrest in the Middle East. Ebola. Politics. Current events provide so much fodder for rich discussions with our kids. We certainly need to be cautious and responsible about dealing with these matters on their level. They don’t need to know all the details, but they can understand the general concepts, along with the root causes and what God has to say about them.
8. Serve together. The book of James makes it clear that “faith without works is dead” (2:14-26). One of the best ways to let your kids see that your faith is alive is by serving God together, allowing all that you know about God to be worked out in love for others. Serve at church. Serve in your community. Serve each other at home. Serve your church leadership. Serve your neighbors. Jesus’ life on earth was characterized by service. His life poured out constantly on behalf of others. We’re wise to follow His example in our homes!
I hope you and yours have a wonderful rest of the week. Me and mine will certainly try to do the same.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda, Protector of the Pipes
P.S. Here are a few more pics from the circus.
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