Yesterday, I woke up excitedly. I was going to have a big real estate closing. I had been working on the deal for over a month (which isn't really a long time, but when you're feeling broke and you can't wait for a check - it's a LONG time). The whole thing had a lot of ups and downs emotionally for me. I wrote the contract...woo hoo....then the sellers didn't want to take the good offer. Buyers decide to offer full price...I write up the offer...they decide to wait a week.... I write another offer....oh my gosh...I wanted to start taking valium... I hadn't had a closing since the first week in January. I know where my provision comes from, but each day I would look up and remind Him that we need a check..just in case he thought he had already checked us off his list. :-)
As I was getting ready to go, I heard a dog bark. Then there was a sudden sound of silence in the air. Why is it so quiet I thought? I glanced over at the clock and couldn't see the familiar yellow numbers. Oh crud! I knew I was a little late with the electric payment, but was hoping they had forgotten me. Nope - they remembered.
I really hate having my electricity turned off. So many emotions run through my head. But usually the worst thing is all the negative self talk - what a flake! You should have paid that! What will your kids think? Last week they woke up without water..this week, no electricity (later in the day they will discover they also don't have a working telephone).
Suddenly I was struck with brilliance. This will be a "Little House on the Prairie" Day! Woo hoo! They will love it. We won't have any electricity for the day! Everyone will have to just sit around...read....CLEAN. What an opportunity! They won't have any distractions! They can do their school work in record time. (We are a homeschooling family) They can do their JOYS quickly as well.
As I was excitedly sharing this adventure with the kids, Briana smiled and said, "I can't do my JOY."
"Why can't you?"
"Because I have laundry." Oh no, a whole day without being able to do laundry? That means there will be six loads to do tomorrow! I told her to get a bucket, fill it with hot water, and begin scrubbing. She was incredulous. I told her I was kidding. She could help John wash the dishes by hand instead. :-)
I went to my closing - picked up the check...kissed it....deposited it into my account...asked the Lord to mightily multiply it....and went home. I was hoping there would be electricity, but there was not. What I found though was my 10 year old son, sitting at his desk...looking longingly at his computer. The really funny part about it was, the 11 year old neighbor, was sitting next to him.