But, just when we ladies think we have our attitudes in check, something sinisters sneaks up on us, and I'd like to tell you a story that reflects this fact. Five years ago our family went through the devastation of a house fire. Early on that March 20th morning, my husband and oldest son left for work. As they went out the door, I noticed the clock said 6:43, and at 6:47 the smoke alarms in our home went off. I wasn't very concerned because we have a woodstove and I assumed it was smoke from that very thing backing up into the house. But, stepping out into the foyer from our downstairs bedroom, I saw flames roaring up and out of the heat ducts in the floor. The three children that were home came rushing down and out of the house. My youngest son did his Forest Gump imitation as he ran barefooted to the fire house just three doors away.
The firemen came and dilligently worked at saving our belongings and our home. I would like to let the reader know that although it was a devastating fire that burned up from the basement, through our living room and dining room and on up to the second floor, we lost nothing of value, sentimental or otherwise. But, when we were allowed back into the house, my husband and I stood in our charred foyer, looking down into the black, gaping hole that was once our livingroom, and I said," Oh, we can fix it!" At which time I got that wonderful blank stare from my husband, the insurance adjuster and the firemen. They, I thought, did not have the right attitude. No, I wasn't kidding and we did actually fix it and returned to our home two months later.
But during that time my own attitude was put to the test. Living in a public housing apartment while working on our home became a test of endurance......for those around me..{smile}
The neighbors beside us played their music way too loud, I mean really! My children just didn't understand that it was the principle of the matter as they watched me bounce a basketball off the wall repeatedly until the neighbors turned their music down. They didn't understand when I would growl at our insurance adjuster because he was working way too slow, and I had to do everything myself if it was going to be done right. Towards the final week or so of public housing, I injured my eye. I'd like to say I did it in the line of duty, toiling and scrubbing our burned out home, but that wasn't the case. I rolled over one night and jabbed my eye with a fingernail!
Well, this was terrible. I couldn't drive to get over to our house and supervise all the contractors who weren't doing the job fast enough for me, so the best thing I could do was snap at my family, repeatedly. One day, one of my children asked me, " Mom, aren't you thankful that with insurance our home was being restored better than it was?" And when I said,"Yes of course I am," she said that it didn't seem that way. Who raised that child anyway?!
Well, I managed to drive over to our home during the lunch hour for the contractors. Being the only one there at that time, I stood in my home smelling the fresh paint and enjoying the sunshine we hadn't seen inside for several weeks, as the windows had been boarded up and I thought; " Lord, you brought blessed renewal through devastation and I have murmurred every step of the way." My family was spared, and we could see His hand in it all. My oldest son normally would work second shift, but was called in for the first shift that day. Had he been home, sleeping in his room in the back of the house, I would not have gotten him out. Where was my thankfulness? My mother had been due to move in with us just weeks before the fire, but was delayed. Again, had she been there at that time, she would have perished in that fire. And it was true, our home was going to be brand new inside and out! Once I focused on the reality of what we did have, my attitude changed. Those things that had been irritating me seemed so minor. Even though nothing had really changed at all, my vision saw things in a different light.
God's provision and guidance was so evident through that whole experience, but I constantly lost my patience and people took cover when I came in. All the while, God was patiently waiting for me to look up and out of the bubble I had built around myself, and see His wonderful grace. I realized at that moment that I had missed an opportunity to shine for Him.
Well, that evening we went to pick out carpeting for our livingroom. I chose a mauve color that would look wonderful with our crisp, white walls and white lace curtains. My husband raised his eyebrow and said,"That carpet is pink!" Now HE had an attitude. {smile}
Our attitudes can make all the difference in the world. It can make things easier for those around us or harder. As christians, and I am speaking primarily to women, we have a responsiblity to keep our attitudes in check. Our attitudes can set the atmosphere for those around us, ESPECIALLY our families. Mom/wife has the ability to sooth a bad situation or inflame it. We all fail from time to time, but just keep remembering that if God had that kind of attitude with us, we'd never make it to Glory.
We're praying for you. Just remember, we're all in this together...
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