Thankful to "Have Not"

Early yesterday morning I woke up to a loud "poof" sound.

Honestly, I thought someone broke into our house. I listened intently for a few more minutes, snuggled up to my honey and drifted back to sleep.

We got up about an hour later and the house was cold, very cold. Patrick headed to the basement to investigate. You guessed it, our furnace had kaputt, nada, adios baby.

He called the repair man hoping to get some semi- good news such as we just needed a new little this or that to get it going again, but oh no... it would need to be replaced, completely. He could not fit us into his schedule that day but promised to be at our house early the next morning. What?? No heat?? It's 35 degrees outside!!

At 8am this morning we were thankful to hear the knock at our door. Right on time. They got right to work.

I headed to the gym this morning where it was nice and warm. I stayed longer than usual. Came home, took the HOTTEST shower possible and left again to some appointments I had scheduled. By the time I got home at 2pm it was snowing like CRAZY. I found Patrick bundled up in the office working. I turned on the space heater and this was the temperature of our house...

FORTY-NINE degrees!!! Now that's cold... much too cold for our little home.

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After 33 hours from the time it broke, repairs are complete and our house is returning to a comfortable heat.

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You know- every night, during the cold season, we thank Heavenly Father for a warm home to keep us safe from the cold. I am a little embarrassed to say that at times the words became trite. Tonight, however, we will feel an extra sense of gratitude... because for a while we "had not".

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When I am in Ghana and have the opportunity to eat dinner with native families I am humbled by the prayers they offer on the food and for their families. "Our kind Heavenly Father, we are indeed thankful for thy goodness and providing us this food"... It is spoken with such sincerity, such respect, because they have had days that they have "had not".

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A dear friend of mine in Ghana tells me stories about how his family could only afford to eat one meal a day. Or how when he was young his family could not afford to take him to the hospital when he had spinal meningitis... the illness that stole his hearing and left him completely deaf.

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I have to admit, even though my family had very little as I was growing up... we rarely "had not".

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I am incredibly thankful that we have heat in our home right now. And tonight, I will give my Heavenly Father a proper thanking for that. I am so thankful for all that we have.

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It was very brief... but I am also thankful to have had a moment to "have not".