A Learning Experience

We have been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be part of the body of Christ. Humility seems to be one of the keys. Being honest and vulnerable with others in the church and outside the church. As John pointed out to me last night, it flies in the face of modern suburbia and the American Dream. It can be very hard to make yourself admit that you need help or that you don't have it all together. And then...

Your septic tank craps out (literally and figuratively). We have water and electricity. So it's not quite the same as a power outage. I can get hot or cold water into the house. It's just getting it out of the house that is the problem. It really makes you analyze your water consumption patterns. For example, one of my chores is doing the laundry. I have a washing machine, but if I use it, my septic tank will overflow. I have three choices. I can 1) do no laundry - my favorite idea, but likely to lead to an unpleasant olfactory experience. 2) Go to a laundry mat and remember what it was like to not have all the modern conveniences and to need lots of quarters for thing other than allowances. 3) Beg the use of a friend's washing machine - humbling myself and bringing my dirty laundry (including kid's underwear) to another persons house. Talk about airing your dirty laundry.

It is frustrating to me that I can't just fix the problem. I feel like waving a fist in the air at the injustice of it all. But then, I think I'd do better to just take it as a learning experience - a chance to be humble and ask for help. I suppose this philosophical attitude is facilitated by the expected time frame. If this goes on for more than two weeks, my attitude might not be so accepting....