Occasionally all the students in an English class are given the same sentence and told to complete the story. Each student develops his own unique creative essay. Today Woody and I have decided to repeat that classroom exercise. Read both of our blogs to see how we took the same basic sentence and went our own direction with it!
Woody and I spent our Saturday afternoon fixing a toilet. You may have always wondered how missionaries spend their Saturday afternoons. You may also have wondered, "How smart are Woody and Su?" Now you know the answer to both questions. If we were really smart, we probably would have fixed the toilet in just one afternoon. If we were really, really smart, it would have taken less than 2 hours to fix it on our first attempt. The way things currently stand, we aren't sure if we will be spending NEXT Saturday afternoon fixing this same toilet all over again!
For well over a year, our toilet has been an adventure. Just sitting on it required faith. Thinking back on it, it was the only rocking chair we had in the house! It reminds me of a toilet adventure we once had in Bolivia. A couple of years ago we had a reunion of our immediate family on the shores of Lake Titicaca. We rented three cabins. Two of the cabins were really nice. Ours, on the other hand...
In the evening, Woody decided to step into the tiny bathroom with a book called 882 1/2 Amazing Answers to Your Questions About the Titanic. The floor of the bathroom was significantly slanted and the floorboards creaked and flexed with each step. I was peacefully reading in bed when I heard Woody cry out. Jokingly, I asked if I should call an ambulance. It worried me a bit when he replied, "Maybe!" It ends up that as he was reading about the sinking of the Titanic, the toilet literally began to sink through the floor!
Our toilet has been at risk of a similar sinking of the Titanic for quite some time. So, last Saturday we decided to buy a new wax seal and get to the root of the problem. I will not tell you how much not fun it was to get at the root of the problem! I will simply say that it was not the most comfortable or pleasant experience I've had in my life! To top it off, that evening we noted a distinct sewer smell in our bathroom which has persevered throughout the week. The toilet no longer rocked, but obviously had new, serious issues.
So, this afternoon we were back on toilet duty. This time we had all the equipment lined up and ready... newspapers, rags, towels, flashlight, thread, paperclips, needle-nose pliers, wrenches, cooking spray, and spare wax rings. (Write me if you want to know why we had this strange medley of tools!) Woody had the body-building job of repeatedly lifting the toilet. I had the disagreeable job of being underneath it time and again. By the end of the process, not only were all the rags, papers and towels filthy and wet - I was, too!
As I lay there, stinky and damp from head to toe, I thought of a verse I read this morning. "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me." Psalm 50:23.
Our reactions to everyday occurrences can change a piece of history and bring glory to God. There are many things that can glorify the Living God, the Creator of the Universe. You may think that we missionaries are just out here preaching and discipling and teaching and helping people find God. But, sometimes we are simply down on the ground, stinky and dirty, doing a nasty job, and doing it for a second time at that! But, in the midst of it all, we have a unique opportunity to honor God by sacrificially thanking Him.
We may never have another moment like today to thank Him in the midst of some less-than-favorable circumstances. Let me rephrase that. I hope we never have another chance to sacrificially thank Him while kneeling at a toilet!
This moment, like every moment, offers you just one chance to act and react in a way that glorifies God. So, whether you are painting a work of art, telling someone about Jesus, directing a symphony, serving a meal to the homeless, or fixing a toilet… don’t miss your chance to honor Him!
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