In the HEAT of the Day!

Along with the first day of summer occurring at the beginning of this week is the warmer summer weather that my wife and I are slowly becoming accustomed to.  For the last few days the temperatures have been hovering between 78 and 87 degrees.  Now that may not seem like hot to you… but it was to us because that’s how warm it was inside our home! 

For the last two weeks we have been dealing with an air conditioner that has not been holding, much less reaching the set temperature.  It has been frustrating in some respects because we have been working with the warranty that came with the house and the process that must be followed.  Well, the first A/C company came out, quickly checked the unit outside our bedroom and recharged the refrigerant… which lasted about one week before the problem resurfaced.  The second company the warranty folks sent out was much more thorough and not only checked the A/C unit outside but also spent time under the house examining the rest of the equipment there.  

He declared that the evaporation coil was leaking and would need replacing.  From there he needed to turn in his ticket to the office where they would send the report to the warranty company.  I am not sure what happened here, but after numerous calls to the warranty company and the A/C business in which I stressed the need for a quick fix due to Piper’s difficulty in dealing with the heat and the very noticeable strain it put on her, nothing seemed to be happening!

I think at that point the warranty company got tired of the business' non-action and paid them off for the service they had performed to that point, cancelled their contract and got another HVAC company involved for a second opinion… and FINALLY things began to click!  After speaking with the gal at the new company, she seemed to understand our need and jumped into action.  They had a tech in a neighboring town who came by a few hours later, diagnosed that because of the age of the unit and the inability to get parts for it, we needed a new A/C unit.

Then last night I received an email from the warranty company saying that they had received the report and would let me know within 1-3 business days if they approved it or not.  Well, about a minute later I received another email stating that they approved it and ordered the new unit!  In the meantime, I had our current unit recharged in order to keep the house cool until the new one is installed, and while it took a while to get the temperature down, we awoke this morning to a refreshing 70 degrees… Ahhhhhhh! (I usually set it lower at night, but after 87 degrees, 70 felt like the inside of the freezer in our refrigerator!)

So what did I learn from this HOT experience?  Two things… To trust in the Lord with all my heart and not be discouraged by what I think I see happening or NOT happening around me! (Proverbs 3:5-6)  And secondly, to watch over my prayers and what I am standing in faith for with thanksgiving! (Colossians 4:2)

I will admit that there was a time when nothing seemed to be happening and the warranty company set up a new A/C company to come out where I almost lost it!  I was tremendously frustrated and down-right angry, thinking that after two weeks of this that we were having to start the process all over again!  One look at Piper and how wiped-out and weak the heat was causing her to be almost put me over the edge… but thank God for all that Word I’ve got stored up in me because before I could react too much more negatively, the thought of thanking God for HIS WILL in what we had prayed for - in difference to what I thought was going on popped up in my head!

At that moment it felt like one of those situations when the car in front of you suddenly hits their brakes and your foot stomps on your brake pedal as if you are trying to push it through the floor!  After I mentally jerked back into an upright position, I simply raised my hands and began to thank Him for His will (ie; the Word concerning God’s favor with man that we were standing on in Psalms 5:12 and Proverbs 3:4)… and you know… it didn’t happen instantly, but eventually I felt that peace that surpasses our understanding come over me and cover the situation at hand. (Philippians 4:7)  I believe that is the moment when the confusion that tried to overcome our situation broke up and allowed Papa God the full freedom to have HIS way in answering our need!

It is kind of funny when you think about it.  Many people would probably feel justified in getting angry and responding in a negative way… but as Christians, you and I are not just anyone!  We are sons and daughters of the King!  We have inside connections to God’s will and God’s ways… so why not use them!  That’s what I did… and as I’ve always said when I see my obedience giving Him the opportunity to stop a situation from going sour… “Gee… this stuff really works!”

Is there something that you need to work in your life today?  Then I suggest you pray and give it to God, find some scripture on which to place your faith and at the same time give Him something to work with (Jeremiah 1:12 and Mark 16:20) and then STAND FIRM and watch over your request with thanksgiving.  The solution is simple in process but more difficult in seeing it through to completion.  I learned to take my responsibility of giving thanks seriously and am now joyfully and peacefully in the midst of God’s solution!

Have a great weekend!  Piper and I have our youngest daughter and her husband and our newest granddaughter coming for a visit starting tomorrow!  So I’ll be taking next week off from the blog… but I’ll be back the following week to share with you all about it!  As you enjoy this weekend keep asking yourself… “Am I expecting to watch over my prayers and requests to Papa God with lots of thanksgiving?”