A FLOOD of Hormones…
July 14, 2007 by lisaheidrich
A FLOOD of Hormones
The weekend was going just perfectly. Relaxing and a really priceless time during summer break. Dave, Chris and I were returning from a delicious Saturday evening dinner.
A delightful family dining experience; laughing, chatting, making plans for the summer…life was good.
As we drove into the garage and disembarked from the car a huge PUDDLE sat in the middle of the cement where the two slabs join. Since the dog room is adjacent to the garage my first thoughts were…“what did those crazy Great Danes of mine do? Spill their water bowl? Chew the metal waterline? Come down with instant bladder infections? Dig a hole to the Atlantic Ocean?”
Multiple thoughts swamped MY MIND…
Opening the door of the dog room, my sweet, HUGE furry kids were huddled in one far corner. My eyes scanned the room seeking out the cause of our new lake front property. One foot met a very soppy carpet and my heart sank as I mumbled to Dave and Chris; “This cannot be GOOD.”
The dogs Elijah and Mercy looked at me with BIG wide eyes as if to say:
”Mom, we swear we did not do anything!!”
Door #2
Entering the Laundry Room, a streaming waterfall cascading down the entry way step Welcomed us home! Departing in 3 directions, Chris ran for an arm full of paper towels, I scurried upstairs gathering every towel we own. Looking stoically at the water entering the kitchen and flowing to the back patio door Dave discovers and examines the culprit–the washer.
So much for a peaceful Saturday evening.
Water and laminate wood floors DO NOT Mix (Note to self # ONE)…
In silence we mopped, and shop vacuumed up the water EVERYWHERE…
I felt every hormone in my body SCREAM.
In this case hormones and water do NOT Mix! (Note to self # 2)
I wanted to CRY, flooded with emotions I wanted to yell, throw myself down on a dry floor into a perfect temper tantrum.
Now what?
The guys continued to clean up the mess. Quietly and calmly.
I deduce to CALL the insurance company surely they will be of assistance……
48 hours later.
On Monday the service master arrives, the adjuster arrives with detailed instructions of HOW they need to LIFT UP and remove pieces of the floor to dry it properly–UGH!! DO WHAT?
Emotional Moment # 13,245…in the last 48 hours.
Enter construction site 101
With half a floor still intact and the other displaying the old vinyl flooring my beautiful kitchen did not LOOK so beautiful any longer.
I hated it!
But today that nasty floor spoke to me. As I looked at our loss, much to my chagrin, I gleaned three valuable LIFE lessons…..
1) Stuff can be fixed and replaced–it was only a FLOOR.
2) Precious moments with family and friends cannot be replaced. They are priceless.
3) Hormones seize every opportunity to get the best of me.
As I studied the floor I realized how many times, as Christians we don a NEW LIFE in Christ, The MOST precious and priceless GIFT of all.
Which looks good from the outside, but underneath that new skin is sometimes the OLD stuff. (Like the old, worn vinyl floor, dirt, dog hair, wood chips, grime & crumbs)
How many times, had I released my old junky floor (pride, selfishness, worry, anger) to the LORD only to realize that…”Uh Oh,” I had turned around, did the “Hokie Pokie” and picked it all back UP again?
Ouch!
This was more then a lesson in controlling my hormonal mayhem but a REAL GOD MOMENT.
I am reminded of: 2 Corinthians 5:17
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
OOoopsie…I forgot about that!
What a lesson to live, feel and see in full color, under my hormonally swollen feet.
Closing my eyes I pray: “ Thank YOU, Lord for this lesson and reminder.”
“Thank YOU, Jesus for the precious moments I have to spend with my sons, husband, and dear ones.”
“Thank You, God for reminding me…YOU are always IN Charge, You are the Master of NEW LIFE Change”
1 Peter 1:3 (The Message)
[ A New Life ] “What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have Him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.”
All the hot flashes, memory loss, mood swings and insomnia remind me I am human.
Every precious moment with friends, family and mostly the redeeming salvation and peace of Jehovah Shalom, remind me I am priceless (hormones and all) and eternally blessed.
Flooded with the JOY of His Living Water,
Lisa
Love your blog! Whether it’s a flood of hormones or a flood of trouble, thank God that when the Enemy comes in like a flood, the battle belongs to the Lord!(Isaiah 59:19) Stop over at my blog and say hello, Lisa,- I’m trying to stay in touch with all you gals -on-the-go from our speaker group!
-Lauren (championyourdreams.blogspot.com/)
OH SISTER - how I can relate!!!
I too, have had the joy of unknowingly irrigating my personal home. While sound asleep during the day, after working 3rd shift, my husband came home for lunch to find many inches of water washing through our house and working it’s way from one end, through the kitchen, family room, and down the hall to our bedroom. I would have been floating down the hall on our bed….except for the fact that most of the water had run through the floor ac vents and was freely running into our newly finished basement!
Note to all others: Ranking in the top 5 of insurance home claims is water damage from washing machine hoses. Please know the washer does not need to be running for the hose to rupture and flood your home. Inspect your hose regularly for wear!!!
Lisa, thank you for allowing me to relive this memory through your eyes…..and for reminding me that in the scheme of life’s events (or disasters) this doesn’t hold a candle to anything that the joy of His living water can’t extinguish.
How much more fun would it have been if you had opened the door and started laughing? Would anything have altered the outcome differently if your family were laughing, singing, and praising God while shopvacing and toweling up water? What a great memory for Chris to take into adulthood…..of his family handling a crisis completely different than most families would.
As one who did not handle the situation well…..I need to remember that not one moment of worry, crying, or hormonal outbursts did anything to change the outcome for the floor. My actions did however change the memories and impact others around me….my children included.
Praise Jesus that nothing is too great for Him to handle. And thank you Lisa for your encouraging and teaching words……that helped refresh this lesson learned.
In Him,
Karen
Hey Lisa,
Wow. My troubles are paltry next to the “washer from hell”. My hopes are shattered. I was considering laminate for my next floor I thought it was virtually indestructible.
Thanks for sharing your website and your faith with me.
Eileen
Eileen–
Thank you for writing! We love our laminate floors–but they do not LIKE WATER!!! Otherwise they are pretty durable!!
So depending on where you place them–you may still enjoy your DREAM!
Always a pleasure to share my FAITH with you!
Remember GOD LOVES YOU!
Peace and HUGS,
Lisa