The Stockings Were Hung, and the Refrigerator Broke! December 26, 2023

Saturday afternoon, I was looking forward to an outdoor event in our nearby beach town. There would be crafters, piano music and even Santa!  We drove down AIA to the site and had a wonderful time strolling the streets, listening to "Jingle Bells" and purchasing a few pieces from local artists.  Little did we know what was ahead.

When I took a bag of frozen vegetables out of the refrigerator later that night, and it wasn’t entirely frozen, I chalked it up to the fact that the humidity is so high down here. The next morning, it was confirmed -it was most certainly not the humidity.  The refrigerator was broken.  On Christmas Eve. 

Every previously frozen bag and box was limp and soggy.  All the food in the refrigerator was hanging onto cool with its entire being.  I was expecting to make a meal of stuffed shells, salad and garlic bread for my son and his girlfriend who would be arriving Christmas afternoon.  And was it too much to ask to have a hot cup of coffee with half and half on Christmas morning?!

What are we to do about this?  A plan emerged.  Let’s get a temporary dorm like refrigerator until we can get to Home Depot after Christmas for a full-size refrigerator.  So, off to Target in Jacksonville we went on Christmas Eve, to purchase said mini fridge.  We got it in the house, removed all the packing, and lo and behold, it was dented.  Now what?  We are NOT, I repeat, NOT driving 25 more minutes back to Target to exchange this.  And we cannot call the store because earlier we tried, and it seems that Target reps don't pick up the phone on Christmas Eve. I guess I can give them a pass. I'm grateful they work on the day before Christmas.

I immediately got online and tried to find someone to talk with.  I found a chat feature and a toll-free number.  I contacted both. 

While I was on the phone with the toll-free rep (who insisting on calling me Dee-Ann), I was chatting with another rep.  Chatting Rep was moving much faster that Toll Free Rep, who took her very sweet time getting all my information, stalling me, putting me on hold and finally offering me $15 credit.  Meanwhile, Chatting Rep had offered me $30 credit. Yup, I took the $30 and ended the call with Toll Free Rep who seemed mystified that I was doing so. I can't say I blame her.

On to the next task…. taking all the soggy boxes, bags and refrigerator items out as they are dripping on the floor and counters, necessitating the use of a half roll of paper towels.   Then, deciding which ones to keep and which ones were destined for the trash bin.  Next step, fit the winners in the mini fridge.  Wow, this fridge is a lot smaller than I thought.  I can’t fit everything in.  I must now decide which items are a must.  This is way too much stress for Christmas Eve!

The phrase that keeps entering my mind is Count it all joy! 

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. – James 1:2-4

Patience.  Who doesn’t need a little bit more of that?  Especially on Christmas Eve.  As I reflected on this verse, I realized things could be a lot worse. First off, I am doing okay physically.  I am not in a pain flare of major proportions.  This is a gift beyond measure, because if I were incapacitated, dealing with all this would be a whole lot more difficult.  Second, we could have had renters here.  Then we would have had a much bigger problem.  We may have had to refund their money, pay to relocate them and this would all have to be done long distance.  And we still would need to get a new refrigerator and deal with the next renters who were coming in.   

It is not a coincidence that we came here in early December.  When we were making our plans, I could not decide whether to come in December or January.  I was having a difficult time making up my mind.  After prayer and discernment, I finally felt guided to book my flight for Dec. 6, mostly to get an early start on our Septic System Project.  When the Septic Project got postponed to January, I had questioned that guidance, and wished I had stayed home for Christmas.  Then the ceiling leak happened.  Another reason we were supposed to be here in December.  It’s a reminder to me that God does have a reason for everything, and I need to place more and more trust in that. 

Often, trust requires patience.  I need to learn how to sit back and let God work and try not to get in His way.  That goes for the big things, like my health and the small things, like a ceiling leak, a failed septic system and a broken refrigerator on Christmas Eve. 

On Christmas morning, we got dressed and ready to attend Mass.  We stepped outside and as we went down the front steps, we looked at each other and said, “What’s that smell?”  It seems the sludge from the overtaxed septic tank was bubbling up in the front yard.  Again.  Well, for this project, we only have to be patient until January 9.  We hope!

“Patience is not simply the ability to wait, it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.” -Joyce Meyer

 

 Well, Joyce, I'm working on that.

P.S. Merry Christmas from the beach!