Desperate and then sort-of disappointed

Most people have addictions. There are the obviously dangerous ones like drugs and alcohol. Then there are others like Mountain Dew, coffee, tea, television, video games, or, gulp blogging. The saying about things being good in moderation can apply to almost anything. I think addictions can take away from our reliance on God because generally addictions are opiates, escapes from the daily grind, or the daily worries.

I used to be addicted to baths. It was a winter time addiction only. I would get so cold. And the the bathroom had locks. I could escape into a warm tub of water and read, letting my husband handle the issues in the other world. Many a book or magazine of mine has ended up wrinkled and warped due to wet hands. I used to take a bath about once a day. Then we moved here.

The water heater in this house won't fill the bathtub. There is nothing like a lukewarm bath to cure a bathing addiction. I was so desperate the other day for a bath, that I heated water in my biggest stock pot and carried the pot up the stairs. Wiping the splashes off the wooden stairs with my socks, I dumped it in the tub and enjoyed a bath in this house for the first time (we moved in a year and half ago). Last winter I used to pray that the water heater would break so we had to get a new one--God has answered in the affirmative now.

The water heater isn't broken but my prudent husband has decided it has to be replaced. We found the date of installation with a flashlight the other night. It is 31 years old. The people who install water heaters have never heard of one that old ( perhaps another day I will rant on how disturbing it is that now they make water heaters to last only about 12 years). The experts advise shutting the water heater off if we go on vacation because a heater that old will burst suddenly and flood the basement. They said it isn't filling the tub because there is probably a foot of mineral deposits in the bottom of the tank, taking up space. Rather than waiting for a flood and an emergency, we have decided to replace it.

My grandma sent a generous check to us for Christmas which will cover about half of the water heater. I had been dreaming of a new, used desk with that money, and maybe a chance to finally paint the walls of this house beautiful colors, but as usual practicality wins. I don't really need a new desk and thank goodness there hasn't been a flood. Since moving into this old house we replaced the roof, the flat roof, the furnace, the central air, the garage roof and now the water heater. We still have the original windows and an old stove. While sometimes I imagine decorating my house the way I want, which would require us to stop doing so much maintenance, I doubt I could ever fall in love with new construction. I have no regrets. I love the detail of this old house, not just the trim, but the secret pencil markings charting the growth of someone else's kids.

God is constantly reminding me that I have everything I need and more, and so much of what I wish for is unnecessary details. I love this house, white walls and all. And soon I will be able to take a bath again. Thanks God--you are so good. Thanks grandma.