Day 14

I am grateful for water.

We've had water problems from the first day we drilled. Two wells turn up dry, and the third is located across the road, like a quarter mile away from the house. Ever since having to pick up rocks that might damage the pipe, the kids and I hate ditch work. The water from that well contained so much silt that we couldn't drink it and had to fill jugs and do laundry at the home of friends. Silt played havoc on our appliances, accumulated in the toilet tanks, sprinklers turned the lawn tan, and the contents of the horse trough looked like troubled water. We couldn't find anyone or anything to help, and it was nearly crazy-making.

Help did come the following year when we found a business with a man who cared. We nearly cried when we saw that beautiful, clear water coming out of our faucets. We are thankful every single day for this gift, something most people probably don't think about nearly as often in the First World. I'm not exaggerating when I say that at least five times a day, I send up a Thank You for this life essential we no longer take for granted.

While I think the year+ that sad water flowed through the innards of my dishwasher made it kind of goofy, it still works, and I don't have to do dishes by hand. My amazingly sweet mother-in-law bought us a new washer and dryer right about the time we got the filter, and if they could speak, I'm sure they'd air some grand thanks of their own.

Thank You, Lord, for the great gift of water.