Getting So Much More by Tina Hunt
Today’s Pearls of Promise guest blogger is Tina Hunt. Whether writing, teaching, or caring for others, Tina’s passion for communicating and connecting rings through. Trained as pastor and counselor, Tina weaves her insights into down to earth devotions and articles. She brings the same energetic encouragement to her speaking and teaching—but that’s not hard when you’re an ESFP with ADD! You can find devotions by Tina published on line at ChristianDevotions.us and InspireAFire.com, in print with Upper Room and The Secret Place, and included in the devotional published by Pearls of Promise Ministries, the Pearls of Promise devotion. She also has a blog where she shares book reviews and spiritual reflections, Pot Of Manna.
In August 2004, my family moved to a new town on the other side of the state. We located in a town halfway between the two construction jobs my husband was working. We were somewhat familiar with the town because I had gone to school there a couple decades before.
When we started looking for a house we had several “must haves” on our list. Our younger, adult, daughter was going to be living with us too, so we were looking for something with at least two bedrooms. My husband is a confirmed basement man, so it needed a basement. I wanted a garage. The list went on and on. What we found is landlords have their own list and are a lot more cautious about whom they rent to. Having a bankruptcy on our record blackballed us several times.
Finally, we found a house that filled some of requirements. I was pretty excited as we looked through it and found a bathroom upstairs which exceeded all my dreams. It was huge. I had never had a bathroom that was much bigger than our bathmat. It had a built in linen cabinet. But the best part was the old, huge, claw foot tub. I had visions of bubble baths, and being able to wash the grandbabies.
My dream was shattered when the landlord informed us the tub was non-functional. That meant that the only bathing to be done would be in a tiny, seeming afterthought, of a bath closet that had a small, old shower stall. It reminded me of something someone would put in their basement.
The more we talked with the landlord, the more I really liked the man. He was a believer, who even took time in our conversation to invite us to worship at his church. When I started to explain how the bankruptcy was due to the failure of two restaurants my husband had a partnership in, the landlord held up his hand and stopped me. He assured me he understood and it wouldn’t be a problem. His position was everyone deserved a second chance and besides, he liked us. I was ready to hug him, but opted to just sign the rental agreement and shake his hand.
We made several trips in our van loaded with our belongings prior to the big moving day. The two hour drive gave me plenty of time to talk with God about my feelings concerning the house. I was thankful to at least have a place to live, and while this house did have two bedrooms, there were still several areas where it fell slightly short of our hopes. The kitchen seemed to be as great an afterthought as the little downstairs bath. And the bath. Really, God? It seemed such a waste to have a tub just sitting up their unused. I tried not to grumble, but I was just too tired not to.
So we settled in and worked to make the best of our new home. The large job we had made the move for was delayed due to financing issues the owner was having. The owner of the company lined up some side jobs for my husband, Nelson, to fill the time and help with finances.
Finally, in the spring, things fell into place and the large building project began. Exactly one month after the job started, the crew was lifting trusses to the roof. Nelson, was standing on a step ladder guiding them up. As they were lifting the final truss, it kicked out and Nelson was knocked off the ladder. He landed squarely on his left foot and did a kind of spin motion that totally demolished his ankle. The specialist, who took the case, said his ankle looked just like Humpty Dumpty.
Recovery for an injury of this magnitude is a long, long process. We had to get a hospital bed because our bedroom was on the second floor. So for the next eighteen months, Nelson slept downstairs.
He wasn’t able to put any weight on the ankle for a long time. That meant all hygiene and toileting happened in that bed. After many months he graduated to a bedside commode. It was a happy day at our house when he could finally hobble to the little bathroom with his walker, and use the toilet all by himself.
The tiny little bathroom afforded us one other thing we hadn’t considered up to that point. If it hadn’t been for that old, basement-like shower stall, my husband wouldn’t have been able to take a shower. It was perfectly arranged so that he could get in there with his walker. It was small enough that he could lean on the walls for support. To use the words of the Little Bear in Goldilocks, “It was just right!”
When we made our list of what we wanted in a house, we had no idea we were going to need a handicap accessible shower stall. But God did. And isn’t it just like Him to give us more than what we ask for, and exactly what we need? Paul reinforces this idea in his letter to the Ephesians when he prays that the power of God, which is able to do so much more than we could even ask or imagine, would mightily work in the Ephesian believers (see Ephesians 3:20). Perhaps it’s also what the prophet Jeremiah was thinking when he penned: “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3, NRSV)
I try not to grumble these days. When I ask God for one thing and I get something different, I try to remember that He has the big picture in view and I will have what I need–when I need it. He loves me that much. And I’m convinced He loves you that much too.
Pearls of Promise features guest bloggers every Thursday. If you would like to guest blog, please contact our Communications Coordinator, Rosemary Legrand, at Rosiesgw@tx.rr.com