Wednesday, November 17, 2010

All Things Work Together for Good

About 2 weeks ago we had a freezer "mishap". Not exactly sure how, but the freezer became unplugged...

Allow me to paint the scene for you:

It is a Monday afternoon. The house has been tidied, dishes done, and baby is napping. I'm thinking that I have it all together so I grab a coffee and sit down to finish reading "Against the Tide: The Valor of Margaret Wilson" by Hope Irvin Marston. For those of you who haven't read this book, I highly recommend it. The genre is historical fiction/biography. The main character is Margaret Wilson, a staunch Covenanter from 17th Century Scotland during the times of oppression and persecution under King Charles II. It is a captivating and convicting story. It also, by the way, has a very intense ending.

So back to the scene. I am on the second-to-last-page of this book.
Tears are filling my eyes. 
I think I forgot to breathe for a minute. 
My face is red with anger. 
My heart pains.

Enter my husband, Peter:
"Umm, Niki. Can you come here?"
A little agitated I say, "Can it wait!?"
"Well, it is kind of important!"
Already feeling a bit guilty about reading for the last hour or so, I decide I had better go.
"It seems that the freezer has been unplugged for a day or two." My husband explains.
"...o.k." I reply calmly. I think to myself that this isn't a big deal. I mean, it's not like I'm being persecuted or anything! It's just a freezer (And a small one at that!).

I get my boots on and we head out the back door into the shed where the freezer sits...
dripping with reddish-purple juice from the thawed berries.
Almost everything is completely thawed. The 24+ cups of Green Pepper that I just put in there. Pumpkin, apples, raspberries, and blackberries all completely thawed. 

Place on top of this the intense mood I was already in because of the book... 
This is where I turn off the camera because my reaction has become less than...
Photogenic.

A little later in the day, after I calmed down and realized that pouting wasn't going to solve the problem, I got out my church directory and called my pastor's wife. They have 3 teenage girls.
"I need to borrow a girl for the day", I said.
She sent me her best girl in the kitchen and the next day we were busy.
We made:
  • 5 pumpkin pies
  • 2 apple pies
  • And a double batch of jam
All before 3pm! That night, feeling like I was on a roll, I made 3 banana loaves and a batch of biscuits for the freezer. Then the next day I made 4 chicken pot pies and froze them too! My freezer is full again, but this time with prepared foods!

I did sit down to finish the book. I cried because of my selfishness and petty nature. I cried also because I didn't understand what God has allowed and still allows His Church to suffer persecution, oppression and martyrdom.

And then I remembered these verses:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, 
to them who are called according to his purpose. 
For whom he did foreknow, 
he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 8:28-29 (emphasis mine)

3 comments:

Mrs. Stam said...

wow that was quite a adventure! Did some of the frozen bag exploded, that happen to me once!!!!

And good job on making all this food, and you ad a helper to do it too what a blessing!

I think this story shows many blessing don't you!

-A napping baby that let you relax and read
- a tidy house done quickly leaving time to rest
- thaw out fruits and veggies made into ready to serve food
- the sweet fellowship of mentoring a younger lady trough this event

I'll say this is all a great blessing!

Anonymous said...

At the beginning, I was feeling so bad for you, but by the end, I left happy - the marks of a great writer! I had no idea you were so talented, Niki!

I did, however, know that you are one mad cook ;)

Unknown said...

wow - I would have sat down and cried too!! It's wonderful that you were able to bless your family instead of wallowing in a disaster.

Blessings to you!