The Saga of the Dripping Faucet!

You would think we lived in the poor farm the way we live sometimes! It is ridiculous so let me explain!

A year ago at Easter my older brother Steve and his wife Diane came for a short visit. I showed him our water faucet in the kitchen sink as it had been dripping. We talked about fixing it but since they were here to see Mom as well we never got to it.

So all year long you would hear conversations like this around the Patterson house:

" I hate that dripping faucet!"

" We've GOT to get it fixed!"

" I'm tired of having to move the handle just right so it doesn't drip all the time!"

And the words went on and on!

I mentioned to our daughter Carrie and son-in-law Marc that we needed to go buy a new faucet and fix it. Carrie looked at both Evie and me and said, "You guys are too CHEAP to fix it. I've go to see that happen!"

Well the anniversary of the dripping faucet came and went and nothing still had been done. It wasn't that we didn't have the money, we seemed not to have the time with our work schedules, seeing our kids, washing clothes and cleaning house, etc. You all know what I mean!

So a couple of weeks ago I looked at Evie and said, "OK, today we WILL buy a new faucet for the kitchen!" The master of the house had spoken! And in fact we traveled to Lowes, found an excellent, high quality faucet and bought it. We were so proud of ourselves we even called Carrie to let her know the news. Her response was, "Now I have got to see you guys install it!"

Well the other night we hired a guy to come over and install the faucet because I hate doing stuff like that. We still go back to the faucet and treat it with loving care to make sure the handle is in the right position before we go to bed. Once we approach the faucet we quickly are reminded that Duh, the faucet is long and gone and we don't have to do that stupid act each evening!

Someone at work asked me why we had waited so long to fix it. I shared with her that at first I was just too lazy and then when we had the money to buy the faucet, another need came along and we helped a friend out. Then another ministry needed our money, and then we helped another friend, etc. Now I don't share to brag about helping ministries or friends but after a while it became evident to me and Evie that there were really more important things to do on this earth than just fixing a faucet.

The other day I was thanking God for the faucet and praying for needs I knew about and started reflecting on the faucet and wanted to share some thoughts I learned from that experience:

1. Letting that faucet drip reminded me that there are things in my life that need to be finished (like ministering to co-workers, students, my church brothers and sisters, etc.).

2. So what if the faucet drips, does it make a big difference in the big scheme of things with God?

3. It reminded me there are more important needs out there than a dripping faucet. Like how about the huge percent of people in this world who don't know what clean or running water it anyway! I bet they would love to have a dripping faucet in their homes. Yeah, like what homes? Like how many people live in huts or on the ground, etc. throughout this world.

4. Fixing the faucet. Did I feel better about my perfect life and world? No, not one bit! I was content before the faucet, during the dripping faucet and now after a new faucet has been installed!

So I ask myself and you, what is your leaking faucet in your life? Has it become a #1 priority in your life and changed your perspective on things?

Perhaps as Christians we would all benefit from more leaking faucets in our lives so we can focus on the needs God has placed before us. For the past 16 months, I have often thought that if I just had that faucet fixed, life would be great. Well I have learned life was great before the leak and is great even now! But it has nothing to do with the faucet believe it or not!

So the faucet was definitely a God thing for the two of us!

Markus