One of our outside taps had burst while I was filling up the chicken's water and with my husband not home, I needed urgent help.
I felt totally useless and for possibly the first time in my life, I had absolutely no idea what to do. Litres of our precious tank water (and the only water we have) were flying everywhere and I knew I had to do something. Anything was better than nothing.
This was not the exact picture I had in my mind when we first made the decision six months earlier to move our family to a rural community. Not even close.
Getting to the neighbour's house quickly, required me piling our three boys (who were about to get into bed) into the car and more so, to find someone who would be home.
The first farm proved to be dark and empty. We drove to the farm behind us, with the boys excitedly hanging out the windows, knowing there was some sort of emergency, but caring mainly about the prospect of getting to stay up!
Finally we found some sign of life and in pink PJ's I presented my case and kindly the neighbour came to our rescue and switched off the pump and fixed the tap.
I felt so silly and fairly pathetic. I'm not sure why I hadn't thought to turn off the pump. That seems completely obvious, yet I did not even think of it.
When our main tanks ran out of water just weeks later I couldn't help but think of this night. Thankfully I ended up finding the right kind of help but sometimes it doesn't turn out like that.
So many times in my life I hit brick walls or obstacles that feel so overwhelming. I feel like I'm losing litres of water by the second and I begin to panic. I flounder around like a fish flopping on the deck of a fishing boat. Alternatively I run somewhere either, to hide or for help, often of the wrong kind.
There is a beautiful verse in Micah 7 verse 7 which says, "But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me."
When I find myself in life's little pickles God has given us exact instructions what we need to do. Look to Him.
Why do I flounder or run? The only result of that is running out of water.
It seems obvious yet it is rarely my first response. The pump was the obvious first response yet I didn't do it. I panicked and floundered.
If only looking to Jesus was my default response, surely life's big brick walls would look much, much smaller.
Laura Veloso is wife to John and the mother of 3 young boys. She is trained in child welfare and primary school teaching and has experience in overseas missions and youth leadership.
Laura Veloso's archive of articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/laura-veloso.html
