Cold, Bats, and Expectation

It is cold in our house today. Actually, it has been cold in our house for about 2 or 3 days now. Our furnace, which is older than me, decided to only run when I light the pilot for it. Luckily it is not too cold outside. Unlucky for me, it takes constant babysitting to get it to run for a full cycle. I'm glad I'm not afraid of the basement.

In trying to close off some of the cold from the outside, I removed the air conditioner from our bedroom window on Thursday. In the process, I found a bat snuggled into the space between our window sill and air conditioner. All through the summer, Steph would hear something in the air conditioner every once in awhile at night. Now we know it wasn't in the air conditioner, but under it. Needless to say, she was a little creeped out when I showed her the bat. Luckily it was cold inside and out that day because the bat didn't want to fly. He just sat on the sill and hissed with his big scary teeth. I flipped him out the window with one of the boards we put under the air conditioner. It took him awhile to fly off--long enough that I could get some pictures (click on the pic to get the full effect of the teeth!).

I've been expecting the furnace to die. It's been getting worse year after year. Though, I didn't think I would have to light it every time I wanted heat. I had not planned on finding a bat in the window. I normally expect them in the basement or in the attic. But like everything else, the unexpected comes without invitation.

I must say that I haven't enjoyed the unexpected the last few months. Maybe that's because the unexpected haven't been pleasant surprises like finding 10 dollars in your pocket. Rather, the unexpecteds for me have been broken heaters, hiding bats, and the like, for some reason put in my path so I have to deal with them, even when I don't want to.

On days like today, it would be very easy to give up and throw in the proverbial towel. I am certain I could go home, crawl back into the cold bed in our cold house and sleep till tomorrow. It would make me feel good for a day, I guess. But, the unexpected would still be there for me to deal with when I got up.

So, I push forward, doing the best to deal with what has been placed before me, doing my best to control my attitude, and allowing God to make what has happened unexpectedly become in some way a blessing for Him.

Mark 9:14-29