The Overflow

All of the houses here use two types of water. Rain water from the sky, falling into the gutters of our house and into a large tank that resides just outside the back door. We use rain water to drink or cook or wash dishes. There’s also river water that we use mostly for showers and laundry. 

Originally, we had planned to just drink the rain water without filtration like we did during orientation. However, due to our rusting roof, that is in the queue to be replaced sometime in the next 3 years, we find ourselves filtering our water just to make sure the rust doesn't contaminate the drinking water.

Smart? I thought so.

But honestly, the filtering process is annoying me. I take the water bottle, put the spout in and...wait. Inevitably, something, typically someONE, distracts me and I walk away leaving the water bottle to fill. After countless times of overflowing the bottle, which then runs down the table, onto the floor, underneath the fridge, down towards the rug in front of the sink...you get the idea...I end up having a big mess on my hands.

My son came up with the brilliant idea to put a bowl under the bottle and catch the water just in case I was too distracted to stop the filtering in time. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes, I still get too distracted and forget about the water. 

My solution? I’ve resolved myself to standing and staring at the water bottle until it’s full. I know, I’m trying to contain my excitement.

But as I was watching the bottle fill the other day, it hit me how God’s blessings have overflowed on us this week.

We received mail 3 out of 5 days this week full of fun and love. We’ve spent time with new friends who have become such blessings to our family and are full of laughter. Jason had a flat tire on his bike that, thankfully he found here and not on the road to aviation. The problem was easy and inexpensive to fix plus he had some great help from the auto shop here. We’ve gotten to know (and hopefully encourage), some mission aviation students from LeTourneau who are here trying to figure out God’s plan for their life. Skype calls with friends and family...new partners have joined our ministry...the list goes on.

This week I was reminded that just like filling the water bottle, I get too distracted, caught up in myself, my petty problems, the “not so big” issues to realize God’s overflow. He’s never forgotten about me or put me aside. Instead, He’s ever so patiently waiting for me to see He’s been busy overflowing Himself in all the details (big and little) of my life.