It was the week of Matt’s very first birthday and our water at home had been frozen all week. We had tried everything to thaw it out and nothing had worked. I had planned on baking my traditional, special stand up teddy bear cake for his birthday but had to bake his cake at Mom’s instead because of the water issues. My special cake pan would not fit in her oven so I was forced to bake something else. Also, when it came time to put the solitary candle on his cake, I realized that I had left the candle at home and we were forced to use one of those huge emergency candles because that was all that Mom had. I was bitter, mad, and frustrated to say the least!

We went to church the following Sunday and I was sitting on the 2nd pew behind the preacher before church started….

I was sitting there complaining to the high heavens about the water being frozen to my girlfriend. The preacher heard it all and he whipped around and said……Why can’t you thank God for that!

His statement made me really mad and I looked at him like he was nuts!! He got up and went to preach the sermon but I never heard a word of it but just sat there thinking over and over about what he had just said to me.

Before the sermon was over I began talking to God in my head and said to God that the preacher was nuts but what do I have to lose. I began to thank God for my water being frozen all week and I thanked him that I didn’t get to make my special decorated cake for our son and I thanked him for forgetting the birthday candle and every other bad thing that had happened to me all that week.

I learned a very big lesson that day! When we got home from church, we had water again! Ever since that day I have a plaque in my home that says…..God gives His Best to those that leave the choice with Him.  James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.