So a couple of weeks ago our washer broke down. Ildi said that after it had filled with water and began to agitate, it suddenly started making a high-piched sound. She checked it out and the tub wasn't moving at all. When I got home from school, the usual greetings happened. I barely get out of the van and I have six WONDERFUL children running to hug me, kiss me, and tell me of their wondeful events of the day. As I get into the house Nolan casually mentions that "the washer broke today" and leaves it at that. After I spend a few minutes talking to Ildi I check out the washer only to come to the conclusion that it is indeed broken. Oh well, we just get a new one I think. Little did I realize that God was going to use my broken washer to change a HEEP of ideas and attitudes that I had.
To start with, my first idea was just to replace it. Who has time to fix something you don't know how to fix? After awhile, Ildi encouraged me to try to fix it myself with the attitude that it "couldn't be that hard". This sort-of made me angry. What does she mean that it couldn't be that hard? Has she ever torn a washer apart to try to fix not knowing anything about the way the washer works? Would she be the one pulling parts apart not sure if she would remember which part went where?
So to start with, God was already starting to deal with my attitude about doing something that I did not want to do. Sure I saw the benefit of trying to tackle the unknown, learning something new, feeling the pleasure of fixing something myself and saving several hundreds of dollars. But I still had the attitude. I sat on it for a few days and allowed the Lord to change my attitude. I wasn't doing very well with the yielding part though. Idli had done a little research online and continued to encourage me to fix it myself. Eventually, and after a couple of night trips to the laundrymat, I decided that I was just going to buy a washer. Costco on Saturday convinced me that for a mere $400. my trouble would be solved. I resolved to just buy the washer and be done with it. Then God again. What was I bucking in fixing it myself? Why had I had such a bad attitude about fixing it? I felt like God didn't necessarily want me to fix the washer, but He sure did want me to have a good attitude about other possibilities than buying a new one.
So, Nolan and I took the back of the washer off to "figure" out how to fix it. It took us a few hours only to realize that nothing is gained by taking the back of a washer off. A few more days pass and I decide to look under the washer to see what I can see. I had done a little reading online and as well, found an old receipt from a man who had replaced the motor coupler. Ildi said that when he fixed it, it only took him 15 minutes or so. And, if he could do it that quickly, I could probably fix it as well. She also said other things as well. Like: "this could be practice for you fixing or farm equipment", and "I'm sure that you can find something online that will walk you through the whole process". I still wasn't 100 percent convinced and still had the lingering attitude. Anyway, I stumbled onto the problem, and it seemed to be the motor coupling. I moved the coupling around and had Asher watch the tub. It moved around. I had found the problem. Now the question was how to fix it.
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