Want to be Thankful with Me Today?

 We are still under the “boil water”notice that was issued for all Austin Water customers Saturday night due to an “internal treatment process issue that resulted in high turbidity within the Ullrich Water Treatment plant.” In addition, emergency water restrictions were issued, meaning residents are asked to conserve water.

So what is all the fuss about turbidity? Sounds quite ominous if it’s requiring us to boil and limit our water. Turbidity is a measurement that indicates the clarity or the clearness of drinking water. It indicates the presence of clay, silt, plankton, or other contaminants.

A bench-top turbidity meter at each of Austin water’s treatment plants measures turbidity every four hours and it is continuously monitored online. Austin’s Water Director stated that there is no indication there was contamination, but because the internal system showed a spike on the meter, they are playing it safe.

I titled this blog “Want to be thankful with me today?” A couple of days ago, with the temperatures below freezing, we lost hot water in our building. That meant that we had no hot water for bathing or washing. Bless our hearts! Thankfully, it was just temporary because our amazing maintenance people had us hot water by that evening.

I couldn’t help but remember the non-profit organization “Water for Good” that my family has partnered with for years. My son traveled to Africa to see, firsthand, what this organization did to build water wells for villages who only had infested water to use and drink. Today, they continue building water wells and they keep those wells functional. I am honored to be a partner with them as well. So, this Austin “temporary” crisis only makes me even more grateful for the privileges we have here at home.

I’m not privy to what your needs and concerns are today. I’m sure we could all hand God a list of many needs. And, I’m also sure, as we trust Him with our whole hearts, He is not only working on what we need and when we need it, but He is working it all out for our good. (Romans 8:28) But, in the meantime, maybe the first order of business is for us to express gratitude for how much we have and how much we can be grateful. Perhaps you’d like to join me today in showing our gratitude for:

• Clean water that doesn’t make us sick.
• Indoor heating/cooling.
• A dishwasher.
• A flushing toilet.
• A shower and/or bathtub.
• A refrigerator, a stove and oven, a microwave.
• A washing machine and dryer.
• A cozy, comfortable bed and pillows
• A car, and access to gasoline.
• A cellphone, a computer, a TV.
• Access to quality medical and dental care.
• Paved roads.
• Access to trash collection and recycling.
• More food than we need.
• And, so, so much more!

I needed these “water” issues to wake me up to how blessed and privileged we are to have so much. When it gets right down to it – we have way more to be grateful for than not!

The grateful heart is like a magnet that collects reasons for gratitude — for clean, hot water, for the song that soothes us; for the clock we hear ticking; for the light that turns on; for the safe drive home; for the time we have with our loved ones.

May we choose gratitude as a habit that we choose daily as a way of life. May we adjust our lens and see our lives and our world through the eyes of a grateful heart. May we be overwhelmed with the beauty and abundance of it all.