Blessings in Disguise

This blog was created to keep my family updated on the happenings with us since we have moved so far from them.  It was to chronicle the adventures which can be construed as mishaps while our family that has lived in the Big City our whole lives, learns to live in the country.  And when I say mishaps...I mean things that don't go quite according to plan.  Sound familiar?

My point is that if you're a passer-by and happen to be reading this, it may appear to be random nonsense.  I apologize for that and you have the blessed option to hit that arrow or close key.  And if you're a friend or family member, I also apologize for this random nonsense and for the fact that you are obligated to read my nonsense and even like it!!! Muhahahaw!!! 

On to my next point.  It seems to me lately, that there are so many crazy things going on in the world right now.  The future is uncertain and scary.  People around the world are suffering.  War is growing around the world and doesn't look like it will be ending any time soon.  Many families deal with war everyday while their loved ones fight.  I am ashamed to say that in my world, I do not have a personal, direct connection to the war or the sufferings going on around the world. My biggest concern is if we have clean clothes to wear to work/school tomorrow or creamer for my coffee in the morning.  It put some things in perspective for me when I was listening to a church sermon and the preacher was talking about people in another country asking him if it was true that people in America had houses to put their cars in at night.  And rooms to put their clothes in while some families shared one room houses.  I have so much.  I am so blessed. 

So one day after cleaning his room, my son asked me to come see something on his wall.  And this is what we saw:

Some of you may know what this is right away.  It took me a minute.  Black mold (cue music).  It is here I will avoid the embarrassment of telling how long this was covered due to my son's mess...could have been a week (does it look like it's only been there for a week?) or could have been months...and we'll just stop there.

Before I knew it, this is what we were dealing with.  Now, it could have been so much worse.  You hear horror stories of homes that are unlivable due to mold.  I figured the whole wall would have to be replaced and we would be out on the streets or living in the suburban for weeks until they raised the all clear sign.  We had to take a couple days off work while the nice men cleaned it, killed it, cut it, sealed it, built it, textured it, and painted it.  It was a mess...I was a mess.  Dust was EVERYWHERE!!!  And I was stressing out about my boy who has asthma.  Luckily he was not the one staying in the room when the mold was growing for...uh...however long it was growing and no one showed any signs of being sick.

 So it could have been worse but at the time, I was NOT OKAY!!!   "Why me? Why now?" I whined.  "Can't we ever catch a break???"  I moaned.  "Seems like something ALWAYS has to be going on around here" I cried.  Poor me.

What I didn't know, was that while the nice men were fixing the root cause of the problem (inadequate plumbing causing  the washing machine water to splash inside the wall) they noticed one tiny, little insignificant detail about my dryer:

 Can you see that prong?  Can you see how it is burned and melted around the prong?

 What they saw before plugging in my dryer after working on the mold...was a plug gone bad man!  Our dryer plug was secretly plotting on burning my house down!!!  Ackkkk!!!!  I don't know much about cords and mold and fire but I do know that a burned plug is bad.  Very, very bad.  So we cut him loose.  There is no tolerance in this house for dryer plugs-or ANY plug for that matter- gone bad!  My husband replaced him.  Just like that!  Let that be a warning! Us Tarvers are cold hearted!  Ice...

So in the midst of the nightmare mold, and as painful as it was for me to take a day or two off work, relaxing and watching movies while the nice men repaired the wall, I found it to be a blessing in disguise.  My family is safe, my belongings are safe and it's all thanks to some Toxic Black Mold.  See how things work out?

Seriously, in the big scheme of things, I know I am blessed and that I have it good.  And I can't tell you how thankful I am. I haven't always been here, and know it won't always be like this. I have suffered too.  But like I said before, lately I hear strangers, friends, and family suffering and asking themselves (and I'm asking too) why things are happening the way they are.  Why do things go wrong?  Why does it seem sometimes that things just fall apart and never look like they will get better?  Well, sometimes --not always--but sometimes there is a silver lining.  Something that in a moment, gives you chills and clarity at the same time.  A moment when you realize that something happened for a reason.  And that Someone was looking out for you and working for the greater good. 

Amen.