Should we thank God for luxuries? It seems so silly since luxuries are things we really don’t need. Luxuries are silly things. Shouldn’t we sell them and give that money to the poor? Well, I thank God everyday for my swimming pool. Yep. That is silly. But to me, getting that pool was God putting the whipped cream on top of the chocolate milkshake.
As a small child from a poor family living in Kansas, I was introduced to a backyard swimming pool when we visited my wealthy aunt and uncle in Dallas. In the 1960’s only the very wealthy had in-ground pools. My uncle was an electrical engineer and part owner in a company that did the electricity for many big Dallas venues including Six Flags. Their pool made such an impression on me that I spent too much of my time trying to find a way to visit my aunt. That pool was the ultimate luxury in my book!
2009 is a date that is engraved in my memory much like 2020 will go down in world history. In January of 2009, Kevin and I began our journey through what is sometimes called a sifting. Suffice it to say, it was a ‘grab your torch and pitchfork’ type of situation and we were at the pointy end. Since then, I realized that this type of experience is inherent to those with a public job and sadly, many school superintendents and pastors go through this. However, when we were going through this dreadful experience it seemed very personal. Yet somehow, in all the chaos, Kevin and I grew closer to God and closer to each other.
It wasn’t long until an opportunity in a new place opened and in June of 2009 we moved to a new town and began our new jobs, closing the door on that difficult season of life. In our new town, we found that as soon as one blessing arrived, another would follow until there was no denying that God’s deliverance was behind it all. The house we really wanted was a bargain and one of only a handful of suitable homes available in our school district. And it came with a beautiful big pool in the backyard. Be still my heart! As we were moving into that home, I realized it was God tapping me on the shoulder saying, “Look how much I love you.”
So now I thank God for that silly thing, that luxury, because I remember how He delivered us through a storm.
