September 29 – “And again …”

Well, the Beast had to be called into service once again yesterday.  Apparently someone from one of the groups staying in the retreat center was being helpful.  They flipped the newly installed switch allowing water to flow once again into the broken ice make mechanism.  It made one tray of ice before spewing its way into attention.  This time we discovered it when I went up with our bug guy Steve to do his treatment of the building.  I noticed a distinct odor in the air and upon investigation discovered the two refrigerators pulled away from the wall and all the fans running full tilt.  I thought that unusual, and I was worried that they had been left on since last week when we vacuumed up water before.  So I walked right in to turn them off.  And it didn’t take more than a few steps to recognize that unmistakable squishy sound as my sandal hit carpet.  Another leak. 

My first move was to the original offender.  I opened the freezer door and saw … nothing out of the ordinary.  Strange.  What else had gone wrong?  I returned to walking the property with the bug guy, but I knew I would be back shortly.  When he finished his rounds, I bade him farewell and turned my attention once again to The Leak.  Well, first I texted Jim to let him know where I would be.  It was once again time for staff meeting, and he would be arriving any minute.  Then I sent a quick text to Bob, the guy who installed the shut off valve last week.  Finally I called Chris just to let her know what was going on.  And while I was talking to her, Bob called me.  He couldn’t believe there was another leak.  By this time I was back upstairs.  I looked again inside the freezer and that’s when I discovered the few pieces of ice that had been completed.  I investigated further behind that fridge and then I saw the culprit.  The new valve was leaking, so I turned the water off again at the sink.  Our speculation scenario changed just a bit.  Maybe they turned it on, and when the water started spewing out onto the floor, they quickly turned it off again.  But in their haste they turned it a bit too far and loosened the nut.  The drip was enough to keep the floor saturated until we could arrive.  Thanks for that.  Bob said he would get it taken care of as soon as he could.

Jim and I spent another staff meeting humbled on the floor, vacuuming water.  Once the Beast and his wet vac were turned off (Thank you to Charlette for bringing it up to us), and we could hear ourselves again, we actually had a good time of sharing.  We prayed for the family of whoever was involved in the traffic accident police were working when I first drove in.  I found out later that a family member of a fire fighter was involved, so I will follow up on that later today.  I gotta say, that is not the way I ever intended to spend staff meeting once, much less two times.  I sure hope we’re done with leaks. 

2 Corinthians 5:1 says, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”

Father, once again will you please be with Roger’s family as they deal with the situation.  Give them your peace and wisdom as they take care of all the details.  Amen.