The Good. The Bad. The Ugly: A Christmas Gone to Pots

I know what you must be thinking...how did your Christmas go to pots? It’s quite simple really. I had planned a spectacular Christmas Eve and Day in my head. The Devil, however, had something else in mind for us.

Yesterday, I planned on coming home to make my Christmas gifts for our parents. Then we would go to worship our Savior with our church family and return home to get ready for Santa to come. We would wake up, open Christmas gifts, have our traditional breakfast made by daddy, eat a big lunch and enjoy each other remembering what the season is truly all about.

I got home from town Christmas Eve only to be told by my husband that both our toilets were clogged. Needless to say, from the time I got home at 3:00 until a little after midnight my husband worked non-stop to fix our toilets. I even looked up on Pinterest some plunging ideas to try to help. The hot water and dish soap did not work! A dear friend saw our need and called in the troops. Our pastor at 10:00 at night met my husband half way to give us a plunging tool. We attempted the “snake”, but had no luck. Despite our efforts, we went to bed.

We woke up Christmas morning with no toilets, we opened gifts, had our big breakfast, talked to my sweet momma on the phone, did some laundry, played and put gifts together, had an amazing lunch, sang happy birthday to our Savior TWICE, and had no worries of being toiletless. In fact, we didn’t care. We put off fixing them. What’s the big deal? It’s just toilets. Right? So where did we potty? Outside of course. All day. That’s right this girl was squatting in the cold, Texas wind outside to pee. The boys, well they are in their element. They already have a tree designated as the “peeing tree”. 

Going number one, no problem! Yet, we know there is also a number two. No problem! Poppa and Granny live less than a mile from us. Except, my youngest son is the worst at holding it until the very last minute. He comes dancing into the kitchen...I HAVE TO GO POTTY!!! So I tell him to go to the tree...I HAVE TO POOP!!! What do I do? That’s right.  This momma grabs an old pot from under the kitchen sink and said go. Right there in the middle of the kitchen. Bagged those babies up and threw them in the trash. It’s Christmas Day! Nothing’s not going to spoil it. Not even a little poop. 

Once you have a child go poop in a pot, you no longer feel the need to drive any of your other kids down the road for number two. I found myself telling them to grab a roll of toilet paper and head to the hay bales. And the oldest did without second thought. I did have to help my first grader balance. Yes, we are very country I know. But we are HAPPY country folk!!! 

Now you know how our Christmas went to pots. As I did my Bible devotional tonight, God revealed to me why I believe He allowed all this. He wanted to show me how far my husband and I have come. In the past, we would have fought the entire time. Gone to bed frustrated, angry at one another. Don’t get me wrong. Last night we had a few minutes of who is right and why won’t you just watch my youtube video for help moments, but we didn’t give the Devil the victory. We have rediscovered our joy that comes only from Him.

This will be a Christmas that I will always remember. A Christmas gone to pots. I hope I have many more like this one. But, most importantly, I will never forget that very first Christmas that began in a stable, where my Lord and Savior was born, no crib, in a manger He lay His sweet head. Leaving His heavenly kingdom, living a sinless life here on earth to give me the greatest gift of all. Eternal life.

Merry Christmas! 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for this city of refuge you have brought us to. You are so humble and gracious. We celebrate our salvation in you not only today, but everyday. Let us be a light shining bright for You this New Year! Amen!