Foregiving those who are all wet!

Everything in my environment, including Crefelo Dollar's recent sermon, has focused on forgiveness. We know that to forgive is divine. We also know that to forgive is sometimes hard to swallow.

For the past two months my neighbor has been using our water spout and hose. How do I know this? When you turn on the water it squeals, all so not pleasantly inside the house. Therefore, when it's turned on and we are inside, reasonable deduction is our neighbor is once again steeling our water, using our water spout and hose. Why? I guess they have their reasons.

I mentioned the misuse of our water supply to my better half on more than one occassion. Each time I'm promptly met with "what's the big deal," "don't worry about it," or my personal favorite, "aaaggghhh get over it." Those may not be the exact quotes, but you get the idea. I actually stopped referencing the incidents.

This weekend my neighbor once again uses the hose. It's the holiday weekend so my better half is with me when the SQUEAL goes off. "What's that?" Inquiring minds want to know. I quickly inform, "well that's the neighbor steeling our water AGAIN."

Turns out the neighbor was using our hose, to shower her grandson. Allegedly the grandson has just puked inside the house. So grandma brought the child outside to finish puking and be hosed off. Let's examine this for a minute. Our neighbor does not own a hose. Our neighbor has (I would assume) a shower in her house. My neighbor placed their child directly between both properties, mine included for this child to puke and be hosed off. Wait. Let's reexamine - they don't own a hose! Why bring the kid outside to be hosed off, if you don't own a hose?

Of course I'm smug inside, because I have been moaning about these incidents occurring all along. But not until GUESS WHO, hears it, it becomes an issue. We both say something separately to our neighbor and plenty to each other. It becomes a bitter source of contention.

It's not about the money. The water bill isn't that high. It's just unbelievable someone would have such audacity!

So after turning on The Secret and talking it over until we are blue our faces, we do something completely unbelievable. We got up and went to K-Mart and bought our neighbor their own hose. It was presented to them the following day.

It felt good. The secret for me was forgiving them before we made the purchase. The following day I felt much better. I think my better half was bitter a while longer, than I was. The good thing is we are solid enough in our relationship that these minor annoyances don't disrupt our relationship - that's the greatest gift I have been given!

Blessed Be...