Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Drip (04/25/13)
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TITLE: More Than Just A Leaky Faucet | Previous Challenge Entry
By Debora Dyess
05/01/13 -
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Lindsey cringed as tears welled in her eyes. All she’d wanted to do was get him to listen to her concerns about their budget. She’d come in from work exhausted and knew he was tired, too, but there never seemed to be any time to sit and talk anymore.
My timing was horrible, she thought as she went into the kitchen. “I’ve become a nag,” she told the bowl of fruit on the table. “I never thought I’d be such a pain in the neck when I got married.” She took a bite of an apple and chewed slowly. “I bet Justin never thought I’d be such a pain, either.”
Drip, drip, drip …
Lindsey glanced to where tiny droplets of water bounced off the bottom of the empty sink. That was another thing she’d meant to mention to him. ‘Mention’ was probably a mild word for what she’d had in mind, she thought, watching the water ping off the stainless steel.
She walked to the refrigerator, pulled a carefully labeled freezer bag of chicken from inside and set it on the counter. She’d busy herself until Justin returned, she decided, and then they could talk more calmly.
Drip, drip, drip …
“Man,” Lindsey said aloud, “that’s not bad for a few minutes, but it sure gets irritating after a while.” She sighed. “Now I’m talking to myself. Great.”
She continued working in the kitchen, putting away the few dishes she’d hastily washed that morning before leaving for work and wiping down the cabinet that she’d missed in her rush.
Her mother had always made the juggle of home and work look easier than it felt to Lindsey. Somehow she’d even managed to throw car-pool mom and PTA president into the mix. Lindsey sighed. The thought of adding anything to her day freaked her out. It was all she could do to manage her and Justin.
Drip, drip, drip …
Lindsey looked again at the faucet. “That’s nothing but irritating!” she said. “It’s like … it’s like … “ Her face fell. “It’s like me.”
She thought of her precious time with Justin. Lately all she’d been doing was bugging him about things that needed to be taken care of around the house. She’d felt overwhelmed and taken advantage of because of the hours of overtime he’d taken on for the past few weeks. They’d agreed to the extra hours at work to help pay off his student loan, but as the days of extra work for both of them wore on, it seemed to Lindsey like he’d gotten the easier end of the deal.
Drip, drip, drip …
“Lord,” Lindsey prayed, "I want to be more than just a leaky faucet to my husband. I want to be someone who blesses him and allows him to bless me, too. I want to be the woman that You made me to be, not a bitter nag. Life right now is hard, so please give me the strength to get through it as You want me to – gracefully and graciously.”
A voice came from behind her, and for a second Lindsey thought that maybe God was answering in a way that even she couldn’t miss.
“You are a blessing, Lindsey.”
She spun to face Justin and hesitated before she stepped toward him. He closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms.
“I love you,” they said together.
“I’m sorry I’ve been nagging you,” Lindsey buried her face in Justin’s shirt and breathed the scent of his cologne. The tension in her mind and body seemed to slip away.
“I’m sorry, too.” Justin squeezed her lightly and then looked down at her. “How about we talk about the budget over dinner. I’ll cook. And then,” he grinned, “we can fix that faucet.”
Lindsey grinned. "Deal."
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