Cistern   sad   song

“Well, back down in the cistern again. I’m glad I don’t have to say that anymore.”

Unfortunately I’ve had to eat my words. About a month ago I wrote my article and called it Cistern Serenade. That’s what it sounded like when it started raining and filling our cistern back up.

As I explained in my earlier article, our 5000 gallon cement cistern went dry this winter apparently because of some cracks that had developed over the course of 36 years.

So after cleaning it out and patching the cracks we were all ready for plenty of water for my plants this summer.

And thanks to the guttering and a good downpour, in came the rain— but alas out went the rain, slowly but surely.

Evidently we had not found all the cracks. So back down in the cistern again.

I felt like crying, but I remembered what my mom always said, “Aw, just laugh and go on” and so that’s what I did—maybe a bit hysterically though.

I guess I can look at it this way. It’s good exercise for a 74-year old woman getting down in the cistern periodically.

Only I hope this is the last time. Jim patched the edges around the entire bottom this time instead of just what he thought might be cracks.

Of course, while down there, I said a little prayer appealing to the mercy of God that we would get all the cracks this time.

We thought we had them taken care of the first go round but since we didn’t, I’m reminded of Proverbs 27:1 in the Contemporary English Version that says, “Don’t brag about tomorrow! Each day brings its own surprises.”

And yes this was not a nice surprise, but I’m dealing with it. Life is too short to get stressed—for very long, at least. Ha

Love in Jesus,

God’s “down-in-the-cistern again” servant,
Liz Ray

Written April 28, 2012