Then I thought, "Maybe the pilot light went out?" So I climbed the stairs, went into the attic, and looked at the water heater...sure enough, no blue flame.
Now, the dilemma...do I call one of the men in the church to come light my pilot, or do I attempt to do so myself? I had heard stories of exploding water heaters and was a bit timid about attempting such a simple task...I am NOT a handy man!! For example, I took the back off the toilet and pulled the plug myself for a month because I didn't know how to attach the chain to the lever! (Just kidding...I'm not that stupid)
After considering all the things that could go wrong, and the fact that I had not had my shower yet, I reluctantly struck the match and successfully got our hot water back!! I didn't blow up the house or catch the insulation on fire! Mission accomplished!
Not many of us "spiritual handy-mans." When something goes wrong in our lives, oftentimes we don't know whether to try to fix the problem ourselves or call someone else for help. Personally, I think that it depends on the problem. Some problems can be fixed on our own with a little more prayer, bible study, or encouragement. On the flip side, some problems require assistance from someone trained in that area. For example, I may be able to light a pilot, but I certainly could not install a water heater! Along the same line, you may be able to handle a day or two of melancholy, but you are certainly not equipped to diagnosis depression...that's when you need some help.
If I can ever be that "someone" that you need to help you thru a time of difficulty, don't hesitate to call. And heck, if you need to have the pilot to your water heater lit, I can do that too!
