The value of water

Water: it's free right?

I mean, I pay a water bill but that's to make sure the water that comes out the tap is clean. But, water itself, that's free. It falls from the sky (a lot) and it's just there waiting to be used.

But is it really?

I've just returned from Uganda where I was working on a Water and Sanitation project. Whilst I was away I discovered that water really does have a value. For me, living in the UK I expect clean, drinkable water to come out of the tap whenever I want. But, for some of the members of the community I was working in water had a value.

Water meant a trip down a steep valley.

It meant climbing back up with a jerry can of water, either 5, 10, 15 or 20L. 

It meant being late and tired for school as many children collected water before school.

It meant having to collect water again in the evening.

It was limited. 20L isn't that much.

But most importantly, water means life. Without water we wouldn't survive.

And yet, water is something I take for granted. So far this morning I've:

- filled the bath with water to soak my clothes.

- used the washing machine.

- had a cuppa.

- had a shower.

- flushed the toilet.

- washed my hands.

- hand washed some more clothes.

And all without thinking. 

I'm pretty disgusted with myself, I thought after a month of valuing the importance of water, of collecting the water from the valley (to realised how hard it was) to having limited water to shower/wash in, I would remember it's importance. But I've not. 

Jesus says:

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

John 4:13-14

And, like my ease of forgetting the importance of water, I also forget the importance of Jesus. Just because my life is currently full of water (yes, it's raining outside) doesn't mean I should forget water's value. But, more seriously, just because I feel okay, my life is going where I want it to, doesn't mean I should forget my Lord and my Saviour, my King and my friend, my support and my joy. And yet, I do. I forget that Jesus is everlasting life, that Jesus is who I should be worshipping in my every act, in my every thought, in my every breath. 

The Lost Hairbrush

I won't lie, it doesn't sound that exciting, but whilst cycling into town (after finding it) I was hit by a sudden realisation, which I thought I'd blog. 

So, a quick hairbrush summary, after returning from home to my student home I couldn't find my hairbrush, I searched my bag, but no luck. The result, I discovered combing my hair was a painful task.

Roughly six days later I rediscovered my hairbrush in my bag (which I had double/tripled check) my joy at finding it again was pretty huge. It sounds daft, but combing your hair is painful, so I was very glad to rediscover my hairbrush. 

So, what is the hairbrush's importance?

In the bible, Jesus tells this story: 

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:8-10

I had lost my hairbrush (importance a lot lower than a silver coin) however, I was slightly saddened by my loss, and whilst I admit my search for it was pretty poor, I did have great joy upon discovering my rather old and manky hairbrush.

So, how would I have felt if I had lost something of great importance?

How does God feel when we turn back to him? 

A lot happier than I did I bet!

But, what hit me was, I had to search for my hairbrush, how often do I search for those who are calling out to be found by God? Not as often as I should.

On a more amusing note, it appears I am not the only one who laments the loss of a hairbrush: