by Joanie Butman
My daughter introduced me to a new term last week by sharing an interesting trivia fact: The busiest industry on Black Friday is not retail as most would presume, it’s actually plumbing. The phenomenon is known as Brown Friday. When she mentioned it, my mind immediately flashed back to the plethora of Thanksgiving plumbing issues we’ve suffered over the years when the number of guests far exceeded our septic system’s capabilities!
On another level, we can probably all agree the Thanksgiving table can be a cesspool for all kinds of emotional, familial and/or political manure. Some issues have been simmering for years and just boil over in unexpected or, more often, routinely expected ways. There isn’t a plumber alive capable of cleaning up that mess! No, those situations require a Divine Roto-Rooter. A healthy serving of God’s grace and the fruit of the Spirit is the only solution to dissolve familial hairballs, built up grime, and the frequent backup of long-held resentments. Let’s face it, we all have a family member or members notorious for stuffing things down the toilet, or your throat, that they’re not supposed to. Or, if you can’t think of one, maybe it’s you. We’ve all been an EGR (extra grace required) at some point or another. Either way, Jesus offers a remedy for both.
Our family thanksgiving plumbing issues were always fixable given the right tools and expertise. A healthy dose of humor helps as well. We’ve also had our share of familial drama that requires a different type of treatment, which takes longer and is more challenging to resolve. For those kind of backups, there is only one number to call – a Heavenly 911. Jesus can dissolve and resolve the most stubborn clogs – the ones in the heart.
So, if you are suffering from too much family, why not choose to call on Jesus to get your pipes flowing again with His kind of Drano. It comes with a guarantee to restore your soul to working order. His expertise is unrivaled and is capable of flushing out the kind of issues a snake can’t reach. He always has appointments available, is on call 24/7, and free of charge. Now that’s the kind of plumber we all need in our contacts.
Happy Thanksgiving!