A Blessing of Friends and a Freezer
July 9, 2020
This year I decided to work really hard on family finances
to get us out of debt and living on a budget.
Along with that was cooking more homemade meals and building
up our food storage. We got out of debt within a couple months (YAY!) and were
even able to start saving some money. We were doing really well even when Covid-19
hit I was able to buy extra items so I didn’t have to go to the store as frequently
as I usually do.
A couple weeks ago we moved into our new house on base and
luckily were able to transfer all of our food items. We put our freezer in the garage
(which was given to me by my parents about a year ago…a blessing in itself).
Then a couple days ago I went out into the garage to get some food from the
freezer and noticed a big puddle of water by the freezer. I opened up the door and all my food was
thawing and ice was melting like it was raining.
I hurried to tell Gerret. We looked at it and realized the
seal was broken along with the hinge but I found out if you kick the door shut
it would go back. Then we sealed the other side with duck tape so the door
wouldn’t open.
I came back later to check how it was holding up and most of my
food was halfway thawed. The freezer was over ten years old so we knew there
was no warranty to cover it. We quickly
talked over our finances and I left to find a freezer. (I’m not going to lie; I
was really bummed about using our savings but feeling blessed we didn’t have to
use our credit card). I was out for about 3-4 hours checking all the stores,
calling and even went to an appliance shop to see if they could fix it but just
looking at the freezer would cost $100 just to give me a diagnostic and other charges for parts and labor I figured I better just keep looking. But no one
had a freezer within 150 miles. They were on backorder for 3-4 months due to
Covid-19. The factories weren’t making and sending them. When all else failed I
came to the realization I better get home and start calling people to see if
they wanted food and was going to give it away. On the way home at a traffic
light a truck right next to me was a business saying they fixed appliances/
etc. I ended up calling them but in the end I didn’t feel good about it.
It was a long day and so to make a joke out of it and get
some humor in my time of distress I wrote a post on Facebook that said,
“Oh 2020 you and your funny little games 😒🤣
In 2019 when everyone was talking about "The roaring twenties" and
parties I think you misunderstood. My freezer just went out and it has been a
game of hide and seek trying to find a new one before my food is ruined....I'm
loosing.... badly. Even the duck tape isn't keeping it shut enough 😂
No store within 150+ miles has one.
Peace out 🤣😒 Wish me luck.”
Thoughts of losing all this food with how hard we worked to
save and store it kept brought me down. How was I ever going to build it back up
or even choose on what to keep and give away. I said out loud “Lord please
bless me!” in a way of pleading to him to help me find a way to build up my
freezer and to accept that I was about to lose all this food. After a few minutes, I decided to try and be optimistic and look at it as an opportunity to serve.
Maybe somebody needed the bread, chicken, and veggies more than me. It was pretty fun seeing their faces of
confusion when I knocked and had a handful of frozen bread, chicken nuggets and veggies, and
whatever else I had extra of. I went
into the kitchen to see what I could get rid of in my fridge freezer to make
room for the chicken I wanted to keep. I was also cooking all the frozen Rhodes
rolls since they were thawing anyway and anything else that I could whip up a
big dinner with to use as much food as possible. I had
the idea to then post on the Facebook Sales page to see if anyone was selling
one. In the meantime, I was texting friends if they needed food.
But not soon after friends (Dina any one of
the sisters I minister too) texted me back saying that they could store it for
me in their freezer until I get one. They even showed me pictures of how they
made room. I felt so loved and blessed since I was just planning on giving it
all away. But I didn’t want to keep it at their house long since they had
families and probably needed the room so I told them to eat the food if they
needed it.
Dina came to pick up
the food and brought her kids to play with my kids. I baked a TON of fries and
chicken nuggets to use more food up and they stayed for dinner. Gerret went to
drop off the rest at my other friend's house.
I checked my phone
after Dina left to see if anyone commented on my post of” ISO a freezer” and
saw a text from one of my other friends Layne saying she has a freezer for me.
I couldn’t believe it! I called her immediately.
She said it was
perfect because they were moving and she didn’t know what to do with it! I felt
so blessed! The Lord sent these angel friends in my life and I am grateful for
them.
I also feel like he
planned it out perfectly. He knew my freezer was going to die and it happened right
before my friend was moving and giving away her freezer. I thought; what if my
freezer broke after she gave away her freezer then I wouldn’t haven’t been able
to get a freezer since they are on backorder for 3-4months.
I went to pick it up
and it was perfect (It had more shelves then my original one). It even fit
inside my minivan. I felt so grateful. I even spray painted the front and it looks brand new! My heart is so full right now.
It was definitely a
trial of faith and I feel like the Lord heard my prayer. I am grateful to
everyone who showed me such love and kindness. It makes me want to reach out
and help others like you helped me.
May the Lord bless you and may you ever be grateful!
-Amy Horikami.
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