By Susan Shanklin

Tom just texted me at 6:45 a.m. from London that he was boarding and would be home soon. Well, I’ll see him about 5:30 or 6 p.m., that is. 

It’s always good to have my man back home after his in-country or out-of-country missions trips! 

Not only do I miss his charming and winning personality, but all the manly things he does for me.

When Tom was in Benin, Africa, in February, we had wicked weather and snow storms. 

Living in the country with a long circular driveway, Tom will don his heavy coat, ski mask hat, and gloves after a heavy snow, and fire up his 1949 Ford tractor with a front loader to push and scoop the snow away. I can then just hop in my all-wheel-drive car, and I’m off to town.

Not so in February! I had to shovel through drifts to the barn to take care of the hungry sheep and shovel from where I parked my car to the road. 

Being the smart woman of God that I am, I would at least park at the end of driveway, but far enough from road where the plow dumpings go, as it wouldn’t be so much to shovel. We had two storms that required major shoveling. Yes, I could call the neighbor but I know it’s not his favorite thing to do. I did have an offer from a LADY friend, Shannon, to help with the shoveling! Ha! 

Well, it’s not February, but MAY, here in Minnesota and the beginning of Spring. April was cold and snowy, so May should be in the 60s and 70s. We don’t plant gardens until May 15, which could be the last late frost date.

“No need for air conditioners,” Tom and I thought before he left for England. Should be perfect weather seeing we had a blizzard just 5 weeks ago!

Week one into Tom mission trip, I sense a change in the air, and reports coming from TV and internet, Look out, here comes some serious heat folks!

WHAT! Wait a minute; it’s May. We don’t get 90s in May.

O’ Lordy, Susan doesn’t do so “hot” in heat. We have an old brick farmhouse with no ductwork for central air, so we use window air conditioners on the first and second floor.

Lord help me. Lord give me wisdom. 

Ok, I got this… I open windows in the early morning for some cool air and shut by 6 or 7 a.m. Close the curtains and shutters. Ceiling fans on high. 

That’s not too bad. I can make it. But more 90s are on the way. 

I secure a box fan from the basement and put in the doorway leading to basement to pull up cool air. Yes, it pulls up cooler air but also nasty unfinished 1880s basement smelly air. 

Ella, the yellow lab, doesn’t seem to mind the smelly cool air from the fan. Way better than the hot porch!

One 90 degree day drags on to the next … and it’s not cooling at night … and it’s hot in the house. The thermostat in the dining room reads 79 in a closed up house. That would be hot even in winter, Ha. I’m melting.

I think, well, we have air conditioners. I know the others weigh a ton and a half, and that’s not going to happen. But I know that there is one that I “might” be able to lift;

I look around in the closets and I can’t find the air conditioners. When I talk to Tom, he says they’re in the basement stacked up on a table! I look there. I try to lift the smallest one and shake my head. 

It’s hot. It’s Memorial Day Weekend! I know my son in law who lives an hour and a half away would do it, but he and his family are going camping.

I know wonderful men at church who would do it, but feel rather uneasy about that too.

Did I mention it was memorial day weekend????

Folks, I’m hot. My house is hot. My dog is hot. 

I go down the winding stone steps to the basement and try to lift an awkward 5,000 BTU air conditioner up. Lord! 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens ME!”

I secure it in my arms, whirl around to go up the stone steps that are really a step and a half.

I huff and puff, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens ME!”

I make the turn on the steps and I have to set the conditioner down. I sigh, I grunt and pick it back up again. Oh man, it’s awkward and heavy for me. 

Come on Susan; you can do it! I just want to cry and give up but I don’t have a choice.

The bedroom is upstairs.

I plod upstairs setting it down two more times on the wooden steps. Once in the bedroom, I rest it on the window sill and open the window and shove it in, hanging on to it, so it doesn’t go flying out the window!

It doesn’t balance out right so I get a piece of board and put it under the air conditioner. I go into my art studio and grab some blue painter’s tape and seal all sides. I take pieces of foam and shove in bottom gaps.

It ain’t pretty, folks,  but it’s in!!!!!!!! I go to the garage for an extension cord and “Hallelujah Jesus!” We have AIR!!!

I lay on the bed and collapse. Me and Jesus put in an air conditioner!

I go next to the “little room,” aka grandkids’ guest room and drag out an old platform rocker. I put it in the bedroom and shut the door.

Heaven in a heat wave!

Me and Jesus survived a record May, 90-100 degree heat wave.

Always remember, YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS YOU!

I’m Cool,