Ice Cube Trays and Warning Signs

Ice, it's something, that when we were running out to The Island for retreats, was a necessity.  I had more than ten ice cube trays ready and waiting to go at a moment's notice to fill our trusty red water jug.  Going out to the island meant taking everything we needed - including cool, clean drinking water. 

Before big retreats I would make enough blocks of ice to fill a clean cooler.  When we would arrive on the island one of the first items at hand was to get clean drinking water running into the big refrigerated drinking fountain.  To hurry up the process we would dump ice into the water box.

Making ice was a necessity in a hot, dry place with no fancy ice making refrigerator or easy to buy bags of clean ice.

Every normal morning I would boil water to brew tea to have sweet tea for our lunch.  Even after several hours of sitting the water would still be fairly warm by the time I mixed up the tea at noon.  I needed cold water and ice every day.  

If I opened the freezer door and found none - I knew whose fault it was.  Mine and mine alone.  When things got hectic and stressful, making ice was one of the things I would push it off for later.  You see, I would have to get pure water from our ozone water purifier and it was no speedy process.  The water comes out slowly and I was always in a hurry.  

For awhile I had some help when I conscripted the services of the house helper I had for about a year or one of the boys.  But, usually the job was left for me.  Oh, to open that door and find no ice!  It was a sign of a bad lunch with luke warm tea, yucko not cold water for the ride to the island, and a sign of stress a-coming.

Over the years as I realized more and more the great need to keep those ice cubes ready and waiting, I worked hard to check my stock every night.  But,  there were always many other things about which to worry and sometimes the stacked trays were left unfilled.

Today my house jobs have gotten a little easier - fewer boys at home and no more Island.  I have fewer ice cubes trays in the freezer.  I don't even use our big freezer anymore.  I'm able to keep them full and usually don't have any major "ice meltdowns."  But every once and a while I get too busy, too stressed and have to
Let it Go!  Frozen fractals and all.

That's when I open the freezer door, realize my lapse, take a deep breathe, and start filling ice cube trays.  Empty ice cube trays are a warning sign that other things are probably also in need of filling - heart, mind, hours of sleep, happy conversations with my hubby, and time spent with God in prayer.

Found myself with no ice cubes and all worn out a few weeks ago.  Had to take a step back and get my priorities straight again.