Oh! Gross!

​Yuk! Gross!  A plugged toilet. A few strong plunges by my dear husband (dh) opened the pipe for a few days.  Then, no flow.  Dh tried the 3-foot diaper grabber snake.  Nothing.  Another round of strong plunges appeared to do the trick.  Nope.  I was determined to figure out the cause of the blockage, so I picked up the diaper grabber and went to work.  If you have never used one, picture a stiff rubber L-shaped tube enclosing a metal spring with 4 inches extending out the short end and a 3 foot rod with crank handle out the other.  Once the end with the spring is inserted into the bowl exit as far as possible, you crank with the handle on the other end causing the spring to wind itself through bowl pipe.  The theory is the spring will grab onto the item causing the blockage for removal. 
 
With determination and a large dose of ‘I can do anything stubbornness’, I cranked and I cranked.  After what I considered sufficient cranking, I back-cranked to remove the snake  It would not come out!  Hmm. What was blocking the toilet?  I cranked and pulled and pulled some more.  Finally, I was able to retrack the snake.  Low and behold there was a small amount of debris on the spring.  Close inspection revealed it to be roots.
 
Our next step was to call in the plumber.  He removed the toilet to get access to the blocked pipe revealing the blackwater pipe surrounded by tree roots with a thin tendril slithered into the pipe through a crack.  Once inside the pipe, the root expanded into a 2-foot long horsetail-like growth.
 
It reminded me of my life.  Sometimes I surround myself with unhealth habits or friends with sinful lifestyle struggles.   I believe I am strong enough to resist the temptation to involve myself in similar situations and sins.  What I don’t think about is a tiny break in my resistance can result in a whole host of sin.  I am not always able to see how I got myself into the situation or how to get myself out of it.  I need a Christian friend, pastor, or small group to show me my problem and help me get back onto a good path.
 
Before reinstalling the toilet, the plumber removed the surrounding roots, added table salt around the pipe as a deterrent, filled up with root-free space with packing to limit regrowth and replaced the broken flange with a new stronger flange.
 
In Col 3:8-10,16 the Apostle Paul gives us sin-deterrence guidance, “But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him…Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. “