How many gallons of water does it take to bathe five people?

"Necessity is the mother of invention." This saying rang true in our kitchen last night when my innovative better half came up with a solution to our showering dillema. Just in case any of you find yourself in a similar situation, take note. It was a wonderful temporary fix---the water gallon jug shower.

We warmed bottled water on the stove and poured it with a funnel into an empty water jug with a twist top. Harland then poked holes into the cap. Tada!!! A shower was born.

We took turns putting people in the tub and pouring warm water over them as they lathered up. We all had what amounted to a cleaning that was pretty similar to a real shower. It was also relatively painless to boot. It was a little chilly in the tub with water being intermittent, but better than our alternatives.

So.. how many gallons did it take? Let me preface the answer with the horrifying fact that we figured up that we used 10,000 gallons of water a month in Ft. Worth. That amounts to about 333 gallons a day. We all took showers with 4 gallons total. We have come to love clean water and will be emerging from these couple of weeks of indoor camping as conservationists. That is a good thing all around, but especially since we will be having water hauled to our house or hauling it ourselves.

Friday is the day for city water to begin--- if all goes well. I restocked on paper plates, cups, and utensils just in case, and I am headed to the laundramat for laundry-fest round two. As a side note, our youngest had a stomach virus Saturday. You should try that one with no water. Yuck. Thankfully, no one else got it. Thankfully, someone can fix our water situation. Thankfully, we have the money in the bank to have it fixed. Thankfully, we know the One who offers living water.

Hosea 10:12 "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you."