Still (Never) Living Without Power
A 70 mph windstorm knocked our power out this past week. Everything went down. No running water. No heat. No cooking on the electric stove. Living without power is hard. But, there is one help my hubby, John added in the last few years; a small generator.
The hardest part of losing power comes when the sun goes down. We have a dilemma. Run the fridge, plug in a lamp, or watch television, but not all at the same time. Bright orange and yellow extension cords snake through my kitchen and living area to the generator on the porch.
I take so much for granted when we have power; stove burners work, water runs out of the tap, and the thermostat brings up the heat. How did we manage without a generator when our kids were little?
This recent power outage stretched my limits because I had plans. #PowerIsOut Click To Tweet
No Power…But, I Had Plans
This recent power outage stretched my limits because I had plans. I looked forward to watching a Hallmark movie with my lunch. My hubby is not a Hallmark-watching-kind-of-guy, so I take advantage of these opportune moments to get my Hallmark fix.
The rest of the day’s plans included trying out a new way to brainstorm a book project and take a long walk in the fresh air. But I woke up at 4:00 a.m. to no power. I called the electric company to get a restoration estimate. Unfortunately, the outage maps show the whole state of Connecticut got clobbered. Living in the boonies means we are usually last to get our power back. I took a deep breath and accepted that I would be powerless for a while.
My plans got disrupted. I can’t start the generator myself, so I feel a bit caged and frustrated. Usually, I take this powerless thing in stride, but I’m out of sync and disappointed.
Out of Power; Out of Sync
I didn’t walk because of trees and wires on the road. So, I read, wrote in my journal, and looked out the window to check for repair crews. Without running the generator, it simplified things. Nothing to plug or unplug until John got home to start the generator.
Once he arrived home we fired up the generator and heated leftovers on the hotplate. We read by flashlight and then settled down for sleep; no lights needed for that.
Being without power is exhausting. Everything takes more time, energy, and synchronizing to keep things running. I can tell you, it is the same in my spiritual life.
Being without #power is exhausting. Everything takes more time and energy. The generator is an #AlternatePowerSource but I need to plug it in. Click To Tweet
When I am Spiritually Unplugged
When I am unplugged from my spiritual power source, I deplete faster than the rechargeable batteries in my flashlight. But I keep running like the Energizer Bunny even though I can’t power all my devices at once.
As I sat in the dim light, I made some spiritual connections…
Because of the Holy Spirit within me, I am never without power.
Trying to do things in my own strength is like switching plugs around. It’s exhausting.
Tap into God’s power even for the small stuff, not just as a last resort.
Let go of things that are out of my control and of less importance.
I need to remember that I am never powerless despite what life brings my way. #BeConnected to #GodsPower Click To Tweet
I guess I need to remember that I am never powerless despite what life brings my way. This storm is a good reminder that even though life can be a juggling act, God is the One who shows me what to engage in and when. That way, His power shines in and through anything I attempt. He simply asks that I stay connected.
Tell me about your power stories. Do you have hints that helped you survive? How about staying spiritually powered up? Share your comments below.
Jeanne
Images courtesy of Jeanne Doyon
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Amen Ms. Jeanne. We are never “powerless” my friend. My “Power Story” comes from a week, six months after we had moved the Texas and bought the ranch. In a very rare ice storm and cold spell, we lost power for four days. With my wife needing medical devices, it didn’t take long for me to wrangle up enough pieces and parts (deep cycle battery, power inverter, etc.) to create an alternate power source to keep her machines operational. No television, etc., and God took care of keeping the food cold for a few days (we did lose more than I had hoped for though). Still, we managed through. I was concerned how my “city girl” wife was going to handle this, but we both got through it mostly unscathed. The next year, we purchased a whole house backup generator that automatically comes on when power is lost. Which reminds me, I’d better get that oil changed soon. 🙂 God’s blessings ma’am; and I thank God for Mr. John.
J.D. I am sorry to hear about your wife’s illness. I am sure His power was needed for both of you during that time. I appreciate your thoughts today. Wise man for sure!
Jeanne, Thanks for sharing. A reminder of how silly it is to plug into a temporary energy source (entertainment, a person, a job) when we have an invitation to be fully powered through the Holy Spirit.
I remember many times as a kid without power and that those were magical days. No school. Life slowed down. Everybody went out in the snow to play. As an adult I’m more tempted to see it as an interruption instead of a gift. Letting go of those things over which we have no control…it starts out as frustrating but ends up usually feeling freeing. Helps me savor the more simple and precious things.
Barb, I love how you have painted this picture of what it was like as a child. Maybe this is a key to seeing the slow downs as God intends. Freeing. Fun. Precious. Thanks for your thoughts on this.
My husband is an “almost” prepper. We have stacks of dried emergency food in our garage, along with lanterns and coleman stoves. He bought a generator, too. The last time we were without power we had breakfast on the Coleman stove out on the patio. It does make us stop and become thankful for our conveniences we take for granted. It also reminds us as you said, “Tap into God’s power, even for the small stuff, not as a last resort.” Yes we should because it all comes from Him. That small stuff is important, too. Thanks for sharing and I hope you weren’t without power too long!
Hi Barbara, I can understand your hubby’s need to be prepared! We fill water buckets, change batteries, and even used MRE’s in the past when power has been out for days on end. And you are right. So often the power down is a blessing that helps us be thankful for everything we have. And, when we receive it as a gift, it can actually be fun and liberating to be unplugged with the world and reconnected with each other and God. Thanks for stopping by and for your comment.
I loved this Jeanne, “I guess I need to remember that I am never powerless despite what life brings my way.” So thankful for the Holy Spirit’s power within.
LuAnn, thanks for your comment. Yes, the Holy Spirit within us!! Power that we cannot comprehend.