We have lights and air conditioning!

We often become nostalgic and long for the “good old days” when children played outside games such as Hide and Go Seek, Tag and chasing lightening bugs in jars while parents sat on the front porch enjoying the evening.

As of Friday evening, I remember those days more clearly now. We played outside as children, and sat in the porch swing each evening after dinner was cooked, dishes washed and floors swept – in order to escape the heat!

Even with the windows open, fans blowing and even with a window air conditioning unit, most of the house was sweltering in the summer and freezing in the winter. (Loved the vent in the floor when my parents had an oil furnace. We would stand over the vent in order to get warm.) I now remember the discomfort of the weather, the mosquito bites, the hot attic room and the fact that my body does not cope well in hot weather.

As many of you know, we had a terrible storm Friday evening in Virginia. In our neighborhood, it didn’t seem that severe. Very windy and a lot of lightning but little rain.

Our lights flickered and then – darkness! Fortunately, we have several candles and flashlights. We do not have screens on our windows so we could not open the windows to allow fresh air in. The temperature rose and my love for nostalgia dwindled. Temporarily, anyway.

We stayed two nights in the stifling house before finding a hotel room in a town about twenty minutes away. They had lights, air, hot water and a internet access.

My husband logged onto my laptop computer while I read and thought about our poor kitties who were all alone in the dark, warm house. They had food and water and cool ceramic tiles to lie on but I couldn’t help but worry. Silly, I know. I grew up in worse conditions and didn’t even notice! It appears that I am spoiled by the luxuries we often take for granted.

Nostalgia is a nice place to “visit” but I wouldn’t want to live there!

As for the storm, many people had trees falling on their home, there were reports of utility poles snapping, power outages in at least three states! People lost their lives. When I think of what could have happened, we were blessed!

What about the kitties? They are happily running around the house, chasing each other and getting as close to us as possible. They were fine. We noticed that their toys had been moved so they must have had some play time.

I am praying for those who are still without power or a place to live and dealing with the highest temperatures this year. We are especially thankful for those wonderful people who are working so hard to clean up the rubble and to restore power.
We were told we may not have power until Saturday. It is Monday and our lights are on, the air is working and the refrigerator is cleaned , cooled and ready to be filled with good food.

Sometimes the Lord allows storms in our lives and we think we can not endure but He will give us the grace when we look trust Him – the One light which will never grow dim. Jesus, the Light of the world who takes away the sins of the world…