Shifting Gears

There’s big difference between not having electricity and being powerless and it’s not just semantics either.  During the last 2 weeks the burning question on everyone’s lips has been “do you have power?” – it didn’t take me long to realize that even when we were living in the dark (literally, not figuratively) we still had power.  We are very blessed in that we still had choices – we had resources to cook (Coleman camp stove), light a portion of our home (Coleman lantern), stay warm (throw another log on the fireplace please) and take a hot shower (fitness center, daughter’s digs).  Never were we without options on how to live – had we so desired we could have rented a hotel room, eaten out every night or even hopped a plane to a warmer climate.  We had no electricty but we did have power.

Many thanks to my parents – they taught me personal responsibility, saving for a rainy day, do unto others as you would have them do unto you and that nothing lasts forever (including a power outage).  If you too were the recipient of countless parental phrases that you swore you’d never repeat to your kids then you understand.  For full disclosure, yes, I said these and many others to my daughters and I have a hunch they are going to be repeated to a couple of little girls who live in Iowa!

Happy Friday – enjoy your weekend, embrace your family and count your blessings.  End of sermon!