I DID NOT lose my power in the ice storm that swept through TN. last week. Oh wait . . . I did! We lost our power but not our joy!! Joy is in Jesus.
Craig and I live on 10 acres in a rural area. On Thursday, January 28th an ice storm blew through, coating every surface with several layers of ice. On Friday afternoon more sleet resulted in about 2 inches of solid ice. Around 4:00 I was standing at my front door, surveying the mysterious beauty of the iced landscape, when I saw a huge limb snap off a pine tree and drop to the ground in a pile of green needles and icicles. Almost simultaneously a loud explosion signaled the transformer had blown. Suddenly no power, no water (we are on a well), no internet, and no phones. My house became eerily silent. We had no way of knowing it would be Tuesday afternoon before our power would be restored. I thought you might enjoy seeing a photo-journal of the intermittent days.
Caption's Log-Friday, January 29, 2010
4:00 p.m. Power outage. Strangely, the silence that follows is both refreshing and strange. Because Craig and I suffer from terminal optimisim (although trust me, this world has doen all it can to beat it out of us-but we refuse to give it up) we assumed it would be quicly restored.
5:30 p.m. Still believing we are moments away from have our power restored. Andy and Dianne Maybee (neighbors who love us and did not lose their power) brought down piping hot beef stew and homemade cornbread. Soup-it does a body good. As does the kindness of the family of God!
8:00 p.m. Candle light illuminates the den. We use the gas logs in the den's fireplace to heat-and I use that word loosely-the house. Both boxers and our cat make an uneasy peace in order to be in the same room with the heat.
8:15 p.m. Nothing left to do but go to sleep in a cold and dark house.
Caption's log-Saturday-January 30, 2010
8:00 a.m. Slept in. Few reasons to get up. No power. Joy intact.
9:00 a.m. The Maybees invite us to breakfast. Eat. Shower. Charge laptop. Enjoy some of the sweetest fellowship this side of heaven.
10:00 a.m. Enjoy the luxury of reading without being concerned about what else I need to do.
3:00 p.m. Enjoy a cup of hot coffee from the thermos the Maybees filled for us.
4:30 p.m. Cook hamburgers on the gas grill. Darkness falls quickly and it is hard to tell if they are undercooked or overcooked.
6:00 p.m. Watched a DVD on our laptop.
8:30 p.m. Battery dies on laptop. Time for bed. The temperature drops to 14 degrees. I wear earmuffs, scarf, and gloves to bed. Since it is so cold outside, think it is a great idea to put 1 and a half gallons of milk on the steps outside.
Caption's Log-Sunday, January 31, 2010
7:00 a.m. Decide that wasn't the best idea we've ever had.
9:00 a.m. Maybee's feed us breakfast. Hot shower feels very good. Hot coffee-yum. Sweet friends and fellowship-priceless. Church is canceled to the the weather and icy roads. We spend the afternoon reading.
4:00 p.m. Begin the process of getting ready for the evening. Once it gets dark, that's all she wrote folks.
5:00 p.m. Hamburgers on the grill. This time we compensate for the early darkness.
6:00 p.m. Start our movie on the laptop.
9:00 p.m. Battery dies. Off to bed.
Caption's Log-Monday, February 1, 2010
8:00 a.m. Wake up to no power. Joy still intact.
9:00 a.m. Return to the Maybees for breakfast, coffee, and hot shower. Blessed to peices.
10:30 a.m. Dissassemble the Standing Near the Cross Ministries desktop computer. Drive to Renae Terrell's. Set it up on the kitchen table. Craig, Renae, and I work and giggle. We dub it "Ministry on the Move." Our life is not to be beleived! Seriously!!
3:30 p.m. Return home and begin the evening preparation.
4:30 p.m. Dinner and a movie. Early to bed. Joy, not only intact, but overflowing.
Caption's Log-Tuesday, February 2, 2010
7:00 a.m. Up early. This is what I saw when I opened my eyes.
10:00 a.m. Pack up my entire vanity and half my closet. Craig and I head to Renae's. She fixes us breakfast. I shower and dress to go and speak to the Metro Conference of Children's Ministers and Directors. Renae and Craig go with me and work me book table. Had a wonderful time speaking. Met great folks who are committed to serving "the least of them."
1:15 p.m. Power is restored. We lost our power but never our joy!! Our joy is firmly rooted in the Lord Jesus Christ. And in light of the cross, this was a small inconvenience.
Linked to Not Me Monday.