Wow. What a week! We began the week with an earthquake which is not typical for the area in which we live. There wasn't any damage to our home and we were not hurt but the kids were a little uncertain of what was going on since it was a new experience for them. Their understanding of earthquakes in general was formed after the earthquake in Japan this spring so their uneasiness was certainly understood.
We ended the week with a hurricane that produced heavy winds and ongoing rain. Weather reports throughout the storm were keeping everyone on their toes worried about possible flooding, widespread power outages, and likely other property damage due to heavy winds and downed trees. As the storm moved out of our area we felt blessed that we did not suffer any damages to our home and did not experience any flooding. We were however, left without power for a few days.
The week was humbling to say the least. It was yet another powerful reminder of how little control we have over so much in our lives. It reminded me of how quickly things can change from day to day and minute to minute. The weather events brought back front center the recognition that most tangible things really have little importance. Your priorities get in check and you begin to see what really matters.
The power outages reminded us of the many ways that folks pull together in a storm. There were memories created of family who brought us ice in a cooler to keep some perishable food and drinks safe and readily available, doughnuts, and their calming presence. This was key for the children to see that all was really ok. There were good friends who brought us additional ice, hot coffee (they know us all too well), and allowed us to borrow a working outlet in their house so we could cook a crock pot meal. There were neighbors who also shared their generator with us. This new found source of power allowed us to plug in our refrigerator which created a peace within my soul. I was afraid of losing all of my precious freezer meals that help to keep me sane during the weekday rush! Amen. In addition, neighbors who ventured out into the world by car were asking what others needed and a third sharing of hot coffee was discovered on my porch from yet another neighbor one early morning. Overall, it was nice to see more of our neighbors outside and this lack of power for a few days got people talking and helped to further that all too important sense of community that we all so desperately need in this world.
Since reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, I have since kept up my list of things that I am grateful for each day. I find for me personally that keeping this list really helps me to slow down to see the simple blessings embedded within each day. I found myself listing many things during this storm. Being purposeful about gratitude did help me to remain more peaceful within this storm. Being purposeful about gratitude does cause a shift in negative thinking period.
I will end this post in hopes that this week is a little less eventful, weather wise anyway.
Side note...weather wise it was uneventful. It quite nice actually so far. Having a lack of power and scrmabling to enjoy those fleeting moments of summer, now that's a different story alltogether.
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