still "flex-ing"...

It's been a while...my keys are a bit cob-webbed.  Life has kept us at a pace and sitting and writing some days seems a waste of my time.  But, in keeping with the theme of my last post, I figured I'd remind myself that I'm again in the state of being flexible.  

We are 36 hours in the wake of Irene and still waiting for our power to come back on. And, if I let myself go there {which I MIGHT have done once or twice} I could really begin to hate Irene and her wrath.  Honestly, I KNOW we have minor MINOR damage to contend with.  Other than lots of limbs down in the backyard and leaves plastered everywhere, we have pretty much come out unscathed.  It could be worse...for sure.

But, I'm shallow enough to think that 36 hours without electricity and water is a big deal.  Being inconvenienced just makes me stew.  And I know that's not okay. 

So I figure that if I write it all out here and get it out of my system, then maybe it'll go away and I'll remember that I'm supposed to be flexible and get a grip.

Today is my kids first day of school.  

It's Nick's last first day of High School and Emma's first day of High School.  

And, because it's ideal to start the first day of school clean, we slept over at my parent's house last night.  

{I almost took it for granted- that's a blessing and something to be thankful for, now, isn't it?}

None of us slept well, which is not the ideal way to start the year off.  

{But, we did have beds, and that's something}  

There are certain traditions that I wanted to keep up with...and new ones I had hoped to start.  

But I'm feeling just kind of "off", you know?  Out of my element.  

And so the things I'd hoped to start out with this morning just didn't happen.  

{Although I happened to overhear my dad take Emma aside and pray over her day, 

and that's something that he would not have been able to do if we'd been getting ready in our own house...

so that's something to be thankful for, too.}

After dropping the kids off at school I stopped by the house to see if there's any clean-up happening down the road.  The source of the power outage is a huge tree that fell, taking wires down with it.  The tree AND the lines are still down.  The street is deserted...no bucket truck or flashing lights in sight.  

According to the PPL website, none will be seen for at least another day or two...or more:

"We estimate power to most customers in your area will be back on by 5:30 PM on 08/31/2011. This repair estimate is based on the latest information available, and could change if repairs are more difficult than anticipated. 

Thank you for your patience."

I'm trying...I'm trying to be patient, really I am.  

I'm trying to be flexible and not get grumpy over the fact that things are just not the way I planned for them to be this week.  I'm trying to remember that a few states over from us are people who have been WAY more inconvenienced than me. 

I'm trying to remember to be grateful for the fact that I'm sitting outside on my parents patio 

USING WIRELESS

 CLEAN FROM A RECENT SHOWER

WAITING FOR THE DRYER TO RUN ITS CYCLE

ENJOYING A CUP OF COFFEE

And if I have to do it all over again tomorrow

and the next day

{heaven forbid}

then, I can 

and I will.

I spent the better part of a week in the 
African jungle two summers ago.

No running water {EVER}

No electricity {EVER}

No coffeepot with an on-switch

No bathroom with flush mechanism

No little button for my garage door

No freezer

No sink

No wireless

No computer

No modern convenience of ANY kind...

and it was OKAY.

I WAS OKAY...

{Truth be told, I loved every minute of it}

SO, to myself I will say

SUCK

IT

UP

And find a place of continuous joy

even if it means being flexible

again

This too shall pass...

"Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory

 that is greater than anything we can imagine."

II Corinthians 4:17