About one o’clock this afternoon, a storm blew through. It came very fast and buffeted us pretty hard for a bit.
And of course, inevitably, the power went out.
When the rain cleared, the machines in the house remained silent, so once I figured out how to open the garage door without benefit of pushing buttons (there was a latch, you see), we went off to do an errand that involved printing, notarizing and overnighting.
Back an hour or so later. Still silence and semi-darkness.
So, since the skies were definitely clearing, it was into exercise clothes, then into the stroller then onto the bike and down to the park.
Back at 6. Still nothing. Luckily, our stove and hot water heater are natural gas-fueled, so dinner could happen anyway, and soon after that showers.
All this time, I could hear a truck somewhere, a street or so over, so I knew the problem was being addressed.
But it was really no problem. It was daylight, the storm had cooled the air a bit, and in the quiet, with the fed, clean boys off playing Legos, I could think about Exiles.
And think about another storm, abut suffering, chance, blunders, bad luck and glimpses of mercy, I knew I had not a thing to complain about. I may have thought I did, but I knew I didn’t. Do you see the difference?
past all
Grasp God