Greetings! I had planned to write this last weekend, but alas…my internet was out.
A couple weeks ago, storms seemed to have raged across the country. During those storms, my power went out. It was Wednesday around midnight…or maybe Thursday around 12:30 AM. Regardless, it kicked off my fan which caused this 54-year-old lady to awaken. Storms grew, and I pondered getting out of bed. However, I was tired. So, I rolled over and asked God to watch over my home and the homes in our county, and I thankfully fell back to sleep. Warm, but sleep nonetheless.
The next morning, my cell dinged telling me we were having a virtual day. However, my electric was out, so I threw on some clothes…and headed to school. I can’t teach virtually in a house without electricity. Thankfully, before class was dismissed, my electricity was restored. Or…was it?
It seemed like I had electric, but…it was on an uneven path. By the following Wednesday, it was evident that though I had power…I didn’t have full power. Duke came out twice the next day while I was at school. When I returned home, I flipped the switch, and the lights were on. However, when I turned on the kitchen light, the living room light went off. When I opened the fridge door, the light was on “dim”. Hmmm, I called Duke.
The customer service associate assured me that Duke had been to my address TWICE. They verified the meter was working. They replaced “something” that wasn’t working. She said it in a way that made me think she was about to dismiss me, so I said, “That may be true…but while we’ve been on the phone…the light next to me…just went off.” She made a call. She created a new ticket. “I’m guessing they won’t be here until tomorrow, right?” She replied that she had no way of knowing, so I hoped.
An hour later…a Duke truck slowly passed my house. I went outside and waited until the tech got out of the truck. I watched him check with my neighbors and NONE of them were having any issues. So, I explained how my washing machine was sitting full of water because there wasn’t enough power to finish the cycle. He assured me that he would work to figure out the issue. And….he did. Or did he?
My washing machine….kicked on. My fridge light was on full power. And…while the washing machine agitated, the technician said, “Turn on the vacuum. Let’s make sure you’re full power.” I did. It did. The house had power.
So, I turned on the TV and ….my modem was blinking. I tried the reset. I called the help desk. They said, “You just need a new modem”. On Saturday (2 days later), the new modem didn’t work when it arrived. So, they scheduled a home visit. Their tech couldn’t be here until Monday. Goodness… was I thankful for my hotspot. You don’t know how much you depend on something until it’s gone.
On Monday, the tech arrived about 3:35. An hour later, he had it up and running. Power was restored to my electricity and my online connection.
During this two week period, I have thought a lot about power. I thought about how as a teacher…by the 4th nine-weeks, it seems like I’m running on fumes. Some years more-so than others. This is one of those years. I love my kids. I love teaching. Alas, we’re under 30 days to go, and….I’m ready to rest. Sometimes, to be ready to go full-steam ahead, you have to rest and rejuvenate. I know the school year wasn’t established for that reason, but….He knew. He knew that the people He called to teach would need to rest and recharge in order to rise to the huge task of educating children. I’m thankful.
Then, as I have a lot in the past few years…and especially during these past four months, I pondered my spiritual life and my commitment to my church family and its ministry. To be honest, the past five or so years have been….draining. Yet, I had joy. In the midst of the tears of watching people I love exit our doors and find a new church family, I had peace. In the storm of discord and pot-stirring, I trusted. Through the joy…and the peace…and the trusting…I found myself becoming spiritually exhausted.
Yet, I knew the power source. As I reflect on the valley, I realized I could’ve “plugged in” more consistently and firmly. I often think in analogies and figuratively, and …. I have realized that I was a lot like my “loose outlet” that should be replaced. Because the plug wasn’t held securely, my spiritual power wasn’t as strong as it should’ve been. Duke discovered that my ground-wires weren’t connected (or something like that…), when they were fixed…so was my power. The Spectrum tech determined that a squirrel or a broken branch probably nicked the cable, and he replaced it allowing the internet to flow completely. I didn’t need a special technician to fix my spiritual drain. I just needed to plug into the outlet, to get a new battery, to…be hit by the Ultimate Energy Source.
How do I do it? I need to plug into my power source. I have multiple Bibles. I need to open them more consistently than on Sunday and Monday. Thankful for my prayers and praise songs, but….I must do my part to help THE Technician fix my connection. Honestly, how God has led us to join with another congregation family has been a huge boost in my power connection. I’m so thankful for answered prayers and for seeing how God is moving in our midst. Looking back, I realize that if it hadn’t been for those hard years and those exits and changes….that we wouldn’t have been seeking His direction as earnestly…to know what our next step would be and should be. A reminder that God uses all things for our good – even when we don’t see it at the time, and for His glory. I can’t tell you how often I’ve had talks with friends and colleagues about “what” God is doing in the midst of our two congregations.
It seemed like Holy Saturday was perfect timing for this post. Yesterday, Good Friday was a reminder about the power of the blood. You see, Christ was and is the Son of God. He submitted himself to the will of Father God by being obedient to death on the cross. He could’ve come down from it. I mean, He is God. But…He didn’t. He stayed there. He took the pain of the whip. He experienced the hammering of the spikes (more appropriate than thinking of them as nails like I hang pictures with). He did that…not only because of God’s plan but because of…LOVE. He loved me. He loves you.
And…tomorrow…we’ll celebrate that though He was dead and buried that His Power was greater. Even greater than death itself.
Honestly, last night, as we sang the final song sitting in a dark sanctuary, I had to get up. As I sang the words that Chris Tomlin recorded, it was as if electricity was flowing through me…and I had to stand in His presence to sing those words.
At the cross, at the cross -I surrender my life
I’m in awe of You, I’m in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
And my sin washed white
I owe all to You, I owe all to You
If I possess any power, it’s because of Him being my Power Source. Let Him be yours too!
Jodi Lea Pflaumer, Author 