A Cold Wind Blows

Who would have thought that the day would go like it did? We watched the news reports of the snows in other places. We rose this morning (Wednesday) knowing that it would be a cold day. The wind was blowing outside. The temperature was dropping. But we would be inside. It would not matter what it was like outside. We could get around. We could enjoy the day in the warmth of our houses, our offices and our schools.

Went off to church to have a normal Wednesday. Sitting at the desk, putting finishing touches on my thoughts for chapel, the lights begin to flicker. "Of course they will flicker," I thought, "it is terribly windy out." But they kept flickering. Getting up to see what the problem might be, I see the rest of the lights flickering, almost strobe light like, making one dizzy if you stood too long under them. Walking down the short hall through the offices to the schools I wondered if the kids were all right.

Power was out. Some areas had power. Some didn't. Then Penny calls. Power is out at home too. Oh no, she has 2 babies there. What will we do. Chapel? In the church. Check the power there. No power there. Day Care in the dark too. Small amount of power but not enough.

Phone calls made - checking to see what the problem was. There is power for some of the lights in the gym. Chapel goes as planned, sort of. It is in the gym. Sam plays well. The children listen. Yes, everything will be all right. But it is getting a little chilly in the gym.

Chapel over. Kids back in rooms. Power won't be on till 6 p.m. What to do? No power for heat, for lunch, for water - going to get chilly as the temp outside dips to low 20's with strong winds. Decision time - send the kids home. No heat at all. Calling the parents. Getting things ready.

Now the question - church tonight - yes or no? No heat. No power. Not sure when it will be back on. Ameren now says 9 p.m. Cold, windy, and that means? Calling the service off. Hate to do it but what can you do? You can't sit in the dark. You can' have service with no heat. Sigh. I hate calling service off. I always think, "What if we did have it..." I know, shouldn't think that. Have to think about the good for the people. Can't have them out in the cold with no heat or light. So no service.

Then at noon the power comes back on. GRRRR. What happened? They figured it out. Got it fixed. We could have had service. Now what? Stay with what we have. We have told people it was cancelled so it stays that way. So now, guilt sets in. What if we would have waited? Would the power have come on? We didn't know. We made the best decision possible.

And our Lord says to us, "Fear not my children. You cannot tell the future. Only I can do that. You did what you thought was best. I still love you. Calling a service off doesn't mean you don't love Me. It means you were thinking of others more than yourself. Go in peace. And live in My love." Thank you Lord. For those words were ones I needed to hear right now because I do feel guilt and frustration. Please take it from my shoulders. Please.