Oh, hello Monday! I’m thankful for a new week and a start that looks different than last week. Oh, please…can we simply have sunshine and blue skies? I think Texans are glad last week is over. However, the fallout and the settling of all chips are still hanging in the balance somewhere. There is so much damage, so much fear of forthcoming gas, water, and electric bills. I am sure there will be many sleepless nights by residents of the Lone Star State.
There is much to be grateful for amidst the horrific damage and life-changing results for so many. First, I must say, my husband and I fared quite well. Yes, we had rolling blackouts and yes, we had to boil water for a few days. However, we did not have any damage. By grace, we have a wood-burning fireplace, a gas water heater and a gas stove. We were able to keep semi-warm although I wore gloves and beanie much of the time, along with several layers of clothing. We were able to take showers and cook. For those with all electric homes, it was much more difficult.
By grace, we had purchased a generator but did not use it and returned it on Friday. I could not bring myself to live in “comfort” while others were suffering so much.
By grace, when we were running low on firewood and none was available for purchase we foraged in the wooded area behind our home and found plenty. I did text a friend and said, ” This girl has been foraging in The Secret Garden for wood. This girl is not cut out for living like Laura in the Little House in the Big Woods or Little House on the Prairie style. Maybe this girl can survive in a little city with utilities.” I knew she would appreciate my book pun because her girls are avid readers. But truthfully, I was so grateful for the wood we found and it helped us make it through the cold until our power was completely restored.
By grace, some high school friends of my husband put together meals to feed hundreds of people in our county. My husband made deliveries on Thursday night. I posted on Facebook and a couple of high school friends from my hometown sent donations. It does take a village! I’m so grateful for Linnybird Bakery in Lake Dallas, Texas for spending four days pulling this off. They posted this note from someone who received a meal.
In the past, I have worked for two local power companies. CoServ and Denton Municipal Electric, who had a multitude of linemen working non-stop through this crisis. When I worked at the local credit union, I worked with the spouse of a lineman I knew. She posted this on Facebook, and I think there is much truth to note.
ONCE AGAIN, we are being reminded that the most valuable linemen are not in the NFL. They are the ones that climb up poles and crawl into lift baskets in frigid temperatures to maintain and restore our lifestyles. Thanks to all the fine folks who go to great heights to provide comfort for the rest of us.
Truthfully, a couple of words jumped off the page of that post. Restore our lifestyle and comfort. Hmm…am I addicted to and feel entitled to my lifestyle and comfort? I confess there was a day when I started to get angry and frustrated about the rolling outages and being cold. My lifestyle was interrupted and so was my comfort. I guess that hit me about the time I tried to be like little Laura Ingalls and forage for wood. Living in a first-world country has blinded me to past lifestyles {read – my grandparents and farming ancestors} and truly how people in other parts of the world live on a daily basis. My heart was somewhat humbled by that truth.
Here I sit typing on my own computer in my own warm home. We didn’t suffer damage. We may have been inconvenienced but that is so trivial. We stopped by to check on our friends at the extended-stay hotel down the road where we lived for three months. They never lost power. We were going to stay there for two nights but gave the room up. I’m glad we did because we met a family who has been in their home for seven months. Completely totally by water from broken pipes. They were told they would probably be displaced for a year. A YEAR! Perspective…my mind understands the grace. My mind knows to be grateful. I am working on my heart in the midst of the rumor mill of outlandish electric bills and the unknown.
I have been highly favored and greatly blessed. I have experienced immeasurable grace and I hope my heart continues to grow like the Grinch in gratitude.
~grace & blessings, Carrie
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Kellyann Rohr says
What a week, I cannot even imagine what that was like for you all. When we have hurricanes rip through we’re without power and it’s hot and miserable but I think being in the freezing cold has to be much worse. Dangerous and scary, I have been praying for all those affected, it’s so heartbreaking!
xo,
Kellyann
Carrie says
Kellyann, your kind heart, compassion, and prayers have been felt and are needed. Thank you! xoxo
Michele Morin says
So good to get this report from the frontlines. And yes to your thought on valuable linemen.
Carrie says
Thank you, Michele! I appreciate your stopping by my blog.
Joanne says
OH my goodness! So glad you all made out OK. We lose power so often that we do keep a huge generator in our yard year round just in case and each time we lose it for more than 24 hours I start to go nuts; especially when I have to truck in water in buckets from the lake (which thankfully isn’t often because of said generator). I remember the last time we lost power in the winter when my husband suggested that we start trucking in water I asked him how since the lake was frozen!! Needless to say he made a special trip home mid-day to get the heat and water up and running with the generator for us before heading back to work.
Carrie says
Wow, you so get it…it’s so invaluable to have a generator is what we have learned. xoxo
jodie filogomo says
It goes to show that perspective can make everything so clear. You are amazing to look at all of the grace during your crazy week. Now that’s a true blessing.
And there are many heroes out there that don’t get the recognition, don’t you think??
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Carrie says
So many heroes…everyday people who turn into heroes. They warm my heart.
Nellie says
Hi Carrie,
Glad to hear you fared well in the storm. Your post was really good and so true……we are all very spoiled in our culture……….and have to learn to be content even when we are inconvenienced because we need to remember that some people this is their way of life all the time. Perspective is everything really…….I so agree about the lineman, I remember seeing some of them in my backyard back during the storm of the century, it was freezing cold and they were so exhausted because they sleep 4 hrs and work 4 hrs.and they had to saw some trees to get to the lines and they would saw a few mins
and stop for a few mins. and I could see how tired they were and I felt so badly for them, and so wished I could give them some hot coffee but of course, I couldn’t cause we had no power. I did write a letter of thanks to our power company for these heros…..
Well, thanks for hosting……
Hope you get some sunshine and blue skies soon.
Blessings, Nellie
Carrie says
Thank you for this sweet comment, Nellie. I appreciate you stopping by and linking up. We are currently enjoying warm temps and blue skies. What an absolute blessings.
Theresa Boedeker says
Thanks for sharing your story. We do get used to our way of life and feel inconvenienced when it is disrupted. But we also have so much to be thankful for. It’s a tightrope sometimes, trying to remember both sides. Loved the nots about the lineman. They are true heroes we often take for granted.
Lauren Renee Sparks says
These southern snow storms have definitely rocked our world.
Lucy Bertoldi says
Such a week! But I’m happy you guys did fine.
Mariann Yip says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! These are like a reminder. Really thankful!.