Lights out...

Our electricity was out for over two hours tonight. Nothing to do but light some candles, turn on the fireplace, cover up with a blanket and wait. As I did I found myself staring at the candle in our front room and asking the question "How many people in this world live only by candle-light? How many don't have the luxuries that we do?" More people than I know about live like that right now. How thankful we need to be for electricity and the other blessings of life in America ... natural gas and safe drinking water and food in our cupboards. Stores to shop in within walking distance for many of us. The safety of neighborhoods where people know one another and are willing to help you when it's needed.

My Fred and I also spent some time talking about child-hood memories. Grandparents in Kentucky who had coal stoves and fire-places to heat with; kerosene lamps for light ... no indoor plumbing ... they grew many of their vegetables and then canned them for winter use ... washed clothes on a washboard ... women made quilts out of whatever fabric they had and the quilts were used in the winter-time to keep warm. Families were together at the end of the day ... they ate together and then went to bed because day-light came awfully early and would come with chores to fill that day.

So much has changed since my Grandparents were my age. I wonder what they'd think if they saw the world now? Would they be impressed with all the technology, or would they be embarrassed and ashamed at what's taking place? Would they want to be a part of our world, or would they want to go back to theirs?

I don't think I'd want to go back and live as my Grandparents did. Not exactly anyway. But I sure wish things were simpler. I wish morality was something people strived for and not a word few people seem to know the meaning of. I wish you could trust the person in the car ahead of you in traffic. I wish our children could play outside without wondering who might be watching them in a harmful manner. I wish all unborn babies were wanted, and were given the chance for life God that meant them to have. I wish people would see the beauty of this world and have a desire to praise God for giving it to us to care for. I wish people would read the Bible and know that it means just what is says. I wish all people told the truth all the time.

My wish list could go on and on and on, but wishes don't change a thing. I can pray and seek God's will in my life and lift those I love to Him, but wishing doesn't do a thing but make me sad that things aren't what they could be. Yet.

One day, the God we serve and the God so many deny even exists, is going to turn this world upside down and inside out and set it ablaze with a fire that will do away with all the sadness and badness it currently holds. One day, we will live on a new earth and have a new heaven and there I'll no longer have to wish for things to be other than they are because all those wishes will have come true.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. Rev. 22:20