When Temporal Things are Taken Away

A storm hit Virginia Friday night taking out power lines with its winds gusting up to 75-100 miles an hour. It’s Tuesday, and we still don’t have power, water or internet.  And on top of that, my computer was fried in the storm. It is interesting how quickly life can change — in a split second.

We have a gas-powered generator to keep a few things going like the refrigerator, a fan, etc. There’s no air conditioning in the 100 degree weather. We have well water, so in order to get water to flush the toilets you have to put a bucket down the 27 foot well and draw it out. Then dump the water down the back of the toilet bowl to flush it. It’s a lot of work after 4 days of drawing water to wash all your dishes, flush toilets and have enough to wash off with.  But at least we have a well to get water.  Some don’t.

Drawing water from the over 100 year old well

I didn’t get enough water to flush the toilet. Two more buckets will do the trick.

Our stove is gas-powered, which is nice because you don’t have to have electricity to use it. You just need a match or a lighter to ignite the fire . I have been making everything on an iron skillet and just wiping it clean after cooking in it. Iron skillets don’t need water to clean them. I actually made Caramelized Butternut Squash Chicken with no electricity in one skillet yesterday. It was delicious! Making Caramelized Butternut Squash Chicken without electricity in on cast iron skillet

For entertainment, my mom, Ellie and I decided to get some sewing done the day after the storm hit. We all sat in the kitchen and worked on our own little projects: hemming, altering and adding buttons to things that had just been sitting and waiting for us to have time for them.

My mom, Ellie and me sewing Saturday afternoon for entertainment.

You never know when the things of this world will be taken away. 1 Corinthians 7:29-32 says time is short. We can’t put all of our hope and happiness in temporal things and make them the god of our security. We have to be anchored in the eternal so that when the things of the world are taken away, we can stay sure and steady, never losing peace or our joy. We are happy, healthy and hot here on the Glasgow farm.

Getting ready to put the fried onions, pecans, ginger and caramelized butternut squash on top of chicken. Can you read the temperature in the kitchen?