As predicted, the wind was steadily picking up from the remnant of Hurricane Ike. The forecast was for some rain and a windy Sunday. But no one in the Miami Valley of Ohio expected hurricane force winds that would tear down large trees and telephone poles and spew them across roads, on top of houses and cars and leave hundreds of thousands in the dark for a week!
Wow! One minute you are enjoying a lazy summer day and then in an instant no power.
We sat in the living room watching the strong winds bend the large trees and talked in the quiet. Wonder where are all the little birds that we usually see? Where did they go to hide?
As first we didn’t know how long it would last while we still had daylight so we went to the store to stock up on batteries and other items. The few stores that were open were running on generators and people were scrambling for supplies.
As night approached we hunkered down with no lights, no air conditioner, no TV, no computer. We had an old battery powered radio and through the static we heard that there were a lot of people in our situation.
My wife and I were concerned about her 94 year old mom who lives with us but as long as we stayed calm and gave direction and reassurance she was ok.
A little after 8 pm our lights came back on and we were relieved. We hurried to shower and take care of what we could before going to bed in case the power went out again.
We were the few fortunate ones as Monday we found out that over 225,000 in the Dayton area and 600,000 in the Cincinnati area were without power. Trees and poles were down everywhere. The schools and many businesses were closed. The County and City stated a State of Emergency and urged everyone to stay off the streets.
As the days past and businesses were slowly back on line I was able to communicate via email to many others only to find out that while they had power at work their home situation was very different… still no power. That meant cold showers and loss of food in the refrigerators and freezers.
One week later and still 60,000 customers without power!
We were all blessed that the weather this week has been beautiful so people without power were able to grill outdoors and clean up their property. We were also fortunate that although we lost our power, once it returned, most of us still had our homes in tact. Look at the devastation on the city of Galveston and the Texas-Louisiana coast in comparison. Yes, we were very fortunate and Blessed!
I also witnessed people helping others with food for those without electricity, especially the elderly, and jointly cleaning up their neighborhoods. It is a joy to see people coming together as Americans –Ohioans– do so well.
How did you weather the week the power went out?
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Who’s Got The POWER Now?
WRITTEN 9.19.08
After reflecting over the turn of events since Dayton had the Wind Storm on Sun. 9/14/08, I have been blessed to have more time to ponder what real purpose life unfolds right before our eyes, if we have the lights on! No I am not talking about the electricity that many of us are without (or were without), but the light that illuminates our spirits and souls, the real power that keeps us going in spite of external circumstances. I am certain that even after DP&L turns on “their power” many of us will still need THE POWER? oh you are not listening, but please don’t turn channels/stations on me YET. I will be as brief as GOD allows me to be.
How has it been without your computer, telephone, TV, radio, cell? You really do need all of that…right? But what have you learned since you have not had it? Isaiah 58 speaks of God’s people fasting and the purpose of such. Many of you (US) have been on a “fast” a fast from the day-to-day activities that kept you in your comfort zone - where you blocked out blessings because you were busy. Many of you (US)were not nice and neighborly - I know I have some neighbors speaking kind to me that never did previously. We are finding no matter what walk of life, what differences we may have had, together we have a power that we did not know we had before. Could it be LOVE is being planted in the midst of our confusion, frustration, uncertainty? “Who’s got the POWER now? In spite of the devastation ( a word my sister has been using consistently and the media too) Dayton experienced, do you realize “GOD protected us” and prevented the “worse” from happening to us - not just me but US? Not a certain ethnicity but US! Not just those who believe in HIM but those who don’t know HIM or have abandoned their faith in HIM because they have no POWER. Who’s got the POWER NOW? Search the scriptures; please don’t take my word for it. The message is clear, we don’t need a lot of tangibles, WE want a lot of tangibles! We often miss seeing the “intangibles” those things that real POWER reveals to us. GOD wants US - do we want HIM? GOD wants us to imitate his son JESUS…again I say search the scriptures. Love even when it hurts, when it’s uncomfortable. Since the wind storm I have seen people open their homes and arms to estranged family members and the like. Don’t stop loving after the storm. I have also seen those who were emotionally and/or spiritually in bondage become more “tangled up” because of stuff not being turned on Who’s got the POWER?
GOD allows (key word) circumstances and/or experiences in our lives. The challenge of handling those circumstances brings about change…necessary powerful CHANGE. I fervently pray we change for the better in all ares of our living and continue to seek real POWER! I do love you all, I really do and I am expecting and waiting on miracles and more miracles right here in Dayton - the place the Good Lord has placed me and you. I know who’s got the POWER NOW - do you?
Thanks for reading and remember: ANY DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD DAY - HAVE A GOOD DAY!
DARIA DILLARD STONE, THE SERVANT!
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:51 am
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