The Beauty of Power Outages
by Hannah Keeley
There we were on Saturday night. Blair and Karis were in NYC for a man’s weekend. Kyler was away at the movies. The rest of us were hanging out in the house. The little girls were getting set up with the computer upstairs to watch a movie. The older girls were at their computers doing their schoolwork. Korben and I were putting on a movie to watch in the living room.
Basically, we were all divided and stuck in front of screens.
Then it happened…
The lights went out, the screens went black, and we were stuck in the dark. There wasn’t a storm outside or anything! The electricity just died. Evidently, it was us and about 1000 more homes in Chesterfield County, Virginia.
So, within minutes, we had candles lit on the coffee table and we were all gathered in the sitting room, along with piles of blankets! We started talking and joking and even singing ridiculous songs together. I would have never planned it, but it turned out to be a wonderful evening with all of us snuggled up together in the candlelight.
It was just what we needed. Not another movie, or another homework assignment, just a quiet evening together.
We live in a crazy, busy time. As moms, we have to battle a flood of distractions every single day. If they’re not barging through our front door, they’re sneaking in the back. And if we’re not careful, if we let our guard down for a minutes, those distractions come in and divide us.
Those distractions not only divide our families, they also come in and pull us away from God. I’ve found out if I’m too busy to make time for God, then I’m too busy. Plain and simple. But God knows how to pull us closer.
Sometimes it takes a storm.
But then other times, God gently nudges us. Sometimes, He just whispers, “Be still, Honey. I’m God, You’re not. Slow down and let’s just hang out for awhile.”
In your busy life, please remember how vitally important it is to just. be. still. It took a power outage this weekend to teach me the importance of pulling away and drawing together. It took candles, blankets, and silly songs to remind me of what is really important in my life.
Don’t wait for a power outage. Give the screens a rest and just hang out for awhile. Spend time with God and just bask in His presence. As important as your agenda is, nothing is more important than hanging out with Him. That’s where you get your peace and your power.
And fight for your family! If we’re not careful, this crazy culture we live in can run away and take our family with it. Unplug and pull close. These years are fleeting, so grab them while the getting’s good. Don’t wait for a storm. Do it today.
~ Hannah
Hannah Keeley was once in overwhelmed mom living in a cluttered house, deep in debt, out of shape, and barely hanging on. But one day, after finding herself sobbing uncontrollably into a pile of clean laundry, she realized God has bigger and better plans for her (just like He does for each one of His children). Beginning that day, she began making changes in her life that took her from overwhelmed to overjoyed. Today, she’s helping moms do the same. Hannah, her husband, Blair, and their seven children live in Richmond, Virginia, and are having the time of their lives!
