Last week our power went out. Honestly, it’s not that unusual out here in the country – any little bit of wind we get causes some sort of electrical surge and we often lose power (or internet) for a few minutes.
But this felt different.
Yes, we’d had some high winds the day before but everything had been relatively calm otherwise. So when our whole world went dark, it was unsettling.
Peter was headed out the door, on his way to Nashville to take Brie back to school. You see, she had hit a deer two days prior (or as she likes to say, a deer hit her!), and no longer had a drivable car. But suddenly, the electricity went off and we were left stumbling around in the pitch black.
Jillienne, terrified of the dark, was screaming and crying, clinging to my leg, while Vivienne was suddenly thrust into darkness as she was taking a shower. That couldn’t have been fun…
I don’t love the dark. I always think that it would be a prime opportunity for an intruder to sneak into our home – no working alarm, no way to see who is coming and going. Morbid, I know.
So when Peter opened our cabinet which holds our candles, I felt relief. And gratitude. I’d forgotten we have lots of big, battery powered candles left over from Lent a few years ago, and as he turned them on, a soft glow settled on our kitchen, our living room.
It was peaceful – the flicker of the candles, the warm light from the fire Peter had built earlier.
Light.
Peace.
Two things I need right now.
Light to see the path God has in store for me.
Peace from busyness, sleepless nights and fears.
As I write this, it’s 3:30 in the morning, and I’ve been awake since 2:00. Seems like a theme these days, restlessness and wakefulness when I should be sleeping.
But the glow of the candles that evening reminded me that Jesus is near.
The night the power went off was actually the first day of Advent this year. The kids and I have been working our way through a Bible study as we anticipate the celebration of Jesus’ birth so I reminded them that we didn’t need to be afraid of the dark.
Jesus is our Light and He is coming.
Eventually, after a couple hours of reading books by candlelight, the electricity powered back on and we continued with our nightly rituals of baths and bedtime.
But just for a moment, peace flooded my soul. No distractions, no noise.
Just the quiet darkness, and the flicker of candles.
This advent season, may you find the peace you need, even in the darkness. I love you, friend.
