My morning was running like clockwork! I was really feeling a little self-congratulatory on having the evening meal organized and on schedule. Then I sat the just-finished dessert in the refrigerator, and the frig light went out. “Must have pushed something into the light,” I said in my mind as I pushed items around. I closed the refrigerator, opened it again and still — no light.

I turned and looked around. It wasn’t just the refrigerator going dark. The ceiling and lamp lights were off. I walked to the hall and the same darkness was evident. The items resting on the counter that were to make up the evening entrée for guests were calling for my attention. Now I was wondering what could have happened to our power on a cloudy day with no rain or storms.

Next, I checked with neighbors on both sides of us. Their lights were on — no obvious problems for them. Since Othel was on a picture assignment, I continued trying to find the solution on my own. The breaker box would show me the problem. But where was our breaker box? After a few moments of mulling that question I remembered it in the garage closet. 

With my trusty iPhone light, I opened the box and discovered that there was no main switch, but all the other switches were sitting orderly, in the same position. A grandchild with power “connections” couldn’t help, but asked if we had paid our bill. That seemed the most absurd suggestion I thought she could have asked.

Okay. It was time to interrupt the photo shoot and ask what to do next. Othel knew about my dinner preparations and said he would check on it immediately. Meanwhile I tried to google the exact location of our power company. Google gave a multiple-choice selection. I called one of them — the wrong one, but they directed me to our company.

Then my phone rang. It was Othel with good news — sorta. Our bill was delinquent resulting in the “power outage.” We apologized to each other — realizing he thought I had paid it, and I thought he had sent the check. I testify truthfully that the funding was not the problem and that I am truly transparent in sharing this awkward happening, but the spiritual lessons were too obvious not to share.

• We MUST know the source of our power supply and how to find it. “In Jesus we live, and move and have our being.”

• Just as quickly as our house went dark, the light and heartbeat of our lives can cease. It will be too late to make eternal preparations.

• We never have to “pay” God for our salvation; it is a gift of grace. All excuses for refusing this gift have a termination date.

• We need to always express thanksgiving for the Power in God’s children “that can do all things through Christ.”   

While Othel and I were on the network of calls to each other, I tried to minimize the situation and said, “It’s really not a big deal.” As quickly as I witnessed our power go out, he replied, “It IS a big deal to go without power.” And there again was another spiritual lesson.

Letters to Camille Anding may be sent to P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602.