Power Outages, Cold Baths & the God of All Grace

This morning, I had every intention of taking a hot shower, enjoying a hot cup of coffee, doing a few household chores and getting the newsletter out on time. But just before I was about to step into the bathroom, the power went out.

Happy, happy. Joy, joy. I thought to myself sarcastically.

“Power company said it won’t be back on until 12:45,” my husband texted me.

I should have immediately left to go somewhere that had heat, power and an internet connection. My computer was dead, so I couldn’t even use it to write. But I was optimistic. I reasoned that I could read and work on other things I needed to do that didn’t require the internet. Before I knew it, the power would be back on … maybe even earlier than they expected.

Except it didn’t. And come 12:45, I found myself sitting on the couch with my winter coat on and a fuzzy blanket wrapped around my legs. With barely any food in the pantry, I resorted to eating cold pork and vegetables from the fridge because … #nomicrowave.

As time went on, the productive side of me started thinking about all of the time I was wasting and all of the computer work I wasn’t getting done. Why didn’t I go to a local cafe? What was I doing just sitting around doing nothing?

Before I had time to come up with a plan for finally leaving, the power came back on. Forgetting that it was 65˚ in our house, I shrugged the blanket and coat off of my body and ran upstairs toward the shower. (I realize some of you probably keep your home at 65 anyways during the winter, but we keep ours at 72, so this Southern girl was COLD!) Before I could step into the shower, however, my gaze landed on the bathtub. I reasoned with the freezing cold day I’d had, I deserved a bath instead of a shower. And so, I got the water going, poured some epsom salts and essential oils in the tub and left to make a pot of tea.

10 minutes later, I came up ready to relax and finally get warm. But when I stepped into the water, I was sorely disappointed. The water was barely lukewarm! Stubborn as I can be, I decided to take a bath anyways. I had already used the last of my bath salts and was determined to somehow salvage such a frenzied Monday.

In an effort to distract myself from the goosebumps starting to accumulate on my arms and legs, I turned on some soaking music and tried to connect with the Father for a little bit.

“Are you done yet?” He said with a slight chuckle.

“Done what?” I replied.

“You know what,” He said.

“I do?” I paused.

Crud. Crud. Crud.

“Oh Father, I’m so sorry for the complaining I’ve been doing. You’re totally right. I have had the crummiest attitude today,” I confessed.

“My daughter, all is forgiven. You already know that. I didn’t ask you that question to make you feel bad … I asked you because I wanted to help you shift your focus. I know it’s been a little bit of a frenzied month for you and today probably put you over the top. Why don’t you just rest here with me and we’ll shift our focus to all the good things that are going on in your world right now? You know I’m always at work — always supplying everything you need.”

My thoughts shifted to the cold bath water surrounding me. At least I had water to bathe in … not to mention a winter coat to keep me warm and cold pork to keep me fed earlier in the day. And the time I missed working on things? I knew God would redeem that in the long run.

Because that’s who He is and what He does. He is our Redeemer and He always redeems what has been lost. Because He is the God of all grace.

Power outages, cold baths and bad attitudes aside, He never stops chasing after us and drawing us closer to His heart.

Hallelujah, oh what a Father.

No matter what is going on in the world around us, we always have reasons to give thanks. Why don’t you tell Him right now what you’re thankful for today?