With a thankful heart, I am writing today. I am humbled and grateful for the invention of electricity. It is the most efficient way to live in this modern time.
I wrote one time that I would like to live in the settlement days of long ago. I still wish for those days of living simply....simple, simple. In a world where you knew everyone, loved everyone, prayed for everyone. Where a town would not only come together from time to time, but stayed together. A time, when everyone was a village and a unit.
We, as you can guess, have been without power for a week. We survived by the propane gas stove that we cook on. We all stayed in the den and and kitchen area of the house. Mom and Dad purchased a generator for us. We believed we would be without power for three weeks. A crew from Alabama came in to help in our area and they are amazing! They came at 6:00 p.m. Monday night and in less than an hour our power was restored.
I want to say, when an emergency, even a crisis occurs, a community really pulls together. This has happened here in Fordsville. All of our neighboors have helped us, checked on us, visited, and gave great support to us, and we tried to do the same for them. John and Bro. Renfrow had to go to Morgantown and then Beaver Dam to get gas (there were no deliveries or electricity to pump it in Fordsville). Sheila and B.J. came and checked on us. Bro. Renfrow, Mr. Bratcher, John and others cleared the roads. That was not easy.
We had to get up as soon as daylight came. We had to get breakfast started. Then while we were eating breakfast, we had to boil water to clean the dishes. The boys took turns cleaning dishes, while the other cleared the table. Abigail pushed the chairs under the table and placed the seat cushions back in place. They are all such troopers. They know how to survive! We had a little break so then we moved all the bedding around and had a school session. Then we had to prepare lunch and get the water boiling again. We then cleared the table and washed the dishes...We had to then prepare supper at 3:30 and then eat at 4:30 and get all the dishes up again before dark. Night came to Fordsville at 4:45 or 5:30 p.m. We sat around candle light and cozied in all the blankets. The kids were boisterous and crazed...for we were confined to a small area. One night I just let them yelp and play and I just put the covers over my head! John did not sleep for he kept a vigil over us to make sure everyone was o.k. He would open the basement door to make sure there was adequate ventilation. The propane heat was very warm and inviting, but he didn't listen to it's lull. He knew the silent taunts of it orange-blue flames were foreboding so he kept a watch over us all.
We lived very simply and primitive this week. I have done things this week that I will carry with me while traveling through this walk of life. I am not as apt to complain or talk so big. I can be reduced to nothing over night, and calamity is out there to greet us all. I am not unwise from this week and I am grateful for this experience and thankful for God's watch, care and protection over us as the sun comes up once again in our quiet modest town of Fordsville.
