I was totally prepared to sleep in the camper on Monday night. I was all settled in with my electric blanket and my writing implements. I listened to the rain on the roof and all was right with the world. Then…at 11:30, my phone rang. The caller ID said RoboCall so I didn’t pick up. There was a voicemail and it turned out to be the electric company. Earlier in the evening when it was raining hard, there was a flicker in the electric. The microwave clock reset and beeped when the power came back on. I didn’t think anything of it. This happens all the time in the country. We have an ancient power grid that they are constantly working on to upgrade. Anyway, the message said that sometime between 12:30 and 3:30am the power would be off for an emergency repair.
Seeing as how I was in a camper and the only heat source I could use was electric, I packed up my little overnight bag and went back inside. Mr. FixIt and I have a fun routine where we watch comedy clips before we go to sleep every night. So we settled in to watch. Along about 12:30, sure enough, the electric went off. But it came back on within a few minutes. So, I suppose the repair wasn’t that complicated.
I was sitting in the living room yesterday afternoon, knitting and watching old Andy Griffith reruns while Mr. FixIt snored in his recliner. It was about 3:00 when he woke up and looked at the weather. He said, “It’s going to be in the 60’s by 9:00 tonight. You should try sleeping in the camper again!” Well, you don’t have to ask me twice! I stuffed my things in my bag, kissed him on the forehead and headed back out.
He knows what sleeping in the camper or at the farm means to me. He understands me. He knows that I need regular alone time to recharge and commune with God. He also understands how rough the last couple of weeks have been for me. I’m so appreciative of him and his sweet heart.
When I was out in the camper Monday night, we were texting and I mentioned how I missed having my little hobnail milk glass lamp out in the camper with me. I took it in when I cleaned out the camper after our last trip. It was raining really hard or I would have gone back in for it. I got busy writing my post and forgot all about the lamp. But I did need some sort of light source and I hated to turn on the overhead lights. They are so harsh. I thought about it for a minute and I got an idea.
My phone was plugged into the charger. I turned the flashlight on and laid the phone on the nightstand, face down with the light shining straight up. I took a full water bottle (tightly sealed and dry) and sat it down right on top of the light coming out of the back of my phone. Voila! Instant lamp. It wasn’t bright enough to read by, but it was enough to help me see the keyboard if I needed to as I wrote.
I love it when a bright idea strikes and you can figure out a new way of doing things. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing this week. Figuring out new ways of doing things in my life. What is it they say? The true definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I’m tired of trying the same old things and not getting the results I want. Change is my middle name, so I have absolutely no problem trying something new. What always makes me stumble is finding the motivation…finding that one moment that meets the threshold of what I’m willing to accept. I met that this week. I’m smart enough to not expect major changes to come overnight. But I’m also a bulldog…I can work relentlessly when needed to affect transformation in my life. I’ve done it before…I’ll do it again!
Just spending this little time out here in the camper has helped tremendously. Thank you, Mr. FixIt…for loving me enough to let me fly.
❄️
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
2 Peter 3:18 ESV