When the Excitement is Over...

     As I sit here on my bed with a warm, little kitty on my lap, I cannot help but feel a little bit of sadness trying to creep into my heart. Last week at this time we were preparing for a gigantic storm to come blowing our way, and we were in the middle of making preparations for the worst possible scenario. Would we have enough food and water to last if we lost our power? Would we have enough candles and flashlights so we could make our way around a dark home? What about cooking and heating food? Did we have enough charcoal to use my hibachi if necessary? The list goes on. There seemed to be barely a minute to stop to take a breath. Then came the storm, which was not as bad as expected this far inland, though many others along the coast, New York, and New Jersey got hit really hard. I cannot even imagine what they must be going through and I pray they get the help and support they all need. Yet, we barely had even one limb fall to the yard. The biggest mess we had to clean up was the birch tree clippings Joe cut just so the tree in front of our house would not pull our lines down during the gale force winds. Even in the midst of that storm though, I stepped outside to watch the trees sway with each gust, and I noticed something very interesting. When the winds quieted down, it grew so still outside that I noticed crickets were still chirpping happily in the bushes all around the house. If one of God's creations could trust Him through such a storm, all the while singing praises to their Lord, why couldn't I sit back and trust Him through it all too? I slept well that night, not afraid of having a tree fall on our house. God would take care of us, just as He had through the last few storms. 
    I must admit I was kind of disappointed when we never lost power. We did not lose power through Hurricane Irene, nor did we lose power when the big snowstorm of October 2011 raged through here, so I did not really think we would lose power this time, but one could never be sure. The lights did flicker a few times, but that was it. 
     After that was the expectation of having my parents come down for the weekend. We still had school through the storm days, even though the private and public schools were out. I had already planned for my children to have Friday off so we could prepare for our company and did not want to take any more days off if we could help it. We struggled through the four day school week, the knowledge that others were not working at the moment making it a bit harder to keep going, but we made it to Friday. All day Friday we cooked, cleaned, and made the house sparkle and shine for our guests. The house smelled wonderful and all the prep work for meals was finished up. We could sit back, relax, and enjoy some family time. 
     It was a wonderful weekend, yet, as always, it seemed much too short a visit. After having lunch at Napoli's, we had to give our hugs and say goodbye as once again I watched my parents drive away. I am the only one of my siblings who left Vermont and moved away from the family. Fifteen years ago I met my husband and after six months of courtship, and another six months being engaged, we got married and I moved down to Connecticut to be with him. I often wonder why God called me so far from my family, but I also see that God's hand has been with me through all these years, molding me into who I am today. I miss my family and wish I could see them more often then I do. I wish they could come down more often then once a year and visit, and stay more than a few days. I desire a closer relationship with my siblings, one where we would keep in touch more often than just talking when I go up to visit two to three times a year. Yet, they have their lives and they are busy, just as I am. Am I doing something wrong? Should I be doing more than I already am, but then again, shouldn't a relationship be more than one sided? I love my family dearly. I pray for them and pray they will make the right decisions in their life. I pray for their spouses and my neices and nephew. I pray that one day we will be close again, with God at the center of our relationship. 
     So I sit here, cuddled up with my warm siamese, wondering why time has to fly so fast. Today is time change Sunday. We gained one more hour today that we did not have yesterday, but where did that hour go? My parents have come and gone. The weekend is almost over. No new storms are in the forecast (at least I don't think there are!) A new week is upon us, with projects to finish, and goals to work toward. Yes, there is a bit of a let down after such excitement is over, yet I should not focus on what has been. I need to set my eyes on what is ahead and ask the question, "What does God want me to accomplish this week?" There are plenty of things to look forward to, upcoming events to plan for, things to get ready for, and people to visit. I need to remember that even when the excitement is over, there is more excitement just around the corner. God has a plan for my life...for this week...even for this very day. May I focus on what He wants me to do and be joyful even in the little things, because it is true that there is never a dull moment in our home.    

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