Treasures of Darkness

"I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." ~ Isaiah 45:3 

Last night our electricity went out around 6:30 pm.  (Fortunately supper had just finished cooking.) The power company called with an automated message stating they knew there was a problem and they were on it.  Power should be restored by 9:30. (It didn't come back on until 1:43 AM, but that's beside the point.) Call me crazy, but I actually enjoy the occasional power outage. Admittedly, I miss my air-conditioning (especially in the summer when I'm having hot-flashes), stove, refrigerator, internet, and TV, but "treasures of darkness" can be found if only we look for them:

 1. Peaceful silence. One just doesn't realize how much background noise there is until the power goes out. 

 2. Spontaneous Family Game Night. Watching reruns of Criminal Minds might have been on the agenda, but since it is no longer an option play a game on the patio and enjoy each other's company. 

 3. Star gazing. The Stars are NEVER so bright and beautiful as when the clutter of electric lights is removed. 

 4. Breath-taking light shows. Watching a distant thunderstorm at night is an awe-inspiring event when all other light-sources are gone. 

 5. Candlelight. Few things are more peaceful and mesmerizing than this. 

 6. Nature's Lullaby. There's tranquility in falling asleep to the symphony composed by crickets and frogs. 

 Power-outages can be viewed as major inconveniences, or they can be seen as opportunities to take a break from our fast-paced, over-stimulated life and just enjoy God's creation and each other. The former is a curse. The latter is a treasure.