electricity

We get pretty used to having something like electricity; so much so that when we don't have it, it really annoys us! It is funny that here, where it is such a common occurance to have no electricity, it still can catch us by surprise when it goes out.

Our co-missionary brought the projector here today and so we told the kids that we could have a movie night tonight. We have no tv and while we do watch movies sometimes on the computer, it is a special treat to use the projector for a movie. We were preparing for it all afternoon. We cleaned the house, made sure that supper was ready early enough...we even had a really good supper...rice with chicken and lots of vegies. The children had a room inspection (we do that once in awhile to keep bedrooms clean). The girls had 100 percent, the big boys had 100 percent and Joshua and Jonathan had about zero percent. They didn't even start their room; I have never seen it messier. Tonight as they were going to bed, though, Jonathan came to me with disgust in his voice. "Mom, it is no fair! I know why our room stays so messy!" (he says standing in the midst of toys and crayons, paper, clean clothes that somehow won't stay in their closet, and two twin beds that they had made into a cool tent.) "The other kids put all of their clothes in our room when they clean their own room! Look at that! LOOK!" And he pointed at a pair of Kaleb's socks laying on the floor of their room. Yep, THAT is why they got a zero in room inspection. Life is so unfair for the underdog.

Anyways, we were all very excited. I made a banana cake and Joel even splurged and got some ice cream! It was quite the event at the Molina house tonight. Well, just as we were giving the vegies their final stir in the pan, bang, the lights went out. What! We had already gotten the projector plugged in and hooked up to the computer. The chairs were arranged...the children were already tasting the ice cream in their minds.

Now, our electricity goes out at least once a day. Usually twice a day and we usually say, when the lights go out, "Well, at least it was after everybody used the computer for math!" or "If it goes out now it will at least be back on before dark." We often have devotions in the evenings without lights and then sometimes if the lights are still not back on I will read to the children by flashlight (we don't have candles...).

So, why the surprise when the lights went out tonight? They were out for 2 hours last night in the night and this morning when it was time to get up and they had flickered during lunch (which is a sure sign they will go out soon).

It did give us something to work on, character wise. I reminded a very disappointed Andrew that the lights will be out either way; we can either handle it happily or grumpily. We all ended up having a good supper in the dark and planned on reading our book together before bed when the lights surprised us and came on again! Everybody cautiously sat quietly for a few moments...would they *stay* on? Then YES! They were on for good (at least for a few hours) so people quickly finished their food and moved into the livingroom. Andrew started dipping ice cream and cutting cake before the lights had a chance to go out again.

The next time that you turn on your lights at home, remember that something that we take for granted so often, like the fact that we switch that switch and the lights will come on, can really help develop our character, if we let it. (smile) By the way, the cake was delicious!!!