SpokaneFāVS
The storm will undoubtedly be called the windstorm of 2015 and maybe of the century. It was awful, with steady winds of 40-50 mph and regular gusts to 70+ that lasted for hours.
It must be global-weirding.
Most Floridians, where hurricanes are expected from time to time, would say, “That’s nothing!” But when you have Ponderosa Pines soaring a hundred feet over your house, it’s something.
Trees fell.
Homes were damaged.
Power was lost for hundreds of thousands.
Tragically, a life was lost when a tree crashed into a home.
So I woke up to a cold house, no refrigeration, no hot water, no internet (gasp), a phone battery on its last breath and a wife who didn’t sleep so well.
When the power goes out, it affects everything.
Yes, I know. People lived without power for millennia. Certainly, we are spoiled by modern technology, and, therefore, we live with expectations of convenience. I know.
But it got me thinking.
When things go sideways, and the unexpected happens, what does it take to survive and maybe even thrive?
An emergency plan? Good idea. (Where are those flashlights and batteries?)
A place to go in the event of a catastrophic loss? Yup.
A friend you can call on to help? Absolutely.
All of those things and more matter. However, one thing matters most: attitude.
A defeatist, downtrodden attitude never helps and always complicates life.
A grumpy person makes things worse, not better.
Negativity doesn’t create an environment of hope; it robs us of joy.
And yes, it is possible to have joy in the midst of hardship. (See James 1:2)
The key? Attitude. It’s not very often that we can control our circumstances, but we can always control our attitude. Always.
Enough said.
Kurt W. Bubna published his first book, “Epic Grace: Chronicles of a Recovering Idiot,” with Tyndale in 2013. He has recently published “Mr. & Mrs.: How to Thrive in Perfectly Imperfect Marriage” and two other books. Bubna is an active blogger, itinerate speaker, regular radio and television personality, and the Senior Pastor of Eastpoint Church, a large non-denominational congregation in Spokane Valley, Wash. He and his wife, Laura, have been married for nearly 40 years and have four grown children and six grandchildren.
