Have you ever experienced a blackout? Have you experienced it for multiple days in a row? It is quite the unpleasant experience if you do not have a generator or an alternative source of power. Personally for me the discomfort of a blackout is the uncertainty of when the issue will be resolved and the power of electricity will be restored. During a blackout your sustenance is threatened, as your refrigerator's contents are put at risk of spoiling, and productivity is reduced since you cannot work in the dark. 

A blackout is a great reminder of how fragile and dependent our lives are on the source of power around us. Even during the time of Moses this lesson was applied as God in Exodus 10:21-29 uses a blackout to illustrate to Pharaoh the Lord and only the Lord is in control. 

Do you ever get to the end of your week and wonder, 'How did I make it?' 

The feelings of exhaustion, being overwhelmed are not too detached from this thought. The endless tasks, errands, and especially the demands. I do not know about you, but with every passing week I feel like the demands at work, parenting, and life are just getting heavier and harder to complete. 

Where do you go for your strength to make it to the end of the week? 

When I was a child going through grammar school I often struggled with learning. I was not quick to comprehend or had the ability to build on the foundation being established for me. I dreaded studying, for it was a long process... endless hours spent trying to memorize facts (because I could not understand them). Most of my school days I got by through simply regurgitating what was told to me. No understanding, no practical use of the information, no lasting impact was gained. 

So when I was approached with the bible and encouraged to memorize it... I shrunk back because I was quickly taken back to my elementary school days. This seemed to be an impossible task. Honestly, I thought a useless one as well since all my "studying" days never really amounted to much. Then I came across this section of scripture...

One of my passions as a child and as an adult, unashamedly, I will admit is playing video games. Not just any video game though. I enjoy adventure games which tell a story and consist of various quest and missions. These missions are comprised of riddles and puzzles which require some thought and learned experience to solve. Often embedded throughout the levels of the game are "easter eggs," hidden treasures only unlocked through secret passages or control combinations. Video games for me, is all the excitement which comes from the seeking and finding!

One of my weekly habits is to prepare for the upcoming week. I read lesson plans provided by my children's teachers to know what to expect for the coming school week. This enables me to run out to the store and buy supplies needed, mark it on my calendar so I can show up, fill my child's backpack with the relevant materials, and make sure my child has completed all the necessary assignments on-time. Another part of my getting ready for the coming week is ironing the week's worth of uniforms for my children to ensure they are ready to be grabbed out of closets on busy early mornings. I not only prepare for my children's school events, but also for my work. I read emails I missed during the week and reply. I look ahead at my work calendar to see meetings that have been scheduled and determine whether or not I have an agenda to prepare or provide input to. I also complete trainings with approaching deadlines. I am sure you have your readiness checklist or method for getting prepared. It may not be a week ahead or a day ahead, but you try your best to anticipate and get ready.