Desecration, Power Outages, and Throat Coat

So I couldn't get to sleep at a decent hour tonight. I had a persistent scratchy throat that resulted in a cough every few minutes which was just enough to keep me awake. I know, you're already asking yourself why I would bother with a post like this one. Especially considering it's still the middle of the night and I have to be up in less than 4 hours. Trust me, I have a point.



Since I couldn't sleep I was keeping my mind occupied with a book (Desecration by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins). I was becoming frustrated because I was (am still) tired and I don't feel sick, just a scratchy throat. Around 1am I was still reading and coughing when the light on the bed stand went out. I tapped it and twisted it and it came back on so I finished reading my chapter, assuming there was a loose connection somewhere.

Finally, I had enough and turned out the light to at least let my eyes rest. After a few minutes I remembered that there is a fantastic medicinal tea in the kitchen called "Throat Coat" which does just that! I get up, head to the kitchen, and realize all the clocks are flashing because it wasn't my light that went out, it was the power in the whole house.

Now I don't know what caused the power outage, but I know that normally I would have slept through it and not noticed until after my cell phone alarm woke me in the morning on schedule. Why is all this of any importance whatsoever? Well, I am working at the shelter tonight and I have a house full of moms and kids who's clocks and alarms were all just reset. Two of these moms are waking up at 4am, one so that she will have time to get to her first day of her new job which starts at 5:00am, and the other so that she can get her daughter to Daycare then catch 3 buses that will barely get her to her school in time to show up ten minutes late to class.
Do you understand why it is significant that I know there was a power outage and no one's alarms would have gone off in the morning? Me too! So I just finished knocking on all the doors and letting each family know their alarm would need to be turned back on and the time reset. Although groggy and surprised they were all quick to recognize the importance of what I was saying. Catastrophe averted!
Now I sit hear with my Throat Coat tea recovering from the great shelter power outage of February 2012 and you know what...?


My throat isn't scratchy anymore, the cough is gone, and I'm heading back to bed to sleep!

Goodnight and good morning.