(written on the 4th from notes taken previously)
Well, the sleeping portion of last night started a little bit later than originally anticipated.
As I was lying there in bed, the wind was getting pretty strong, rocking my van from side to side, and because my bolts to secure the solar panels hadn’t come yet, my solar panels were sitting on my roof unattached, just the bolts themselves through the holes.
At first, I figured that since they were so hard to pull out by hand because of the way the bolts were wedged in, that they would withstand the wind; but as I watched and listened to the wind gets stronger, howling pretty good, I decided to get my little butt up and on my roof and to detach the solar panels, and store them inside my van for the night.
Pulling the solar panels off the roof took a little bit of effort, but the biggest concern was getting off the roof of my high top van holding a solar panel in one hand while studying myself with the other hand to get my foot on the little tiny ledge that I could reach-ish–without the gusts of wind blowing the sail-like solar panel out of my hand.
Gratefully, I was able to get both solar panels off and down and stowed inside my van without them blowing away or smashing against the back van doors as I climbed down. 🎉
After waking up for the last time, I did my normal morning routine, texted back and forth with Cory a little bit, and continued my morning routine.
Had a Conversation with the Big Guy.
Today’s been a hard day–heavy, dark clouds just hanging around, trying to drag me down. It’s taken all my effort today to fight off the darkness. Focused a whole bunch on just filling my ears with uplifting stuff.
Even then, it was tough. Tough tough.
One of the roofing company Representatives came around 2:00 to look at the roof and take measurements, in order to give a bid, and Hans came by for a bit to chat with the rep before heading back out to work.
Gratefully, my Amazon stuff came today, the ear piercing pillow that I’m hoping will make it easier to wear my headphones for white noise while I sleep. I wear them anyway, and generally, I do fine, but they do sometimes fall out or put uncomfortable pressure, so I thought maybe I could use one of those ear piercing pillows that has the hole for your ear to go in.
We’ll see how that goes. 🤞
With the Amazon stuff going, I spent a little time working on solar stuff. I didn’t really work at all today. Didn’t call doctor’s offices to get medical records transferred, nothing.
Heather and Hans came home after work, Heather made dinner, and we all talked about roof stuff and plans going forward.
I spent a good long time chatting with Cory, still trying to help him figure out what was going on with his van. Gratefully, in the end, we were able to figure it all out, finding that the main power cable from his battery to the starter was not good enough to do the job it needed to do.
For whatever reason that I don’t understand, it was totally messing with the entire circuit, so much so that it appeared to be blowing ignition switches and starters.
If we had had the necessary tools from the beginning, in this case a jump box, we would have been able to figure this out early on, but it was one heck of a wacky circumstance.
Everything everywhere was confusing. 😅
Funny how in the end it turned out to be what it always turns out to be in that particular situation where everything goes black when you try and start it, a bad cable connection.
Sometimes you just don’t have what you need to do a proper test. 🙃
But it’s figured out! Just a quick cable splice, and he’ll be good! 🥳
Listened to part of a Truman Madsen talk with Heather, talked more house stuff, and spent a little more time on solar panel stuff.
Gratitude:
- I’m grateful that after a long day of dark clouds, I was able to finish the day upbeat and light, sunny skies. 🥰
- I’m grateful to have been able to get Cory’s van figured out. 🎉
- I’m grateful that the Amazon delivery finally came today. I was concerned that I was going to have to reorder everything, which was going to take three more days to arrive, which, would have been fine, but I am just itching to get the solar stuff done. I’ve had the panels for about 2 months. 🙃
- I’m grateful to be in a place where I can have meaningful conversations with Captain Universe. 🙏
- I’m grateful that I had the strength to focus on going forward with what I know I need to do and to work to let go of the things that I’m still not sure about.
Success:
- I fought today. I fought hard to fight off the darkness, and Glory to God, the darkness dispersed, and the light returned. 🙏
Improvement:
- Part of the darkness from today arose because I was focused on things that I didn’t understand instead of letting those go and moving forward with what I do understand. I will eventually understand the things I don’t currently understand, and I don’t need to know now. But I worried about it for a while, and as I let go and trust in God, I will be able to spend more time in the light.
Loves 💚
Lift the world.
Bring it on.
~ stephen
Lift the World 