Emphasis Preaching Journal

I once counted 27 electrical switches that I touch to get the day going: lights, alarm clocks, burglar alarms, coffemakers, porch lights for the newspaperperson, more lights, and more lights. We take lighting so for granted that it is hard to picture life pre-electricity. The lamplighter had to come around at evening. People guarded the flicker of flame overnight, since fire was hard to start. They squinted over oil lamps and candles. We fear, as they did, the dark streets and are overwhelmed under the thick black moonless and starless prairie nights.