The people who live on the little island of Dominica need you to remember them!  2017 was a stunning year for big storms – Harvey, Irma, Jose, and Maria are just a few that pop into my head quickly.  I recall weather reports where 3 named hurricanes were active in the region with others on the way and building.  The early forecast for the 2018 season predicts another active hurricane season.

It has been over 3 months since the storm and it is easy to be distracted by the other things that are going on in the world and in our lives.  There is a new reality in Dominica.  I suspect that it will be at least a year before electricity returns to the majority of the island.  The power grid in Dominica is in bad shape and resources on the island are few and far between.

Despite the challenges they face, the people of Dominica have a spirit of perseverance that is amazing.  Imagine the major changes in your life if the electricity were cut off for the next 18 months…  No refrigerator.  Charging mobile phones by solar or car charger…or for $5 a charge in town.  No TV.  No lights.  Cold showers.  No hairdryer.  No fans.  The list goes on and on.  Which one would you miss the most?  Which one would you find out you really didn’t need?

I’m in the process of completing a report that will be presented to our church this Sunday, but wanted to share one more post about Dominica before we wrap up 2017 and as I look forward to the new year.

One of our family goals for 2018 will be living with margin – a concept explored in Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives by Richard Swenson, M.D.  The concept…

Margin is the space between our load and our limits. It is the amount allowed beyond that which is needed. It is something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations. Margin is the gap between rest and exhaustion, the space between breathing freely and suffocating.

If you’re like me, there are several things in your life that you can cut out, delegate, or ask for help on.  I love staying busy but taking on too much won’t leave enough margin in my schedule or in my wallet to help others.  Helping others is one of the most rewarding things we do as a family.