keeping the lights on

I’ve had moments over the past months, just like most other people I know, where I’ve “looked down” (i.e. think of the scene in Shrek where they are crossing the bridge and Shrek instructs donkey not to look down… that kind of “looked down”).

My beautiful wife brought it all into perspective when she smiled and looked me in the eye and said “All you need to look after is your family and your salvation.” It’s true…

KLO means Keep Lights On. It’s an fairly recent term heard floating around the enterprise, it’s the process of jettisoning absolutely everything non-essential to maintain the survival of the company through extreme circumstances. My family and I aren’t in one of those situations at the moment, far from it, but if we ever where to be, what would my KLO look like?

The answer is not that bad. The answer, probably for you too, is not that bad. Not comfortable, not ideal, but definitely not the end of the world. And not permanent either…

This is my favorite verse for my “look down” moments…

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [a]

2 I will say [b] of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Knowing that God’s got your back… Knowing your KLO… Enables you to be bold. We are not called to shrink back in the face of adversity, negativity, or threats, we are called to conquer and have dominion.