Thank God for the Southern Company

I spoke to the employees of a huge electric generating plant this week located along the Black Warrior River north of Birmingham. Plant Miller. Alabama Power. The Southern Company. This plant was celebrating 9 years of having no employees miss work because of a work related injury.

I spoke on a stage under a huge tent. There was the aroma of steaks grilling in the air. This was really fun and different. It was also really hot. Sweat running down my back hot.

The fun was watching people laugh… out loud. Laughter really is like medicine and I am glad I was able to give them a dose.

But I also was able to remind them of some things they needed to hear. And the message hit home. I could see it in their eyes.

On second thought, that might have been sweat running down those cheeks.

I think I got an idea of how the old time tent preachers must have felt when they did those tent revivals in the middle of the summer. I almost called for an offering at the end. Every head bowed. Every eye closed. No one looking around. If you came on a bus they will wait on you. Magic.

But I also was educated in the business of electricity.

I learned a little about how an electric generating plant works. I was taken on a guided tour of the plant. They put a hard hat on me with ear plugs and goggles. I learned about how many millions of coal they use and how it is moved on the conveyer belts. I was shown how they boil the water to produce the steam to produce the energy to produce the power. I had never been to an electric plant in my life but I have now and my horizons have been expanded.

I also learned that it is hot as hades in an electric generating plant. I don’t know how those guys do it everyday. We went up on an elevator that had 14 floors. Absolutely the hottest elevator I’ve ridden in my life.

I prayed all the way up, “Lord, please don’t let this elevator get stalled.”

I can tell you this. When I walked in my air conditioned home last night, I had a new appreciation for the lights and air conditioners I take for granted every day.

Thank God for the Southern Company.