My family and I live in downtown Atlanta. It's a great place to live with lots of activities for the family with wonderful parks, culture and food everywhere. When we moved here a few years back (helping to plant a church in the city), we discovered incredible neighbors that would watch the house if we were gone, loan out sugar if we needed it and have conversations at the mailbox.  We felt as though we had moved back into the 50s. 

With moving back into the 50s, we have also discovered that when storms come through the city of Atlanta, our power system operates on a "50s" circuit. Storms cause us to lose power all the time, and most of the time in the middle of the night. Of course, this means that when power is restored all the lights power on, the TV comes back on and the noise wakes us up at whatever time our city finally fixes the problem and power is restored. Fun stuff!

Recently, we had one of these power failures. The kids were all asleep. At this point we knew all that would power on would be our TV in our room as this was the last thing left on. This time I was prepared. I would get the best of the situation, keeping the remote by my side to kill the power and quickly get back to sleep. I had figured this power system problem out... so I thought.  

When the power was restored, our fire alarms were tripped-- at 1 a.m.! Needless to say, we were all jolted out of our beds, kids screaming, my wife and I trying to figure out if we had a "real problem," and a loud beep with the words FIRE, FIRE, FIRE screaming at us.  

Now I pride myself on being handy, but I really am not. So I tried to kill the breakers, call the alarm company and finally grab some cotton balls for everyone, while assuring my family that it all was okay. It certainly didn't feel okay. Things were not okay!

Many times as a parent or husband, I feel as though things are okay. I assure myself and family that all is alright. All the while, alarms are going off inside. Maybe I am ignoring an attitude from one of my children, like silence from them when they finish school or come back from a friend's house. Maybe it's in my relationship with my wife during a season when we aren't communicating.  "I don't need to address it," "things will work themselves out," "she doesn't understand me anymore"-- these would be excuses to clog my ears and turn off the alarms that are screaming FIRE, FIRE, FIRE, saying everything is not okay!  

Do you have alarms going off inside your head or heart?  

Are you facing them or ignoring them? 

Do you feel it is too far gone?  

I grew up in a home with a mother who used to tell me all the time "It is never too late to do the right thing."  

You may feel that your problems are too far gone, or that they are too difficult. 

James, the brother of Jesus, speaks to this:

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4 NLT)

Sometimes when alarms have been going off in our head for weeks, months or years, we look back and ask "how did this get so bad?" Quoting Mark Hall from Casting Crowns: "It's a slow fade." Take heart though... it is never too late to do the right thing. Don't ignore the alarms.  Consider it an opportunity for great joy.

"Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns
Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray 
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray 
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see