Friday, November 4, 2005

Storm Stories: Glimpses from the Heart

  Today  I want to share some glimpses into the heart with you.  Share some things people actually did in and around our area for one another in the wake of Rita.  Large things, simple things.  Most I believe for altruistic reasons, but some may have been with motives to promote themselves.  But God is amazing and can use even those actions to benefit others! 

Local News Anchors and radio personalities, some who stayed during the storm, some who evacuated and came right back.  They went into studios that had suffered damage.  They ran on generators, in the heat, to broadcast out local news and helpful information.  They searched and they researched.  They connected us.  Some still return home at the end of the day to homes with blue roofs and no cable.

The Hardin County Sheriff's Dept., who responded to call after call.  Who helped many who had no way to help themselves.  Elderly people who needed ice for their meds.  Older folks who needed a hot meal.  People who needed gas to run their generators and even help cranking them.

FEMA, the National Guard and the Red Cross, who tirelessly handed out meals, ice and water each day of the week.  In heat, in misquitos.  Away from their own homes and families.

Mario Gonzales, Pete's cousin who brought in gasoline for the ambulance service to run on.  Who parked a large BBQ cooker in the parking lot of a destroyed convenience store.  Organized volunteers to keep it going.....cooking and handing out hot plate lunches to anyone who stopped by.  Fed an awful lot of the folks who were in the area to help us.  As frozen meat became defrosted, people dropped off their items, the food was cooked and passed out.  Waste not, want not they say.

The woman who phoned a radio show to say that she was caring for survivors in her home and didn't have enough water.  Was asking did they think it would be alright for her to go over to her neighbors pool and dip out water for flushing comodes, etc.  This is respect of others and their belongings.

My husband, Pete, who went from house to house down our road switching people's water pumps that were wired for 220 and no good with their generator, over to 110 so they could have water in their homes. 

Those neighbors who opened their homes to me to use their phones that did work or their washers that were ran by generators.

Our own family.  My sister and husband who loaded us down with koolaid and sugar, brought us gas when it wasn't plentiful.  Pete's siblings that brought ice when it was hard for us to get and food and other supplies.....sharing out of what they had received.

The business I work for, that opened the doors to their undamaged location to allow displaced workers to shower and sleep there.  Who cooked and fed every worker and anyone else who stopped in every day for a week.  Who brought each worker in one by one to help them get on the internet and register with FEMA.

The many men who left home and family to come help restore our infrustructure.  They worked incredible long days for weeks.  Ate as we did.  Slept in tents at old fair grounds and rodeo arenas. 

The many companies, who forgave monthy payments for a month or even three so folks could get their feet back under them.

The list goes on and on.  I could never mention them all.  But you get the idea.  Folks helping folks and doing what had to be done. 

There is a lot of talk and books and such around these days about angels.  People seem to think that angels are something spectacular.  Actually they are God's go-fors.  I believe in them.  But the amazing, the brillant thing of God is that His Spirit indwells all who believe in Christ.  That ever since the assension of Christ, God's preferred method of delivering help and aid is us.  Ordinary, extra-ordinary, people. 

                                  

15 comments:

  1. what you have said here is true..........so many times during times of disaster people get swept up in the why me mode.......and i have to say it is a way of trying to make sense........but so many times we forget the little things........little people.....the stuff we don't normally think of. its like when i pray, i try to remember to thank God for the small every day blessings He gives us. we take it for granted that our lungs will expand with air and that our blood will pump to our body, but it is only by the grace of God that this happens. it is good to thank God for the small blessings that came out of all of this. for instance the defrosting food.....if it hadn't been to the point of ruining would it have been spared for the better of the whole situation? we will never know, but a whole community was better for that one small inconvience. maybe i'm way out in left field on my thoughts, butthis is how i try to think of everything. i try not to think of the negative things as hardships.........just blessings in disgiuse. sending blessings and love, jess

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  2. Sounds as everyone piched in to help each other. God was with all of you. Bless you and everyone who did their part big or small. Helen

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  3. A wonderful entry. Any thing a person can do helps. Some that helped others during this crisis, may have done it for the wrong reasons, but God uses everything to take care of people.
    Hugs, love & prayers,
    Barb- http://journals.aol.com/barbpinion/HEYLETSTALK

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  4. Good entry. God bless all of those who helped and are still helping.
    Terrie

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  5. BARBARA,  
       YOU ARE A SUNBEAM ON A CLOUDY DAY.
           ONCE WE SINCERELY ACCEPT THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO OUR LIVES, IT SEEMS TO COME NATURALLY TO THINK OF DOING FOR OTHERS.
           AN OPPORTUNIST THAT HAS NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT MIGHT BE A LITTLE CONFUSED, NOT UNDERSTANDING A 'GIVING' HEART.
         I'M CERTAIN THAT MANY HAVE AND WILL TURN TO JESUS BECAUSE OF SEEING THE ACTIONS OF THE 'GIVERS'. THANK GOD FOR JESUS.        SAM

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  6. There were a lot of blessings.

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  7. amen barb, we are one! And there are angels among us everywhere, even the neighbor next door.

    Hugs
    angelrose

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  8. So nice to see a positive view for a change!  I'm a Canadian redneck- did you know there is such a thing?!  Only I live in Florida now- we had a few times around with storms, and I also witnessed the love of Christ through out!  I'm glad you're all OK!  We lost a little more roof shingles this year, and a few things that lasted last years storms- but by the Grace of God- we have what's left and our family and animals! YAY!  Take care, and God bless!

    Carolyn

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  9. Hey Barbara.  Thank You so much for your recent visit to my journal.  I wish I had your faith.  There was a time in my life when faith was a plenty but in the last year or so everything in life has let me down.  No matter how hard I try, life deals me one blow after another.  How do you get past that and still have faith when every time you grasp a little hope the further you sink?  Just a question for you.

    I always love a good comment in my journal..thanks for yours.

    Nice journal you have here!

    Stacy

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  10. (smiles) thank you so much for the visit to my journal and for leaving a link so that i could come and visit yours.
    this entry is so powerful, clearly showing the innate goodness in people. our ablity to pull together as children of the Lord and help one another. work together in a common goal.
    i'm certain that i'm going to like reading your journal.

    take care and have a wonderful weekend,
    shermeen xx
    http://journals.aol.co.uk/shermeen0621/PublicThoughts/

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  11. Everyone has been soooo good to us down here!

    My family and I have been talking lately, we so miss the friends we made and the shelters we stayed in. When something like this happens life and people tend to open up so much more and bonds are made so much stronger.

    Great entry!
    Hugs
    Brandi

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  12. There sure were alot of people helping with this disaster!

    Theresa

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  13. People can be so wonderful and usually are. Paula

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  14. hello sweetie thanks so much for sharing this it is good to know God was among you and all that helped praise God for all of them have a good day God bless kelley

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  15. Just wanted to thank you for recognizing the t.v. people who worked long, long hours getting drenced and facing incredible happenings to themselves just so the world could know what was going on. You never heard what they them selves went through to get stories to YOU and your loved ones.

    With thanks,
    A TV Person's Mom

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So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

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