Picking Up

For nearly a month we have wrestled with the impact of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. Most of the time, we have watched on television, night and day. For Joslyn and I Hurricane watching has become a ritual.

When Hurricane Rita moved through Texas and South Louisiana, we started to feel some of the winds in Monroe. Over the weekend power was out in most of South Monroe because power lines were toppled by falling trees, bent to the extremes by the wind. For many, power still has not be restored three days later.

We heard the whistling of the wind and the crackling of tree limbs around us. A giant Oak tree behind our home cracked like a toothpick as it crashed into two houses behind our home. The tree poked holes in the roofs and stuck its limbs all the way to their floors. Electrical wires snapped and dangled into the streets.

All night we heard limbs falling from the tall Pine and Oak trees in our yard. Because their branches stretch over our home like great fans in the summer, we anticipate the worse in storms. Their potontial is devastating in strong winds. We fully expected one of those trees to plunge through our house as well.

By Sunday morning, most of the neighborhoods looked devastated. Tree branches, downed electric lines, and debris were everywhere. Amazingly, we still had electric power but no cable connection. When we arrived for worship, our congregation was was miniscule. Most had been battling the storm in the dark all night.

A family of 35 from Lake Charles worshipped with us. They spent the weekend cramped in a local beauty shop. Another family of 20, also fleeing Hurricane Rita shared with us as well. The sermon God gave me addressed the moment, "Life Is Not Fair, But God is Good."

We fed our guests after the worship and returned to our homes to pick up after the storm.

All we had was just the risidual winds of the storm, and we were dislocated. Those who were actually in the storm endured more.

As we drove home the sun began shining brightly in the sky. The clouds seem to break away and allow the reassuring sun rays to make a bold entrance. It was a striking contrast to the broken community we passed as we drove.

The sun was a welcomed sight.

It reminded me that "After the storm, the SON will shine."

God is still good.