Two and a half weeks ago a major hurricane hit our area. Our world was shaken to say the least. Everyone around us was. Our families, friends, neighbors, and strangers were all effected. Our world seemed to be turned upside down. Literally in some cases. The Florida Panhandle was changed forever. People had been saying for years that the gulf coast about 40 miles from us had never experienced a devastating hit. Well, this time it did. It seemed to have come out of no where. One minute we were going through the normal routine of leaving our camper and traveling to a safe haven at my mamas, for a Cat 1 or 2 and the next minute we heard it was coming on shore directly at us as a Cat 4. I don't know what I would have done differently... everyone was in the same shoes. After the storm quickly passed through, thank God it didn't stall, no one had electricity or cell phone service and we only had limited amounts of food and water. Some didn't even have homes. Believe me, I'm not complaining. We were just thankful to be alive. Days later, we came back to our camper, to check on things. We couldn't get down our road for the pine trees that had been chopped into and blown over everywhere. We had to get out of the car and travel by foot. As we walked up to our place we saw that our camper was in tact. Just everything was a mess. We were extremely grateful that our home had not been blown over. I walked onto the porch I found myself saying out loud, "My flower bed is a mess," as I reached over to pick up the debris; leaves, limbs, and all that was left by the storm. I was a little disgruntled, to say the least. All I could see was the mess! I was just thanking God that our camper was still secure. How quickly my view was skewed. Looking away in dissatisfaction, I saw the butterflies fluttering all over the golden Lantana like they had always done. And the bees buzzing happily in and around it all. They were not the least bit dismayed by the scene. They were doing what they loved to do. Seeing them lifted my spirits. Then the thought came to me. Why am I so agitated? As I looked a little closer, beneath the stubble, there were my flowers. Just as pretty as ever. Maybe even prettier. I couldn't see them at first. I could only see the yuck. I couldn't see the roses for all the thorns. I don't have any roses but you know what I mean. I know it's a small thing. A flower bed and all. But, somehow this little analogy seems to make sense. I know that some people might not see it like this. I hear them. And that's okay. And yes it's true...I didn't lose everything I have. If I did, I pray I would still see it like this. I was reading my morning devotion this morning and this verse stood out at me (of course it would)...the wind and the waves know His name. Of course they do! He created them! There was nothing about this storm that took Him by surprise. I also remembered the verse...there is a time and season for everything... I started to see things differently. I thought about all the devastating events of the last few weeks. As I looked closely from underneath the rubble and pain all around us, I saw a beautiful thing happening. Actually, a "beautiful mess" started to emerge. Slowly at first. Almost a snails pace. Then it grew and grew and started to spread. Everywhere I looked people were caring for other people. Person after person worked tirelessly at shelters and donation stations. People cooked hot meals for those that couldn't. They cleaned, raked, sawed, listened, prayed. The very next day, after the storm had passed, my husband ventured out across the road to talk to my mom's neighbors. To check on them. Some homes had trees through their roofs. Others didn't. But, we still had a whole lot in common. We all started picking up the broken pieces of our lives together. Whether it be in our yard or their yard or another town or county, it didn't matter. Power companies, police officers, emergency people, started flooding in from all over the US to give us aid. Selfless acts of service. We are forever grateful for all their help. Everyone has been changed. I even found myself more concerned about the other person getting water at Walmart than I was for myself. We have had a lot of time to get reacquainted with our families too. Time to just talk to one another; no cell phones, no TV, nothing but good ole conversation. Now that is no small feat. I'm sure new friendships have been made. Old ones renewed. Time spent loving on each other. It isn't just an ordinary experience for sure. We traveled north for a few days while our electricity was off. My husband and I took my mother and granddaughter to our place in North Carolina for a week. I have been wanting my mother to visit us for over a year now and the opportunity never arose.This was definitely an unexpected trip. Who would have ever thought that a storm blowing through our area would give us that time. We got the chance to hold our family close and we took it. On our trip up north, days after the storm, my husband and I talked to a man and woman that sat across from us eating breakfast. The first hot meal we all had, had in a few days. He had no idea that she had completely lost her house in the storm and the young man that sat across the table from her had brought her to eat breakfast.The waitress came up to us and said, "The man at the table over there paid for your families breakfast and the table next to you." A total stranger. I have never had anyone pay for my whole meal like that before. I almost cried. To pass it forward we bought the young man and young woman's breakfast. We didn't have much cash on us but we were able to give her what we had. We have prayed for her since that time. In fact, we've had a lot of opportunities for prayer. Everyone has. It's a little ironic don't you think? He takes messes and makes something beautiful out of them. It kinda makes me wonder if I should call them messes at all! A time when we might ordinarily focus on ourselves, we start thinking about others. It doesn't matter what anyone else says...I see some plain "ole" good people. I know that it is going to take a long time for some to find a new normal. A very long time. But, I know with all my heart, we are all going to be better for it. I will never for one minute believe that God didn't orchestrate everything. He knows exactly what He is doing.
❤Our communities are stronger because we are better people❤
sammie jean
