Irma.

Just a few thoughts about a storm named Irma.

I could be upset about the fact that my bathtub that I pre-filled with water to flush our toilet is already running low after two days.  Or ~ I can be thankful that I have a toilet that is not completely underwater in a home that I had to leave because it was flooded by a storm named Irma.

I can be stressed out about the fact that in the middle of a scary storm, I had to mop up water in my house that was leaking so it did not cover our floor in water and that we have wet towels laying outside our door that we can not wash yet because we are without power.  (Which, by the way, all that water went into some large plastic tubs during the storm and was convenient to save to flush the other toilet in the house ~ you get creative/desperate when the reality hits that you have no water for an undetermined amount of time.)  Or ~ I can be thankful that I know that my water will come back on because my house did not burn to the ground, was not flattened by a tree or the roof did not go flying off in a storm named Irma.

I can be angry that I do not have power in my house because there are countless power poles and lines that were snapped like twigs around our entire community and beyond and major damage to some things that I am pretty sure I could not begin to describe or understand even though there are people across the highway or behind our property that have power because they obviously were coming off of a different substation than our house or because that section just happened to get worked on first in whatever order the amazing power companies chose to tackle in this mess of a puzzle they are putting back together.  Or ~ I can be thankful that there are men and women working countless hours away from their own families and storm clean up to safely restore power to people, some of which just complain about how long it is taking or why their neighbors have it and they don’t.  And ~ I can reflect and decide that a little bit of time without the TV going, technology everywhere and constant chaos in my life with the normal daily activities might not be all that bad.  I can take the time to look at the stars with someone that has been homeless for a while that somehow without all the lights around seem so much brighter pointed out to me by someone that slept under those stars last night that I met because of a storm named Irma.

I can be aggravated that I did finally get access to a generator today that was working fine for someone else but the moment it was turned on to be checked to come to our house it was not working.  Or ~ I can remember that everything happens for a reason and because that generator was not working and we went looking for a certain person to fix it that we met yesterday, God took us to a person that we needed to bless whose home was not flooded Monday after the storm while we were helping someone get out of their home but was flooded Tuesday as the river rose higher.  Imagine going to bed with water up to your doorstep happy that it was not inside your home but then waking up, putting your feet on the floor and feeling that water squish between your toes because of a storm named Irma.

I can be stressed out about the fact that I personally have not cleaned up anything in our yard or property yet.  Or ~ I can realize that the limbs and trash everywhere will be there later when some of the immediate needs around our community are taken care of.  Please know that I have by no means done the work of many people that have worked tirelessly so far in recovery efforts with this storm, but in the things we have done and time that we have spent, God has shown me some pretty amazing things so far because of a storm named Irma.

I can be worried about the fact that we do not have the ability to water our plants in the nursery but yet I don’t want to pray for rain because of the effects it would have on those that are in areas of flood dangers.  Or ~ I can be thankful that despite any losses that we have or plants and trees that do not survive, my husband is alive and able to continue to work to provide for me and for our family.  A husband that I am able to serve with to help people during this clean up.  I lost a friend this week.  A beautiful woman named Julie Bridges who will no longer be able to provide for and take care of her son.  A person that can no longer serve people as Julie did.  A child that will no longer have his mother to hold him and love him because of a storm named Irma.

Perspective.  It can change your attitude about anything if you make that choice.  If you take the time to stop and look around you, there are countless ways you can help others now and every day of your life, not just in the aftermath of a storm.  This is a good place to start.  This storm for some brought no damage or they are taken care of with resources they have or insurance, power is already restored and/or life is back to normal.  Yes ~ there are some that life is back to normal.  Some however ~ don’t have a home, have significant damage, can’t cook a meal, have lost their possessions, have nowhere to go, were already in a horrible situation that Irma just made worse…the list goes on.  You can choose to be upset, stressed out, angry, aggravated or worried about all the things that are wrong for you right now(which are probably pretty much temporary or minor compared to many)…OR ~ you can choose to be thankful, remember there is a purpose for everything and reflect on a different perspective you could choose to focus on.  It is a choice you make daily.  Choose the right one and Be The Church today.  Be the hands and feet of Jesus.  Invest that time in those around you and beyond.  You never know what God will show you along the way.

Thanks Irma.  First ~ for leaving us to never return.  Second ~ for giving us a different perspective and the opportunity to serve.