When Disaster Strikes

It feels different when disaster strikes in one’s own back yard, does it not? Back in the 1980’s my brother Tom lived in that neighborhood in Moore, and a niece and a nephew went to that elementary school, Plaza Towers, and in a rush of mighty wind it is all gone and lives have perished, young lives. I only had so many tears, I turned off the tv, and went outside for a few hours, the children, anything but the children. A tornado is such a random force of nature with no rhyme or reason to the damage it leaves in its trail. There was a time when I fancied being a storm chaser. I want to be outside. I want to face the storm and take pictures. One of my favorite things to do is sit on the porch or back patio and watch the lightning. When I was a child we could see the tall buildings in downtown OKC from our porch, and many a spring/summer night the lightning would dance across the sky. I finally saw my first and only tornado in June 1998. It was a small one. I filmed it from my backyard and when the lightning got too intense, I ran inside and filmed it some more from my bedroom window. But Monday was too intense and sad. The pictures brought all the tragedies I had lived through and witnessed firsthand the aftermath, it seemed they all came at my heart together, and I felt overwhelmed. Perhaps I should have turned the tv off sooner, the children, anything but the children. In social media I read a thought by Michael Oberlander, former youth minister here, now pastor at FCC, Chickasha, and friend: “Today I wish to offer to you that God had nothing to do with this accept after it had passed. God has everything to do with how people respond to those in need. God has everything to do with how people whose lives are drained of hope can find it one day again. As much as I wanted to be with my children today; God sure wants to at least ten times more. We don't know why but we do know how, how they will recover. Today there are tears on the face of God. God understands the pain of loss… Tears on the face of God for those who search so hard for loved ones hoping desperately for a reunion. Tears on the face of God for those who have no home to go to.” And then Michael said, “I leave you with these words from Isaiah… Isaiah 41:10 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'” Today, I hope I never witness another tornado. If the storm sirens sound I will toss the suitcases out of the closet, put on my batting helmet, grab my camera and hope there are no pictures worth the taking. With a lament, SoulSongWriter

Thankful for Life

I LOVE MY LIFE! This is an email I received from a friend in our Covenant family and reprinted by her permission. Thankyou H.D. Have you ever had a day when you felt like you just needed to sit down and thank God for all your blessings?  Well, today was one of those days for me. For starters, my granddaughter and her precious baby boy paid me a visit early this morning.  He had a big smile for me and let me hold and hug him as long as I wanted. After a shower, I drove to the home of my Hospice patient, (I’ll call her Betty).  Betty’s husband had called and asked if I could come sit with Betty this morning so he could take care of some business.  When I walked into Betty’s house and to her bedside, she gave me that beautiful smile and told me she was happy I was there. I prepared Betty’s breakfast, administered her medications, and gave her a breathing treatment.  Betty never fails to thank me whenever I do anything for her.  She is a very gracious lady. Although Betty is bedfast with a catheter and on oxygen, she never complains.  Today she was having a good day and we got to do a lot of visiting.  Betty shared with me that she had lost her son when he was twenty-nine years old.  He was hit and killed by a drunk driver.  She also explained how she had gone through all the stages of grief with her son’s death and had come to terms with it. Four hours and many conversations later, Betty’s husband returned and I said good-bye to Betty.  I left feeling I had received much more than I had given. I had thirty minutes to get home, eat lunch, get dressed and be at the assisted living facility for the monthly performance by my singing group.  Today we were singing at the birthday party of two of the residents.  They all enjoyed our singing and expressed their thanks to us before we left.  I told them that we enjoyed singing for them as much as they enjoyed hearing us. Next we were to sing at a nursing home which was fairly close to where we were.  Some of the residents were finishing up their Bingo games when we arrived.  Soon the staff was pushing wheelchairs into the main room where we would be singing. An incident happened today at the nursing home that truly warmed my heart.  One of the ladies, (I’ll call her Jane), probably in her early seventies, has dementia.  The staff has a problem keeping Jane in her wheelchair, so they lodge a covered thick foam pad in her lap which keeps her from getting out.  Jane often bangs on the pad making a loud noise.  Well, today the staff put her right in the middle of the room very close to us.  Jane immediately stopped banging and started watching us.  After a while she started mouthing the words to the songs and tapping her feet. In a while, a lady, probably in her early fifties, walked up and looked at Jane and started smiling.  Before long the younger lady had tears rolling down her face.  Jane was this lady’s mother, and she was so happy to see her mother smile and having a good time. I had been gone all day and still had choir practice to attend.  When I walked into the house and found the kitchen sparkling clean, it made me realize what a wonderful husband I have.  He never complains about me being gone all the time and is always happy to see me when I do come home. Even though I was very tired, choir practice was great!  With a dedicated choir director like we have and all the special choir members, it can’t be anything but great. Did I mention that I love my life? Thank you God, for all my blessings! H.D. I am SoulSongWriter and I love this message!