I was never so happy to see a red light.  It was over seven days since we had power in our community as well as the entire road leading up to our community.  The police became lights as they waved the normally crazy cranky traffic through.  Bless their hearts, they toiled in black uniforms in 100-degree weather.  Their hearts must have soared as high as mine when those circles three turned on.  The nuance of no power (well, no AC and laundry) waned as after-storm clouds gave way to brilliant sun, which thereby made saunas out of our concrete fort homes.  Outside was cooler than inside and many air conditioned malls and stores were on limited generator power too.  To be honest, I was the only one struggling, my kids did great.

As the spouses did life at home, many of our loved ones boarded ships, on ten foot seas, to head to St. Thomas in order to scope out the damage and begin trying to get life in some kind of order for those who remained.  It has proved to be quite a task.  Looters are armed and destroying stores, not for food or water, but for tourist wares.  So, all of our Coasties must have security around them to protect them from the follies of men.  Oh the wayward hearts that deem possessions more important than life sustaining sustenance.  Yet my pointing finger goes right back to myself as I think about how I often fight for what I want, rather than what I need.  Sweet conviction.

Well, then there are the locals that, instead of waiting for the power company to come and clear the lines off the road, they are cutting them, thus making a few months job of rehanging downed lines into a 6 month to a year project of replacing the lines.  The first thing I thought of was, “well, did you see the mess?  I might do that too.”  My lack of patience and trusting the Lord with his timing was evidence in this reaction as well as many of my situations…from potty training to getting food on the table to getting children to obey.  Isn’t it so true that when we rush things into our timing and our way, often the result is not as good as if we had waited…and maybe even more messy?  Oh sweet conviction.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that what they are doing is wrong and consequences should commence, I just want to remind myself that but by the grace of God, so go I.

So, what now?  Barrett is still helping in St. Thomas and many of us are collecting donations for those who lost everything.  It’s encouraging to see our pack-n-plays put on a cutter for some baby in St. Thomas.  It’s cool to have a trunk full of diapers, feminine products, cleaning supplies, and soap for the many who can’t buy these anymore.  I usually think of donating clothes, but so many have, thankfully.  And these will go into military members hands to get directly to those in need.  Like a veritable bucket brigade working for miles.  As we stay at home worrying about important, yet maybe mundane, domestic issues, we can be a strategic part of helping our spouses and encouraging one another.

Please continue to pray for the many victims of these recent storms.  The human heart is wicked and we are seeing this, but praise God, there is also a cure for this!  May the church rise up and be the needed hands and feet to bring relief to the weary.  May we sit and listen to victim’s stories and have compassion for them as they weep.  But of most significance, may we bring the ultimate hope of how their wicked hearts can be made right through trusting in Jesus.  That sins can be washed away forever and no matter how much loss there is on this earth, there are the treasures in heaven awaiting those who put their trust in Him.  And in heaven, there are no more tears, no more sadness, no more loss, no more pain, no more storms, no more death.  Now please, take something from our trunk load of necessary wares.