Tag Archives: Hurricane Sandy

A Strong yet Tender Heart

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“Break my heart for what breaks His…”  – Wes Stafford, President of Compassion Intl.

It’s been almost a week now since Hurricane Sandy tore through the Northeast.  Almost seven days of nonstop news coverage, showing unimagineable destruction, loss and heartbreak.  But now the presidential election is upon us, and the news is shifting more and more away from the northeast and onto the latest and greatest big news story.  Due to many factors, not the least of these shortening attention spans, uncomfortableness with focusing on others’ suffering, and the need for the ever-important TV ratings, the news stations move on.  And we forget.  Because life gets busy, there are things that we need to do in our everyday lives, children, jobs, bills, etc.  But the same people are up there in NY, NJ, over in Sudan, or India, or the Middle East, suffering and struggling and trying to rebuild their lives.

I wish I was the kind of girl that knew how to fix things, or move big trees, or give medical treatments.  But I’m not.  So it’s so easy for me to tune out, to focus on what’s right in front of me, to think there’s nothing I can do.  But I can pray, and pray more, and try not to forget people who are suffering.  And I can give a little money to help.  We’re not rich by any means, but compared to so many in the world, we are.  So I’m going to look right now for a good reputable charity that is working in the Northeast and give some money, even if it’s just a little bit.  Because it’s at least doing something, and I know that someday I would be thankful if the same thing happened here in my hometown.  And I pray that God will continue to keep my heart soft, because life is hard and it’s so easy to get hardened along with it.  But I don’t want to forget.    Blessings, Lisa

Boom in the Night

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On Monday night, Hurricane Sandy blew through our part of Virginia.  The rain was substantial, but the wind….let’s just say that I didn’t like it, at all.  (which is a grown up way of saying that I got scared 🙂  )  About 8 PM, I was laying in bed with my youngest, singing her lullabies, when we saw a huge flash of light, and heard a big “boom!”  Then downstairs, I heard my husband say “What was that?” and my other daughter said, “There’s a fire in the backyard!”  Needless to say, Amy & I got up in a flash and ran to the back window, where we saw the electrical pole/transformer that’s in our back yard sparking, then starting a pole fire.  Sparks were flying onto our outbuilding’s roof and into the woods.  I called 911, and was reporting it, when all of a sudden….”BOOM!” again, huge white/green flash explosion, scary electrical surge sound in the house.  Then finally, a final and even bigger explosion which made the whole house shake and feel like it was on fire.  The phone line and electricity in the house was gone suddenly, and we were all quickly making our way downstairs, in the dark, making sure we had everybody and our dog.  All I could think of was to get out of there.  Thankfully, my cool-headed husband realized that the house wasn’t actually on fire, and when he looked outside, he saw that the fire was completely out in the backyard.  (Thank You, Lord!)  So we stayed, and prayed, and then prayed some more.  And then the wind stopped around 3 AM, and I have never been so happy to hear the quiet return.

Here are some pictures of our awesome Rappahannock Electric guys rebuilding our pole the next morning….

The wind and tree broken transformer pole

The live wires that fell into our yard

REC workers to the rescue

So long story short, I am thankful, for life, for the fire going out, for utility and rescue workers, mostly for the mercy of God.  For any of you who went through worse experiences further north, I am continuing to lift you up in my prayers, for strength through these coming rebuilding days.  Blessings, Lisa

Prayers

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This morning, as I am reading all the forecasts and projections for Hurricane Sandy’s landfall, I am also praying.  Not a big fancy prayer, but simple, short sentences that fill my mind as I read.  “Help them, God.”  “Please give everyone safety.”  Here in Virginia we’re looking at lots of rain and some wind gusts tonight into tomorrow.  But wherever you are right now, be thankful that you are safe and reading this, and hug those that may be close by, or at least tell them that you appreciate them.  Because anytime that things like this come along, it’s a wake-up call that our God-given life is precious, and that moments are precious, and that it is such a blessing to be here together.  Be safe, and be God’s.  Slainte, Lisa

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.  He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.  They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.”  (Psalm 107:28-30)