Trees fell in our neighborhood. A few fell and missed houses and cars. One did not miss but dropped onto a roof. Water surged in from the Atlantic flooded this street but not that one. Power flashed in this neighborhood but in this one electricity has been out for days, even a week. The country of Haiti: devastated.
I don't have any answers why some were spared but this friend, eleven trees fell, several destroying her house. Or, that friend who didn't even lose power. No answers.
But, I do know this: God is good all the time. Even in the storm. And, I will praise Him before the storm, driving away from our home after offering it in to God's hands; I will praise Him in the storm when I am dry, safe, and secure in a friends home; and I will praise Him after the storm when the clean up is hard and dirty and long.
one thousand gifts...
0026. the airfield manager making a decision to close the tower and radar, thus closing the weather station in time enough before the storm hit.
0027 friends opening their home to us when we evacuated
0028 and feeding us
0029 and their neighbor offering a box fan
0030 Jeff, strong and patient, and giving and serving and hardworking through the entire storm and evacuation
0031 a home to return to, still there, undamaged, and dry.
0032 a home paid off
0033 Jarrod having a job and figuring out how to save for college
0034 all the crews that arrived, no flooded, our area to clean up roads, restore power, assess damage after Hurricane Matthew
0035 the money needed to replace food we lost from the power outage
0036 jobs to return to and jobs that served us through the storm: Jeff's company owner allowed plenty of time to take care of families, my company willing to pay overtime when I had to close and open the station
0037 Jeff riding with me when I had to open the weather station, us finding our way through back roads and getting through those police manned roadblocks
0038 my team at work all okay, safe and sound
0039 Jeff's strong work ethic carrying him through cleanup
0040 seeing and hearing of compassion by so many
0041 crisp cooler temperatures ushered in after the storm
0042 gorgeous cloud formations; a solid layer of cold air stratocumulus - the first of the season.
0043 more pain-less days than pain-full
0044 a gift basket sitting on the dining room table waiting to be delivered to the dear people who took us in from the storm
0045 the easy drives back home after the storm, calm spirits, no traffic
0046 the hard, solid, good work done upon our return and the benefits from a kept yard and house
Praise You, Lord, in the storm!