Moore, OK....Like a War Zone

Guess it's taken me a few weeks to be ready to talk about Moore, OK.  The group I went with from Revolution Church in Schertz was awesome.  Getting to know them, especially Joyce and Angela, was a great experience.  They are all people with huge hearts for God...truly His hands and feet.
The people who opened their homes to us, fed us and prayed for us were so gracious.  Samaritan's Purse is a very well organized and run organization that gave us several jobs to do.  They have obviously done this many times before.  We met people that this is all they do now.  In their retirement, and even some that specifically take off from their jobs for weeks at a time, to go and help in disasters.  All of the above were inspirational.
I came home knowing for absolute certain that "stuff is just stuff" and that all that matters is family and friends and love for one another.
It was an unexplainable (God and only God) miracle that only 24 people were killed in that tornado.  In the path it covered, truly hundreds could have died.  Bless those who lost their lives, especially the children. The stories the survivors told, about where they were, how they managed to come out alive, were amazing.  To see the destruction with my own eyes was heartbreaking, breathtaking, and mouth opening.  From as far as you could see and further, there was total destruction.  Houses were flattened, smashed, broken, and wrecked.
On the second morning, after bending, pulling, raking, loading, hauling and lifting, I woke up thinking, "oh my goodness, we have to go do it again!"  Then I thought about the folks who have to do those same things EVERY day until their house, their neighbors house, their family's house, their business, is cleaned up and rebuilt.  Day after day and difficult and grueling day they courageously get up and do it one more time.  It would be so easy to just look at it all and say, "I give up", or "nothing can be done", or "I can't do it anymore".  But they don't say that.  They bravely forge ahead, one step at a time, and do it one more day.
It was so emotional to pray with people you didn't know, pray for people you didn't know, to hold hands with the home owners and pray comfort and blessings over them.  Gratitude for my home, my family and my life was ever present in my head and my heart.
I'm including a few photos, but truthfully, it's painful to look back at them.  They don't even come close to the real thing.

 When the debris is clean up, it's all hauled to the curb so it can be picked up by FEMA trucks or someone.  We are not even sure who does that.  Miles of piles of debris covered the street's edge.

This was the one that touched me the most!

I did not take photos of the school, but we saw it.

I will not forget this time.  I had hoped for an opportunity to go back, but so far it has not arisen.  It will be years before Moore is healthy again.  Perhaps another chance will come.

         Matthew 6:19
       “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and      vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

1. Matthew 6:20
   But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.
Blessings and love to you xoxo.

It's a Beautiful Day in My Neighborhood

At this moment:
The sparrows are bathing in the bird bath.  A squirrel is chowing down on seeds beneath the bird feeder.  (This is his snack.  He was there for breakfast earlier, then off to the bird bath for a big long drink).  A number of Mockingbirds are singing and squawking all over the place.  The hummer's are zooming around the feeders like crazy.  There's cattle grazing in the pasture next to me.  Tons of flowers are blooming and the grass is green.  The breeze blowing and tingling the chimes (and my hair).  The skies are overcast and no sun is blaring through.  It's still not 80 degrees and it's after noon.

Seriously, it's hard to beat this.  Morning has turned into afternoon as I sit here on the porch.

However, on my heart is Oklahoma.  I'm sure it is on the hearts of many Americans and folks around the world.  Tuesday when I heard stories and saw pictures my heart broke.  I felt a drawing to do something.  But what can one person do?

Later in the day someone posted on Facebook they were going to help.  Teams of people were going to do all kinds of things.  Later my daughter's pastor posted that their church too had a team going.  I called the team leader.  She said the team will be working with "Samaritan's Purse".  The team will be leaving Sunday afternoon and staying to work all day Monday and Tuesday.  The team will be clearing debris.  I have committed to go.  I am grateful I am not working and I am able to help in some way.

Matthew 25:40 (NIV)  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

I don't have a lot of money to send, however, I do have time.  And sometimes, what you can give is money, and that is also a gift.

“To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.” 

One person can do something.  One person can give time and energy and love.  If a lot of people give a little time and energy and love, a lot can be done.

"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." — Mother Teresa 

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessing and love to you (and to all those in OK), XOXO.

PS Add the smell of rain to my list above...there was no rain in our forecast!