Give a Little Bit

Spooky story-telling with Aunt Tay

How many people does it take to deflate an air mattress?

Baths outside in bathing suits

Wake me up when the power is back on

Things I've learned from Hurricane Flo:

1. Cold showers make you squeal and not with delight.
2. Older neighbors are gonna take care of them babies.
3. I now know why people wore so much clothes back in the ol' days, it was to hide the musk.
4. Us humans can be pretty resourceful when we want to be.
5. Dirt sticks to you worse when you are clammy
6. Curls thrive in hot humid weather, you should've seen Isla's ringlets!
7. Pine trees are the devil.
8. Spam tastes like vienna sausages.
9. My mom has no patience for a 300 piece puzzle.
10. Church pews are made for sitting not for sleeping.

It's really no news to anyone about the mess that is now Onslow County and other surrounding areas due to the hurricane we just experienced.  Some were very fortunate and blessed with minor damage to homes and such, others not so much. We were among the few that didn't have much damage other than a tree down in our backyard, a yard to clean up, and are waiting for power to be restored. I've laughed, I've cried, I've sweated, I've been hot, I've been worried, I've been joyful, I've been faithful.

Throughout this experience, I've seen positive and negative. I've heard good things and I've heard bad things. I've tried to look on the bright side when I see a culture of people who are used to getting what they want, when they want and now suddenly can't and they start acting ugly. Negativity spreads like wildfire and I'm one who firmly believes there is a silver lining in everything, you just have to look hard enough. Speak light, not darkness no matter how bad your situation is. Speak light! Give some grace. Give without expecting anything back. Give help and accept help when the time comes. We weren't made to go through this life alone.

Often, I see people get upset because they aren't thanked for their services or feel that they aren't appreciated, but really is that the way we should serve?  Expecting a thank you or some type of reward in return? As Christians we are called to help others in their time of need no questions asked, nothing expected as payment just the opportunity to shine a little bit of Jesus' light into this dark world. I must say when our Body showed up, they showed up big time. We've been helped more than we've been able to help during this storm with the circumstances of our life at this point in time. We've been blessed with warm food (fried chicken at that!), ice, help to clean up our yard, a generator to run a fan on those hot nights, a place to stay during the worst of it, and many other things. I might not be able to repay them, but I can thank the Lord for these people and pray they will be blessed by him and pray that they understand how truly helpful they were.

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

With love,
Tori