I’ve
been trying to work ahead this week.
It’s hard living in the future when the present keeps getting in the
way. Why work ahead? Well, next week is our Seaside trip to
Missouri to see the play about Moses. I
have to get done now everything that is normally done in the four days we will
be gone. Of course next week has more
birthday and anniversary cards to send out than the last four weeks combined. There are two Sunday teachings to prepare
for. This week we have a baptism
scheduled (Yep, that means we will end
our worship service at the beach. Come
on out and join us), so the teaching will center on that. The week we return will be a return to the
Book of Acts. We kind of left Paul
hanging while that massive crowd in Ephesus was about to riot. Pretty exciting stuff. Plus I am preparing a devotional for every
morning of the trip as well. Not sure
about the ability to do blog posts from the mountains. Honestly, it’s kind of like the week before
youth camp around here. I’ve been very
tempted to break out the ukulele and start practicing “I’m a Nut.” But I’m not real sure how a bunch of adults
will take to such a melodiously wonderful wakeup call in the morning.
So
that’s the future. Now back to the
present again … I woke up to a message already on my phone from our friends at
Servant of Nations Church in Houston.
They have a muck-out team on site and ready to work, and they were
looking for a place to go. I texted
Pastor Domingo in Alvin to be on the lookout for someone to help this
morning. Sounds like he has a team
already doing some sheetrocking work there.
Could it be that at least some of the people are finally shifting a
little closer to rebuild mode there? I
know there are still some folks who find it very difficult to accept help, especially
from outsiders. And I’m sure there are
other neglected neighborhoods and individual homes between here and Houston –
places that just never “got found.” If
anybody hears of a place like that where help is needed and will be accepted,
let me know. We just need a contact name
and phone number and an address. In the broader
disaster picture, from what I am hearing now, the need for mucking out seems to
be shifting to the east of Houston on the one hand, and into Brazoria County
where the flooding was more related to the dam releases, on the other. We are now beginning to look for ways to help
people who have stripped their house to the studs, have been visited by FEMA (and
approved or disqualified for their assistance) or contacted by their
insurance company, and are ready to begin the process of electrical inspections
and installing insulation and sheetrock and new flooring. Not to mention buying new appliances and
furniture and in some cases even clothing.
Might be time for some Home Depot/Lowes/WalMart/Target gift cards …
1
John 2:1-2 says, “My dear children, I
write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have
one who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and
not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Father,
help the Seasiders going on the trip next week to get all of their pre-trip
details accomplished. And give us
guidance in our next steps disaster relief.
Amen.
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