Word for Today, Wed, 21 Dec 2005: Getting Caught in a Storm
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
Larry Davies writes this week about getting caught in an ice storm,
and discusses the extreme weather conditions many areas of the world
have faced over the past year.
This is an opportunity to give thanks for the pleasures we enjoy each
day and for the provisions we receive and take for granted. When
disaster strikes, it is our chance to give generously out of our
excess, or even out of our need.
The early church, for the most part, was known for its generosity.
Some of the poorest early churches, as scripture records it, were
among the most generous in their giving to others in need, in spite of
their own modest possessions. However, in our generation, if we do
not own two or three cars, a surround sound stereo theater hooked to a
fancy multimedia entertainment system, the latest hand held gadget, and
who knows what else, we somehow feel deprived. (God has been really
good to me. I've been spared of a longing for most of these things,
and even the things that I do desire or have desired, I am finding
more and more willingness to either abandon or at least delay. My
former underemployment has done wonders for my thinking in this area,
and I have found that there is very little that I have missed!)
There are so many opportunities to share with others every day that
squirreling away possessions now seems selfish, at least to me.
In this season of preparation and reflection, will you at least
consider things that you can deny yourself so that you can share with
someone who truly and desperately has real physical needs - then help
meet them?
Dear God, we realize that all we have comes from you. I look around,
and even in moments of need, I realize just how greatly you have
blessed me - far more than I ever deserve. I appreciate the gifts and
I appreciate the blessings, and I praise You for them. Please help me
to be wiser in my use of what You have already provided to me, that I
may be able to live on less and give away more.
Prepare me, not only for the weather storms of life, but the adversity
of my surroundings, that I may praise You, no matter what I may face,
and that I will learn even more how to trust in You for all things.
Heighten my awareness of needs around me, both material and spiritual,
that I may share the bounty of what You have provided to me, and that
I may be a witness to others of the wonderful changes You have brought
through my life, both in material blessings and in what I have learned
through the struggles of life.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
_____________________________________________________________
Sowing Seeds of Faith...
Christmas of 2004 and the year 2005 witnessed Mother Nature in all her
fury... There was the Tsunami wrecking havoc in eleven countries
throughout the Indian Ocean: Then the record number of hurricanes,
damaging several states on the American Gulf Coast and then the awful
earthquake killing thousands in Pakistan. There were hundreds of
tornadoes and record breaking storms of all kind. One thing I heard
from many of the victims... "we were struck without warning."
All of us can be struck at any time without warning. How will we
respond? Are we prepared? Several years ago, the small community I
lived in was struck by a freak ice storm. Although the damage
doesn't begin to compare with the horror of a Tsunami or the
water surge of Hurricane Katrina, there were lessons learned by me
that I pray will help us all.
On behalf of Sowing Seeds Ministry, I would like to wish you a very
blessed Christmas. May you see the Christ Child in everything you
do. May this Christmas be another reminder why Jesus is the true
reason for the season. Larry Davies
"Caught In the Christmas Eve Storm" Larry Davies
Christmas Eve 1998, began like any other day. During the last several
weeks our church was involved in a flurry of activities from special
Christmas programs to mission projects offering toys and coats to
needy children. Our candlelight worship service tonight would be the
last big event. My wife, Mell and I were looking forward to a few days
of rest and vacation time with our families. At 6:30 AM, we were
sharing a fresh cup of coffee when our lights began to flicker then go
dark.
"No electricity? Oh well, a few hours inconvenience," we thought as we
continued our normal routine. The weather reports had mentioned a
possibility of ice and snow, but nothing major. How could I know that
we were in the middle of a freak ice storm that would blacken nearly
400,000 homes across Virginia? Throughout the long day, ice and sleet
continued to fall.
By 4:00 PM, I reluctantly joined hundreds of churches and canceled
services. Wanting to escape the inconvenience of no power and still
not realizing the seriousness of the storm, we decided to visit
relatives several hours away. Bad decision! Car wrecks were all over
the highways. Trees and large branches littered the road and
occasionally fell just in front of our car. A normal three-hour drive
turned into seven hours of terror. There were no lights on the road to
guide us and no gas stations or restaurants open to offer respite from
the storm. Everything was closed and dark.
The next morning, Christmas Day, we assumed power would return soon
and decided to go home and see what could be done to help others
caught in the storm. Another bad decision! The weather was deceptively
calm and the trees glistened like crystal chandeliers on the long
drive back. The only evidence of the massive damage were piles of
limbs stacked beside the road. Driving through town was like the
aftermath of a hurricane with trees and debris everywhere.
Our house still had no power and other than a small fireplace, no
alternative source of heat. I came home with noble intentions of
helping others, but with a sickening feeling soon realized that the
one who would need help first would be me. There were no emergency
shelters so I had to first figure out how to survive. During the next
four days and long nights, thanks to the generous help of friends and
neighbors we did survive and received some hard-learned lessons.
Lesson 1: Be Prepared! The old boy scout motto certainly counts
here. I had given no thought to how we would manage without
electricity. Could we obtain other sources of heat? Did we have
candles, flashlights and batteries for light? Could we get enough food
and water? By not being adequately prepared, I was forced to ask for
help rather than offer help to others. In our spiritual lives, good
preparation can also mean the difference between seeking aid and
aiding others.
Lesson 2: Aggressively Share! We desperately needed help, but
hesitated to ask for it. One friend called and delivered a kerosene
heater. Several neighbors offered shelter. A local hotel offered rooms
to the community for hot showers. A retreat center offered free
rooms. As electricity was restored, some folks looked out of cold dark
windows and saw houses brightly lit and obviously warm. It was
especially appreciated when they opened their doors and generously
offered us aid. In our spiritual lives, those of us who are fortunate
to know God's light and warmth should aggressively share with those
who are still feeling left out in the cold and darkness.
The real hero's of the storm were the hundred's of workers who left
their families during Christmas holidays to labor sixteen and eighteen
hour days restoring our power. A local nursing home was without heat
for two days and in serious trouble. When a local lineman found out,
he summoned a crew and immediately went to restore their power,
possibly saving several lives. Our community can never thank them
enough for their hard work and sacrifice.
The lights returned, the clean up is over and the Christmas Eve storm
has faded into memory. But I will never forget the lessons learned and
the generosity of those who reached out to others. It's a simple
gesture really but maybe that is what being a follower of Jesus is
really all about?
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Jesus said: "You are the light of the world -- like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light
under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all."
(Matthew 5:14-15)
"Breaking the Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a Better
Life" now on sale only through our
website. http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm
--
Brian Masinick
mailto:masinick@yahoo.com