Lessons I learned from Hurricane Rita

Originally posted 9-26-05

  1. If I am going to run from a hurricane, I had better run to where it cannot go! We moved up and around the coast and so did the hurricane. It made landfall a couple of hundred miles north and east of the original predictions. Next time it’s “go west” for me.
  2. If I have to be cooped up with nine people, I’d just as soon do it with people I like. That’s what we did. We were with family and were guests of our son’s in-laws. Better to not have it happen at all, but if it has to happen, it is best to be with good folks. Beyond that, we are all believers in Jesus. I didn’t hear a cross word from anyone through the entire event – and, on the other hand, we had a lot of fun talking about everything from southern gospel music to sharing what God is doing in our churches.
  3. If I have to go through a hurricane, being with resourceful people is a great blessing. Everyone in our party had resources to give to the group. Our hosts already had needed items to share. My son’s little battery powered TV was a real plus. My sister’s five gallon can of fuel helped me get home without having to try to find an open gas station. My ham 2-meter capability gave us important information. It seemed that everybody had something that came in useful.
  4. If I have to go through a something like this, I want to do it with those I not only like, but love. As I said, I don’t want to run to any place along the coast again, but all things considered, I would rather be with my loved ones in a storm, than to be sitting somewhere, high and dry, worrying about them and wondering what is happening to them.
  5. If I have to go through a storm, having my granddaughter Sarah keeps things fun and interesting. I sure wouldn’t put Sarah in harm’s way just for my sake, but she was more fun than I can describe. She is supposed to be in her “terrible twos” but she really hasn’t discovered that yet. She entertained us by strutting around the house singing “Old McDonald” and the “ABC Song” and “Twinkle, Twinkle” and thoroughly enjoyed being with both sets of grandparents, one great-grandparent, and my sister – her aunt – who is one of her favorite people.
  6. If I have to lose my “stuff” I can handle it. When we drove off on Wednesday evening we didn’t know what we might come back to. We just prayed, putting it all in God’s hands and drove off without looking back. It was more than desperation or spiritual bravado – it was really how we felt. While we are appreciative for what we have, we know we are simply stewards of it. If it has to go, we can let it go.
  7. Finally, if the storm moves, I will thank God for his protection, but not claim that my, or anyone else’s prayers persuaded God to move the storm so it would hit someone else instead of me. Driving home we saw the destruction hurricane Rita caused. I wouldn’t wish, or pray, that on anyone. My storm prayers are for personal protection, not only for me and mine, but for all who are being impacted by it — although I might be so bold as to throw in a suggestion that God simply command “peace, be still”!