Remembering April 27, 2011

 I've never shared some of these pictures. Mostly for respect of those affected by the tornadoes of 2011. Two years later, I've decided it was time to share a little bit of our story and some of the pictures that go along with it.
 I awoke to tornado sirens at 6am on April 27, 2011. It was the first of many tornado alerts we would hear that day. We all went to our "safe place," which, in all honesty isn't safe at all. But it's what we have. Little did I know that we would be spending the majority of the next 15 hours in that place.
 Around 12pm another warning came through our area. I was alone with my nearly 2 year old son. We again got in our "safe place." This time it was close, I could hear hail. It was so loud that I could no longer hear the weather man on TV. But from what I could hear outside, something was close. Large hail, loud pops of something...transformers? power lines? I didn't know. Then the entire house was quiet. No power.
 Thankfully, my husband had an emergency wind-up radio. I wound and wound it up and listened to the radio for news on the next wave of tornadoes. I watched the radar on my phone. I panicked. We knew they were coming, yet there was nothing to do but wait.
 The next tornado that came through our area was around 6pm. I'm so thankful that my husband was home and by my side with our baby underneath us. You never want to hear that a tornado with a 3/4 mile wide base is headed to your community. After this passed, I felt a sense of relief. I knew we were not in the clear, but I just felt a sense of calm that we had escaped a very large storm.
 These were the two tornadoes in our immediate vicinity. The warnings were constant throughout the day. Every thirty minutes to an hour, another cell would be coming through. It was a record-breaking number of tornadoes in Alabama that day.
 This was only the start of what would be a life-altering week. For five days we were without power. The hardest thing for me was taking an ice cold shower. I have really come to appreciate running hot water. We ate by candlelight at night, mostly pre-packaged food and juice boxes. We boiled water on the grill so that the baby could have a semi-warm sponge bath. We played games and listened to the wind-up radio. One day we went to the park with my in-laws. We also traveled to another town where there were rumors of power. We had a hot meal and then found a place to do some laundry...a truck stop. I often tell others that this was one of the best times of my life- and it was.
 For half of a day, I volunteered with a friend to help a neighborhood near by that had been hit hard. Words can not describe what is seen in these areas, or what is felt. There was thankfulness that it was not us. There was guilt that it was not us. There was an overwhelming feeling that nothing I can do will be enough. We just did what we could do that day, and they were thankful for us.
 April 27th will always be a day that I take time to remember those families that were changed forever. Many things were lost that day, but things don't matter. Many people were also lost that day. I remember the many families who mourn together for the loss of loved ones. I pray for them that God will give them peace and comfort.

Our "safe place"

Where we usually play

We had to wait in line for groceries

having fun at the truck stop

Just Wait- A perspective on marriage

I was inspired by this post to write this. Similar to child rearing in the fact that in the beginning, we are on an adrenaline rush of euphoria, only to find that this journey is so much harder than we expected, is this- marriage.
 When I see young couples...younger couples, (I admit, we are a young couple) I think to myself many things. None of which is "oh, they are going to be so happy together forever and ever!" Often times I think "if they only knew what lies ahead!" If we did know what was ahead, would we still get married? I would say most of us would. That is because although marriage is difficult, sometimes impossible, it is also so rewarding.
 God didn't create marriage to make us happy, but to make us holy. My favorite summary of marriage in the Bible is found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

 

"Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down,

his friend can help him up.

But pity the man who falls

and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

 

 The idea behind this passage is that the "two" are in battle. Not with each other, but together, against an enemy. The two lying together symbolizes two lying back to back, protecting one another. I absolutely love this passage because it shows that one purpose of marriage is to give us a human companion to join our side in a spiritual battle. (paraphrased from Love and War)

 So many times when a couple is recently married, still in the "honeymoon phase," we hear or say "just wait." We know that the troubles are coming, because we've been there. But there is another side to the story...

 

Just wait until the first time you get to call him "husband"

 

Just wait until you get to go on vacation together- alone

 

Just wait until you've had a hard day at work and he meets you at home with a hot pizza

 

Just wait until you get to tell him that you will soon be a family of three

 

Just wait until you see your child in his arms for the first time

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just wait until you feel rejected and discouraged and he encourages you with biblical truth

 

Just wait until it's bath time for the kids and you hear them squealing and playing together

 

Just wait until you've sworn this is the worst day of your life, then you get a text like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just wait until you feel like you've failed as a mother, and he tells you you're the best mom on Earth

 

Just wait until you're driving near home, see a horrible car accident, and praise God it isn't him

 

Just wait until he surprises you with a vacation you've been hinting about

 

Just wait until you've messed up and he shows you forgiveness only seen through Christ.

 

Just wait.

 

The next time you come across a newly married or engaged couple, give them words of encouragement. All too often we focus on the struggles of this life instead of the blessings. My marriage is no exception to the rule. We struggle. At times we have struggled greatly. But I praise God that He can make anything new again. If you are at a time of great struggle in your marriage, remember it is a battle. Your spouse is your comrade, not your enemy. Focus on the true enemy, and get the help you need from God and others.

 

 

 

 



  

Malachi 3:10- A God story

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Malachi 3:10, NIV.

This story starts with broken pipes. Let me just say that if you hear water running in your home and a faucet is not open, it's not good. If you live on a slab, it's worse. We had a leaking pipe in our bathroom. It was fixed not once, but twice. During this time, a Christian radio station that we regularly support, WayFM, was having a pledge drive. I felt led to give, but we didn't. This is the conversation I had with God on a daily basis during that time:

God- you should support this station
Jamie- I know, we usually do
God- you should support them today. Now.
Jamie- I know, but it's going to cost $1000 to fix the leaking pipe
God- wouldn't you rather give that to spreading the gospel than to fixing a pipe?
Jamie- yes, but we don't have a choice
God- give to me, I will take care of everything else
Jamie- not this time

The pledge drive ended, and we did not give. Our leak was fixed, the counter put back in the bathroom, all was well. Just a few days later, we heard water running again. In a different room. This time it was the kitchen. I approached my husband, suggesting "We should give to the church. It's been a while since we have been giving faithfully and I really believe God is telling us to give." He wanted to sell our house and move. Not kidding.

The very next day, our pastor finished the book of Colossians. The very last few verses are about friendship. He spoke for at least 30 minutes about giving to God. How did we get on that topic? I can't even remember. He spoke about Malachi 3:10 and also the parable of the rich fool, found in Luke 12:13-21. You can read it here. I kept thinking about these things in my heart and discussing with my husband at length my desire to give generously to the Lord.

 During this time, I was doing a Bible study on the parables of Jesus. That Sunday night, I opened my study to find the next parable we would be going over- the parable of the rich fool. Wow! I used to be surprised by these occurrences, but not anymore. I just laughed and thought 'I knew it.'

 My husband and I committed to give a certain amount to the church that Sunday. As soon as we committed to doing this, blessings began coming. Sometimes monetary blessings, sometimes not. We received a check from the hospital, we had paid too much. The leak in the kitchen required no moving of cabinets and we were able to pay for it without an insurance claim. The replacement tile had been discontinued, but the employee told my husband "I almost threw this out last week, but for some reason I kept it." Therefore, we didn't have to re-tile the entire kitchen. God is good. God is so good! This would have been enough for me to see that when we give, God gives back. But it kept going...

For the first time in a long time, we got a tax refund this year. A refund! That means they send you money back. When my husband told me the amount we were expected to get back, I cried. The amount of state+federal+hospital check was $9 less than the total amount we gave to our church. In my mind, that is essentially the same amount. Awesome, God! But it kept going...

A couple of days after filing electronically, my husband informed me that he got a notice and had accidentally put one number in the wrong place on our taxes. We would be getting back a little more than he had previously told me. Nine dollars more. Did you catch that?! Mind. Blown.