Two weeks ago, I wrote that even storms can bring good. Little did I know that we would be going through our own storm as Hurricane Matthew barreled toward the east coast of Florida.
By Wednesday of last week, we were under a mandatory evacuation order and early Thursday morning we packed up to head to friends and then family. Thank goodness for friends who opened their home on only a few hours’ notice.
What a welcome sight as we neared home!
As we packed for the hurricane amid ominous predictions, I asked the kids to get anything that was absolutely irreplaceable. Other than vital papers and a few treasures (and our hurricane snacks), our car was amazingly light. What a razor clear reminder that life is really our people – our children, our parents, our friends – not the possessions we accumulate along the way, no matter how endearing. Here’s how it looked as we left last week.
As soon as bridges opened early Saturday morning, we came home and, though our driveway was impassable, we had no house damage. That is nothing short of a miracle. Statistically, we should have had trees down. We have more oak trees on our lot than any other in our neighborhood and while 16 huge oaks fell in the neighborhood, tangling cable and wires with them, we had just one small tree that split but hung in the branches of another tree.
We had two full days of cleanup, four days without power and still have no Wi-Fi, but the washing machine is humming and the fridge is cleaned out. So much of our area was flooded and damaged. We have many, many blessings to count.
Day 1: The front yard is cleaned up!
Book Winner
Hurricane-delayed announcement: The winner of the 2 copies of 66 Ways God Loves You by Jennifer Rothschild is K Morgan! Thank you to all who entered!
Upcoming in October
I had so many plans for October until we entered hurricane mode. I’m on Ann Voskamp’s launch team for her upcoming release, The Broken Way, and Ann graciously invited those who could to come to her farm. Right this minute, they are gathering — snapping photos, meeting new friends, clustering around a fire pit in the chill of October in Canada.
While I sentimentally entertained flying off for a few days, right now my season is here as the only parent to (wo)man the home front for my little family. It’s a gift. And as I curl up with the re-discovered luxury of lamplight and the soft noise of my oscillating fan, this book is speaking volumes into my own broken places. I look forward to sharing more of it with you.
I’ll be starting a small series about Faith in the Middle. So often, we cheer and praise God when the trial is over or when the storm has passed, but faith believes God in the middle – before we ever know the ending.
Maybe you’re in the middle also? In the messy, unknown, past ready for God to just tie it up nice and neat with a big bow? I hope you’ll join me to see all that God has to teach us in the in-between.
And coming up as well — I’ll be {re}launching my book Countdown to Christmas. It has a new look (voted top choice by my kids!) that am in love with. Plus, I’ll have special opportunities with the {re}launch to help a ministry in Haiti dealing with the devastating loss and damage from Hurricane Matthew in Haiti.
I know many others have been affected by this hurricane. How did you all fare? How has October been treating you? I’d love for you to comment or message me…I read every single message and so enjoy hearing from you.
I’m in the middle and can’t wait for your new series! We live in Melbourne, Florida and also braved the storm with little damage. Praising God for staying the storm to the east and praying for the Carolinas!!!
There are so many devotionals, blogs etc. from which to choose in the mornings lately, having just finished a yearly devotional (so who says it has to be January to December– rebels, unite!). I like to go deep and so I’ve been open to new resources. I see that You speak to my heart. You come to God from an authentic place and God speaks to me in it. Just life. I just love how He does that. Keep on writing and I’ll keep on reading! Love Victoria
Lisa: I am happy that your damage was minimal. I am looking forward to your “in the middle” series. As you may remember, I am in the middle of a conflict with my sister. I wish that I had your wisdom. Then I would have a clearer path. I pray about this every day. Mostly, I pray that my faith grows and that God would be my “strength and shield.” I know we grow spiritually during these times, but they feel like hell on earth. Thank you for your wisdom. I am so glad that I found you!!😘
Sending hugs from Canada.
Our Father is so good.
I am in the middle , and was feeling very broken and very alone early yesterday morning.
In the midst of crying out, a voice came to my window!
It was a neighbor I hadn’t seen in months.
The bus had driven past her as she was trying to flag it down and she needed to catch it to be at an appointment in Southern Ontario 12 hours from our tiny northern village.Could I help her?
That was the beginning of a very busy day of Divine appointments with others experiencing storms.
Two cancer survivors who had also had to go through long wait times in their treatment process.
A woman whose granddaughter – like my dsughter, had not been heard from in months.
A man who had also been scorned by the food bank clients he served while recovering from surgery.
A young couple,who starting over with only the clothes on their backs, as I had a few months ago.
It was also a day of blessings:
Meeting a woman whose husband’s cancer diagnosis had been revised after a strict healthy diet with supplements.
Fnding a working stove for $30, a DVD player for $5, a computer monitor for $5 all things that had quit in the past weeks.
Getting milk and eggs for our village food bank in addition to more cereal.
Getting mark-down food for our home and the food bank.
Discovering neighbours who were also helping others.
Having helping hands to bring the stoveand food into the respite and offers to help get things back on track.
An opportunity to be the hands for Kawartha Fenelon Mission and the Cochrane Food Bank – distributing clothes and food.
At the end of the day, I was too exhausted to care anymore that my first six month cancer check up was going to be put off till seven and a half months, because there is no doctor to do the check up until mid-November.
Our Father had kept me meeting new people and busy about His Work all day
Lisa, when I started following blog (a couple months ago) I had no idea you were in Florida. I’m a Florida girl and cannot tell you how blessed we are here after Matthew. Yes, life consists in our people, not our things. So grateful for His hand of mercy. As the garbage service begins hauling away the piles, and the only visible sign of the storm, I am so glad to be carried by a God who is bigger than the storms.
I am looking and struggling to keep my trust in God, I am in the middle of a mess. Wanting to be tied up nicely. But, I am in the plain states, no water for hurricanes here. Just cold temps.
Oh friend, it tugs at my heart strings to read all you’ve gone through the past week, but I am SO thankful for your home (and lives!!!) still intact. You inspire me Lisa. I love the way you step up to the plate for your family and still manage to bless us with your writing!