Oddly Refreshed

I know that He said that He'd never destroy the world again by water, but I know of several that have been severely altered by it with the combination of extreme winds. Call me nuts if you'd like, but I'd even go so far as to say that these worlds have been changed for the better. At least I know that mine has.

It has been a very tumultuous week or so since ol' Dennis roared into to town to say the very least. I sit in the living room of my parents home in Natchitoches, La as I type, far removed from the residual chaos of my Florida home, but am left with the memories of an oddly refreshing time. Those left sweltering in the July heat w/out a/c back home would cry hypocrite at my words, but I hope to explain.

The scene @ Baptist Hospital Sunday morn was a combination Noah's Ark & 1st century church. My usual duties of dropping pills into bags (i.e. pharmacy), were surplanted by a wide variety of activities that focused more acutely & in direct relation to patient care. A surprising change of pace for me.

It started w/my being called on to manage the labor pool desk. Don't worry this had nothing to do w/our labor & delivery dept as my sister 1st thought...thank God. It was all about directing' people/teams to certain tasks such as patient transport, information dessemination & the such.

I wasn't there long until I realized the scope & breadth of the situation. A wide, & I mean WIDE grouping of people were there to do whatever it took to maintain the safety of others & preserve their health. I didn't think much of it until I met a man (sorry to say that I don't remember his name...have I mentioned my innate inability w/names?) & his wife who simply said 'here we are...what can we do?' I later looked at his badge & saw that he is BHC's CFO.

My neighborhood is much the same way. Trees, roofs & fences aren't the only things to be blown away by the storm, as neighbor's ideals of personal space & privacy has gone with the wind as we met in the streets & yards earnestly seeking out need, picking up debris & clearing limbs. Groceries, gas & batteries become communal as they should & burdens are lightened. Food & life are readily dispensed in driveways as hope floods my soul.

Call me crazy, but I thank God for the storms I've had in my life. Through them & out of them I've emerged with a greater sense of what true community is & should be. The temporal nature of 'my' world comes to the fore front of my mind & brings proper perspective. The destruction that remains reminds me of the birthing pains of the new creation to come.

Many emerged from our modern day ark Sunday exhausted & wondering why us...again. I walked through the limbs & rain drops loving life, not knowing if I had a house to go home to. Not knowing would have killed me before, but in the providential perspective of eternity, I left filling oddly refreshed.