Just Plain Shocked
Watching the devastation of hurricane Katrina for the past 2 days, that's about all I am. Just plain shocked.
I lived through hurricane Agnes and recall the ominous feeling just before the sky opened up and flooded the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania in the summer of 1972. Our immediate area was spared (thank you God) but the entire valley flooded; a friend of mine left the second floor of the Hotel Casey in downtown Wilkes-Barre by boat. Moving to college that Fall, I drove through areas that had been ravaged by flood waters. Many of the imcoming freshmen lived in the valley area and so late at night we listened to horror stories quite different from those usually told by candlelight in girls dorms at midnight. Bodies rising from their graves on flood waters to hang on the top of the black wrought iron fence surrounding the cemetery. One more a skeleton in her wedding dress. Horrible.
Seeing the pictures of Lousianna and Mississippi I want to either rush there and take home victims with no where to sleep tonight, or blink twice to find out it's all just a terrible dream.
I lived through hurricane Agnes and recall the ominous feeling just before the sky opened up and flooded the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania in the summer of 1972. Our immediate area was spared (thank you God) but the entire valley flooded; a friend of mine left the second floor of the Hotel Casey in downtown Wilkes-Barre by boat. Moving to college that Fall, I drove through areas that had been ravaged by flood waters. Many of the imcoming freshmen lived in the valley area and so late at night we listened to horror stories quite different from those usually told by candlelight in girls dorms at midnight. Bodies rising from their graves on flood waters to hang on the top of the black wrought iron fence surrounding the cemetery. One more a skeleton in her wedding dress. Horrible.
Seeing the pictures of Lousianna and Mississippi I want to either rush there and take home victims with no where to sleep tonight, or blink twice to find out it's all just a terrible dream.
posted by BlackVelvetLace at 8:57 PM
7 Comments:
I got your site from Glenn Dixon you wrote to about his 'skepticism', who says he doesn't believe in God. Sigh. I'm his dad and read your comments. I am a Southern Baptist preacher...for 50 years I proclaimed Christ. And my wife and I led both ours sons to Christ. How Glenn got to where he is now is just plain devil and dirt. He admires me and my life, but got led astray somehow. He had bad instances in churches and pastors during his first marriage. He is brilliant, but "not many mighty, not many noble, are called." My wife thinks he is still a Christian, but if you go away from grace, what is there? I can't tell you the grief I feel since he seems to be a son according to the flesh, but not a brother according to the Spirit. Thot I'd let you know in case you ever have cause to respond to him again. A loving Dad. george@thedixons.net George W. Dixon
Pastor Dixon~ I'm surprised to hear from you! But then again, the internet makes the world so small and God's providence is so big I should not be surprised that you managed to find me.
I'm happy to hear that your son maintains a respect and admiration of you. For what it may be worth, it appeared to me that your son did hear your message, but when it came to *practicing a religion*, he tried to do it his own rebellious way. Rebellious towards you, I mean.
I don't mean that in a mean-streaked aggressive sort of way, (he was very polite to even my provocations), I mean it in a separation/individuation sort of way. He heard your words but rather than walk in your orthodox footsteps, he independently struck out on his own and tried his own thing- walking in charismatic/Copelandesque shoes instead. Then when he saw the flaws in such, instead of turning to a serious and trusting study of scripture itself/a pure and simple relationship with Christ, he threw the baby out with the bath water. I tried to explain certain things to him at his blog, but he is either unable to see or unwilling to admit the flaws in his logic.
This must be very, very painful for you. If it is any comfort, I also had several bad experiences with *the Church* over my young and then adult life. Those kinds of things leave scars. But as far and as fast as I ran, God didn't give up on me. If you carefully follow what you know scripture teaches (Ephesians 6:4), without trying to control him, perhaps he will come around. I pray he will ::smiles::
Stephanie~ My parents are moving soon. Three of my sisters and I, along with our husbands, descended upon their house this past weekend to *help pack*. It was bedlam. No one was in control. Two brothers-in-law tried to saw an old chair in half. Someone removed a perfectly fine doorjam with a hammer and a screwdriver. Sisters tried to throw away garbage my mom apparently considers invaluable. (It was garbage). A fight broke out (verbal of course). Fur flew (metaphorically of course). Two sisters left in my parent's car (they came back); my husband (who is in the throes of quitting smoking) took some *extra medication* and *went downtown to get boxes* (he came back). I ate lunch hiding in the back of a car. I thought to myself in the middle of it all *oh how easily things can fall apart during stress*. Multipy that by 100 billion. I know that the Red Cross knows what kind of chaos could ensue if even the most big/kind-hearted helpers arrived in the middle of the situation. FlippinSweet and Monkey both posted the Red Cross link on their websites. I guess the best we can do is donate and pray.
In the meantime, it's heartbreaking to see people in such horrible pain. I've been listening to Dr David Jeremiah's study on the book of Revelation and can't help but think, *according to scripture, this is just a mild inkling of what the end times will be like*.
I gave to the Red Cross. I gave to Petfinders.com. And I brought a trunkload of food, water, gatorade, and dog food (for the dogs that were able to stay with their people) to the Armory, as they were taking a truck down last night. We'll give more after payday.
This is a tragedy of beyond epic proportions, if that makes any sense.
Thanks for talking about it. These are sad times for our country.
Sapphire~ I admire your call to duty and help. It is during times like these that we are reminded how much we need each other so much.
Radical~ What a beautiful comment! :D
I second that Sweet.
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