TEARS and TSUNAMIS
After yesterday’s braggadocious rant about never crying, I was once again put in my place. I was brought to tears by a little waitress who was no bigger that a minute! May the Lord bless her!
For the last few years I have delved with nosy abandon into strangers’ lives. Everyone has a story, and I feel justified in sticking my nose into their bi’ness so in fact, I may use part of their stories in my writing! These intrusive imaginings may be found in my early blogs. So much so that my grandson asked me yesterday, “Is this going to be in your next blog?” I giggled and implied no, but his cute antics are print worthy!
My first forays into investigative reporting and blogging were building imaginative characters and motives for the Russian mafia who sat across the restaurant. They sat plotting how to infiltrate the movie industry with their communistic ideology and ruin the good ‘ol USA, but alas! Our left-wing politicians beat them to the punch!
The next story plot was totally spoiled when my would be drug dealers at the local wellness center turned out to be Christian musicians who were in town to minister at a festival my own church was sponsoring. Like Barney Fife, I was all set to make a citizen’s arrest! Perfect plan foiled!
I have learned the stories of interesting people like my hero – the woman who had been a heavy equipment driver. An interesting encounter was with an older woman whose dad used to run moonshine out of the local drive-in! Cool history. Take time to engage and listen.
Today’s curiosity ended up with me in tears as I heard another real life story of a very worried woman. So much for me being tough!
Edna is originally from the Philippines. Two weeks before Christmas, the entire hometown where her relatives lived was destroyed. The tsunami swept through the community, leaving no standing buildings, no power, no infrastructure.
For two weeks, she didn’t know if her family had survived or not. She has finally heard that all her family was safe. They are totally homeless, but she was thankful that God had spared her loved ones.
Naïvely, I asked if they had homeowners’ insurance.
“Oh, little mama, my country is very poor! There is no such thing as insurance of any kind!”
I was broken at that point. And convicted over my cavalier attitude. I watch the catastrophes on the news, mutter ‘How sad, Lord, bless them’, and flip to another disaster without giving the story another thought. I forget that behind every account of another fire, flood, famine, or war there are hundreds or even multiple thousands of hurting people who need help.
Though I can’t make everyone safe or happy, and I can’t provide the needs of their lives, I can do something.
Every family has some traumas, illness, or situations that we can’t do one single thing to help. We’ve been guilty of saying, ‘The only thing we can do is pray’ but I’m here to tell you, PRAYER is the BEST thing we can do! God knows exactly what the hurting world needs.
Let’s join together to pray God’s perfect will, purpose, and plan will be revealed. May God’s love touch the hurting world as people learn to trust in Him and His Word.
As we take to heart God’s own caring for the broken hearted, let’s pray without ceasing, always giving praise for His answers. All of Psalm 34 is worth a read and memorizing. I have shared this verse when no other words are sufficient to comfort. The 8th verse says, “The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking.” TLB
“Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15
How few times through my days do I fail to thank God for His marvelous blessings of every kind?
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. PS 34:1 KJV
Blessings
KB
