Gratitude Friday...

I was doing what I normally do during nap time.  Crafting and watching something on Netflix.  Occasionally, I checked Facebook.  I started noticing posts about bad weather headed for Oklahoma.  Again.  Then I saw this post, 

"This is bad."

That prompted me to turn off Netflix and turn on a national news channel.

At first, I wasn't entirely sure what they were showing.  It looked like a junk yard.  

But it wasn't.  It was an elementary school.

I texted everyone I knew and started FB stalking to see if there was an update on the folks we knew living in Moore.

I called Chris, crying, to ask him if he knew what was going on.  The internet was out at school so no, he hadn't heard.  I told him to start praying.  

It took a while but we did find out everyone we knew was okay.  As were their children.  

We watched the news all night long.  Mesmerized by the devastation.  Heartbroken for the suffering.  

Stunned and thrilled the next day when the death toll went from 91 to 24.  That's good stuff.  

As Chris and I talked through it, I told him these natural disasters hit me harder than random acts of violence.  Both are horrible and unreal.  And without a doubt, I understand I have become desensitized to the atrocities human beings do to other human beings.  As sad as that fact is, I recognize it as truth.  

But tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis...those break me.  

I'm sure on some level that's because there's nothing we can do to prevent them.  

However, the biggest reason is because of the conversation natural disasters spark.

Where was God?  Why did He let this happen?  How can there be a God?  And if there is a God, how can He possibly be good or loving?

Those are the questions that truly break my heart.

God was there.  He is there.  He's not surprised.  He put people in place to serve and love those in need.  He planned for them.  That was and is how He loves us.  Through miracles of timing, miracles of serving others, miracles we don't even recognize as miracles because we like to claim credit or give credit to some object.  

Why didn't He stop it?  I don't know.  And I don't believe we will ever know this side of eternity.  Despite what some might say.  

The lost, the angry, the bitter, the hurt, the doubters...they will look at this and see more proof of the absence of God.  And again, it breaks my heart.  Their pain, no matter where it comes from or when it began to grow, breaks my heart.  

As it does Christ's.  

My prayer is the generosity of others, the hundreds of workers who come to serve, the thousands who pray, that they will be the hands and feet.  That the pain of every person living a life apart from Christ will be healed when they see Jesus through the life of the person rebuilding their home, offering them a meal and giving them a place to live.  

And you know what, if just one of those hurting is healed, heaven will rejoice!

I am grateful for all those Godly men and women flooding the area and ready to work.  Grateful for every box of diapers, case of water, or warm blanket donated to meet their physical needs.  Grateful for the prayers from all over the country for safety while they recover.  

Grateful those we know are safe.  Grateful for early warnings.  Grateful for teachers who prayed and are boldly telling the stories of their prayers.  Grateful we can love because we are loved by the One who is Love.  

Grateful for the years we spent in Oklahoma.  Grateful for the friends we made.  Grateful our friends and the place we love will all recover.  

Oklahoma, you'll be okay.