After the Dark Times

Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. The category 4 devasting hurricane meandered over eastern Texas for four days, dumping three to five feet of water in many areas. In its wake, more than 100 people died. Hundreds of thousands of homes were flooded. More than 17,000 people were rescued. 30,000 people were displaced.

As the storm approached, Kathy and John decided not to leave their home (where they had lived for 30 years) because John’s emphysema and a heart condition and Kathy’s recent knee replacement surgery made it hard for them to get around. But when it became obvious that they needed to get out of their house, it was too late.

They watched helplessly as the water rose inside their home.

When the water finally receded, the house was a mess and needed extensive repairs.

An insurance adjustor walking down the street of abandoned houses noticed a debris pile in front of Kathy and John’s house. Even though it was the only indication that someone might be living there, he knocked on the door.

After learning about their situation, he contacted a non-profit organization that partners with community groups to build and rehabilitate homes for people in need.

Everything except the brick was rebuilt. The house now has a new roof, siding, bathroom, drywall, kitchen island and cabinets, etc. Kathy had the privilege of choosing the colors.

The estimated cost of the repairs was $75-80,000. Yet, the homeowners only paid what they received from their insurance company and/or FEMA.

Reflecting on that awful experience, Kathy said, “I pinch myself all the time about this house. I would never have believed this could happen.” With tear-filled eyes, she said, “Even if this is our last Christmas together, it will be in a beautiful house.”

Only hours before I read that story, a friend had texted me this message: “Some of the darkest paths will lead you to the brightest places.”

Later that same day, a friend encouraged me with these words: “Some of our hardest trials lead to places of greatest blessing.”

Indeed!

To the Rescue

As I walked from the kitchen to the landing at the top of the stairs that lead to the garage floor, I noticed a female hummingbird flying hither and yon near the high ceiling of the garage. I had no idea how long she’d been trying to find her way to the outside. And I didn’t have time to help her since I needed to arrive on time at the doctor’s office.

When I returned an hour or so later, she was still flying around and around even though I’d left the double-car garage door open. I knew the tiny hummer was exhausted and panic-stricken. Yet, I didn’t know how to help her. Even if I had taken a broom and tried to usher her toward the opening, I was too short to get it near her.

I prayed, “Lord, help me think of a way to help her.”

Then this idea popped into my mind: She’ll be attracted to the red single-stem tulip in a red vase in the living room.

I hurried to get it. I placed it on the small table in the garage. Afterward, I stood on the landing for a minute or so to see what she’d do. She continued flying around and around.

Then I thought, I can put water in the base of the hummingbird feeder I washed this morning.

I followed through with that idea, feeling quite proud of having come up with two creative solutions. When I returned to the landing, the little hummer was trying to sip from the silk flower. Even though she found nothing nourishing there, she was able to see the way out of the garage. In a flash, she was gone.

As I brought the vase and flower and the base of the feeder inside, I said, “Thank You, Father, for helping me save one of Your tiny creatures.”

I’m like that tiny bird. I sometimes get myself into situations that I don’t want to be in, situations that I never intended to be in and can see no way out of. When that happens, I am so thankful for those God sends to rescue me. I am especially thankful He sent His Son to set me free from the sin that entangled me and would have resulted in spiritual death and separation from God for all eternity. 

Connection

Around 7:30 one morning, I walked outside my house and paused a moment on the driveway before beginning my daily walk. Like the doe I wrote about in the previous blog post, I needed to make sure no danger was lurking nearby.  

Much to my surprise, when I looked to my right, I saw the right rear flank of a deer, but the rest of its body was hidden by scuppernong vines. I readied my cell phone camera and then coughed softly, hoping the slight noise would startle the deer just enough to cause it to reposition itself but not enough to make it bolt. My tactic worked.

The deer backed up a bit in order to see the source and location of the noise.                                                                                                                    

I gasped with delight, not fear, when I saw a young buck. He stood stone still while I snapped a couple of photos. After I lowered my phone, we continued to make eye contact with each other for several seconds before he fled toward his home in the woods.

As I began my walk, I continued to feel the joy of that momentary connection. I thanked God for it—and the photos! I remembered that God wants all His creation to live in harmony. But since sin entered the world ages and ages ago and disrupted the peace and harmony and replaced it with antagonism, the creatures experience only rare and fleeting moments of connectedness (and trust!) that God desires to be the norm.

Innumerable reversals will occur one future day when God sets all things right. The prophet Isaiah mentioned many of them, including these:

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,

The leopard shall die down with the young goat,

The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;

And a little child shall lead them….

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,

For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD

As the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11:6-9, NKJV

 

It’s hard to imagine such peace and harmony, such absence of fear and danger and aggression, isn’t it?

But all those miracles, and countless others, will happen when God says the time is right. Until then, I relish even brief moments of connection.

The Doe and I

In Your presence is fulness of joy; 

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

Psalm 16:11 

 

The doe emerges from the edge of the woods and pauses before she ventures onto my lawn. After turning her head to the left and to the right to assess the safety of the space, she steps cautiously onto the grass. Still alert for possible danger, she strolls toward the pear tree so laden with fruit that one of the branches has fallen off and now lies on the ground. After she nibbles on a green pear, she wanders around the perimeter of the backyard in search of clover and other treats. 

As I watch her, I wonder, Why is she alone? Where are the other does that frequented the yard this time last year? Have they moved elsewhere? Or been killed on the highway? Does she have a fawn that’s too young to venture into the yard?

I hope she does, for I so enjoy seeing young ones grow up and slowly learn how to live in the adult world. And I want her to have a relationship that brings her joy. 

I sense a kindred spirit with the doe. I, too, am alone since my husband passed away six months ago. I, too, am learning to engage in self-care while also making careful decisions about how best to proceed in my current situation. Like the doe, I dare to venture alone into a wider world but then return to the spaces that feel more familiar—and less frightening. After I’ve spent time in seclusion, I summon courage to emerge again to experience the pleasures outside my four walls.  

If the doe and I could converse with each other, perhaps we’d discuss strategies we’re using to ease the ache of aloneness. I’d assure her that God is my Maker and Sustainer—and hers—and that He knows what we need. I’d also tell her that being in close relationship with Him brings me joy despite the loneliness in my heart.

Although she can't understand words, I’d also click on this link, and together we’d listen to the song, Your Presence, Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zEiiZi2DKk