November 21, 2007
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As you may know, I recently went to
Pearlington, Ms., with a team to continue the
work of repairing and rebuilding which is ongoing
in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Pearlington, and the Pearl River which looks so
placid in my background and profile pics, was “ground zero”
for the landfall of the eye and stormwall of that event.
I worked at the home of one 81 year-old delight, “Mrs. D.”,
who told us her story of loss and survival, and whom you see below.
I saw the face of God today;
framed in silver,
ring’d in gray
and listened of a stormy day
When lives and trees
were rent by seas
Which washed them all away.
I saw the eyes of God today
in wordless blue
I heard Him pray
and watched the tears there wash away
the aches and fears
of storm-tossed years
In which such sorrow lay.
I found the heart of God today
in hands that ache
and backs that sway
and watched His people work and pray;
rebuilding hearths
and homes and hearts
by giving theirs away.
I saw God conquer death today
with painted walls
and decks of gray
and praised Him for the precious way
He’ll use the meek
to lift the weak
and heal with “jars of clay”.
copyright 11/2007 james a. smallish
Mrs. D.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?
Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,”
but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
James 2:14
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10
…we have this treasure (God’s Spirit within us) in jars of clay
to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
2Cor4:7
Comments (16)
welcome back….Smile
Back safe and sound!! Happiest Thanksgiving to you and your family!!
my uncle lived down there when Katrina hit…he moved to his “other shelter”…lol…it was a bomb shelter…he was always prepared for the hurricanes…he lived at the top of the lake that let loose it’s fury during the hurricane…he was a nice ol man…him and Betsy scooted off some nice soldiers who wanted him to leave his property…lol…he told them if’n they didn’t leave his property Betsy would help them…after wards when things begin to recede a little the soldiers gave him permission to use Betsy if’n he saw any looting going on in his area…he told the nice young men that if’n he got’s to see the whites of the eyes they’d be down…he always knew when a storm was a coming and he would take his skiff out and get mud from two or three areas and certain plants and sticks for his poltice he made for his back…my sister and I laughed about him right after he crossed over…we both had been in touch by phone but not seen him for years…so we figured that we got stubborness, bullheadedness and the like from our genes…lol…he would chase anyone off his property with a big long stick if’n they were smoking or a drinking store bought, he always said that homemade was a lot better medicinally for ya…one sip and you were off your rocker…lol…but he did have a nasty softball tumer on his back as far back as I can remember and he would use his mud, weeds and sticks soaked in that firewater everyday…his great grandson got wise and had them take the tumor off…my uncle crossed over due to cancer throughout his whole body…that old man knew that if’n ya messed with it and put air to it that it would spread…I will miss the whoot owl stories and the I don’t know about that I wasn’t there stories…and the storm that was and the FEMA stories…but your picture is so beautiful it reminds me of close to where he lived…you did a good thing…and so is all of your family…I am proud of you and your family…Smile
I had no idea you’d gone… may the Lord bless you with whatever your dear heart needs, or cries out for, or just plain wishes for, as you’ve helped so many already. I thank God for you, dear brother. Love in Him, Gerrie
Oh Jim, your post made my heart swell with joy
and my eyes fill with tears.
Splendid…simply splendid.
Thanks so much for sharing.
There is ALWAYS something we as Christians can do to minister to others. There doesn’t even have to be a disaster like Katrina for us to find someplace to help. Nice post sir, God bless you for your service to others. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
~Grampy~
Magnificent. What beautiful eyes.
I’ve been taking an EKG class, soon to do ACLS. Determined to stay with registry. (no much else around here anyway) But right now, getting cancelled all the time. So keep me in your prayers.
Hope you’re having a great thanksgiving.
Wow
When did you go????
BTW, how was thanksgiving?????!
Very sensitive pictures. Our church has sent mission teams to MS and New Orleans. One is just coming back from coordinating help. It will take a long time.
I came via leayellowrose. I have the latest update on Julian and family on my Xanga.
Fran
once again, a great work, Jim!
Cowboy
How awesome to touch lives like that.
Heather
Your post touched my heart deeply and filled my eyes with tears of joy and gratitude. I hear God saying to you … Well done thou good and faithful servant!!
thanksgiving was wonderful for me spent time with my sister and my brother in law, who’s both in the navy
Hey Jim,
Well it is a little after three – thirty in the morning here at Walter Reed Army Hospital and I along with several of my Chaplain Candidates are “on-call” for several more hours. I will then get a few hours of sleep before reporting to Andrews Air Force Base where I will board a Galaxy C-17 Transport to accompany several Soldiers back to their home bases, etc and make sure they have the necessary spiritual support they will need for their on-going recovery.
I wanted to take some time to comment back to all who I have neglected over the past few months, not out of wanting to, but simply not enough hours in the day. I know you understand and I appreciate that. I also appreciate your taking the time to drop by when you can and comment and leave words of encouragement. They do mean so much. Hopefully things will begin to get back to a more normal pace once I give up my candidates I have been working with … but I won’t bet on it
It was nice to be able to take a hiatus from everything during Thanksgiving and spend it with my family.
Also want you to know that I appreciate your post.. and although I don’t always get by your site, I DO read your post via my digest everyday. You are appreciated my brother!!!
In His Grip,
Phil
That’s great that you went and helped over there. What a blessing!