One week ago today, the rains started. One week ago today, none of us realized just how much rain was going to fall and how much damage was going to literally devastate Middle Tennessee. Since then, I have watched a community come together and take care of it's neighbors. Strangers... but neighbors. We didn't know our neighbors on the other side of town, or even just down the street, a week ago - now we do... or at least, we know where they live and we know how much they've lost. Although, really, we will not ever completely understand what all they've lost. My family was spared. Thankfully. I don't know why but we were and my prayers of thanksgiving will never cease. Because we were spared, it's our turn and our responsibility to take care of those who weren't - because isn't that what we do? We take care of those in need... A simple thing that was modeled for us by Jesus himself... every single day that He walked on this earth, He was taking care of all of us.
This week, I have seen my husband model Jesus as he selflessly took care of others... working tirelessly in the homes of friends and strangers. For him, work was no longer important... PEOPLE were important. Taking care of them was his first priority. I was also blessed to watch all of our children join in... But Colton, in particular, gave so much. In addition to providing childcare at church on Monday for the children of volunteer workers, he joined our family Wednesday evening as we helped move water-logged furniture, wood and trash out to the huge piles of roadside trash. Then Friday, he left school early and joined Cayce back in Bellevue again, to spend all afternoon and evening helping grown men and women as they did "demolition" in homes. By Saturday, he was so tired, but after he played in his flag football game, he joined his middle school football team, and worked in a local neighborhood for about 4.5 hours doing anything and everything asked of them... mainly hauling discarded items to trash piles. After all these hours of manual labor-type work, he never complained once. To say I am proud of this child would be an understatement.
We have witnessed history-in-the-making. My children will one day be telling their own children and grandchildren about the events of this past week. What I hope they remember most, though, is not the sadness and devastation they saw, but rather the HOPE and COMPASSION they witnessed as they, along with their neighbors, reached out and took care of each other. I hope they remember that they saw Jesus in others.
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