Life is making decisions

This was certainly one of the highlights of the last couple of weeks for me!  We had all the kids and grandkids over on Labor Day weekend to celebrate my birthday!   We spent the entire day outside on our back patio.  It was really quite lovely.  We grilled some wonderful smoked pork tenderloin, made by Doug.  The kids had fun and Grace even took a nap! The adults actually got to talk to each other!  It was such a great day.   Here is a bonus picture of Grace with Grandpa....

We were especially thankful for the great weather that day BECAUSE of what has made these past weeks so interesting!  Ken and I have decided to finally bite the bullet and do some very much needed home improvement projects.  And the biggest project (so far) is to replace all of the flooring on the first floor.  This required us (and by us, I mean mostly Ken) to remove several layers of tile from the last 39 years!  What a big mess!  Complicating this process is the fact that we have a very small home and very little room to move things around.  I just have to keep reminding myself that it will be so nice when it is completed!  And since we are redoing the flooring, it makes sense to remove our very nasty kitchen cabinets at the same time and finally have an updated kitchen.

I thought that I was prepared for this project - but I had no idea how many decisions we would have to make!  Picking out the flooring was actually the easiest part.  We had to figure out how to remove the old tile.  How to dispose of all the garbage (a special plug for the Bagster Dumpster - it was simply amazing for us.  After purchasing the bag we decided to set it up inside our garage.  It worked great.  There is no time limit on the disposal so we could take as long as  needed to fill it up.  And just a couple days ago, we dragged it to the curb (with the help of the car) and they picked it up and hauled it away.  We will soon be starting on bag number two!)  Then suddenly we were talking about replacing all of the interior doors in our house.  And changing the doors to the laundry area.  Then it was figuring out if it made sense to replace our cabinets and then finding ones that would fit the space.  Each time we seemed to have things decided, one more thing would come up.

As of right now, we have a concrete floor in half of our downstairs and are close to actually starting to install the new floor.  We are still "in process" of preparing the floor (removing all of the adhesive and cleaning and sealing the concrete) but it finally feels like this new floor will get done! And then it will be on the kitchen cabinets!  Of course we need  a new counter top and back splash.  More decisions.  It would be nice to think that this would be the end of the project, but then it will be on to the other half of our downstairs and then drywall repairs and paint!  Have you noticed just how many colors of paint there are these days?  There is an entire aisle of paint chips to choose from.  My head is spinning just thinking about it.

I was thinking about how many times one decision you make ends up leading to more and more decisions.  You know what I mean - you decide to buy a car but then WHICH car?  And then what options and what color.  Even deciding on a vacation..... when, where - fly or drive.  It just never seems to end.  So many decisions.   If you were to stop and really think about all of the decisions you make in an average day, you would be astounded.  When to get out of bed, what to wear, what to eat, what route to take to work.  You get the idea.  Life is making decisions!

I was thinking about this song I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, by Elevation Worship.  The most important decision anyone can make.  I am personally so thankful for that decision that has changed everything about my life.  After listening to that song, all of the decisions we have to make about our home improvement project, every decision I make during the day - well, they all seem rather small and not nearly worth the worry that I have been putting into them.  It will not really matter, in the long run, what color flooring we use.  Or what cabinets we choose.  All of these are just THINGS.  Things that are here today but could be gone tomorrow.  With the current events - hurricanes, fires, floods, earthquakes - it is especially good to remember that.  Today I heard the Governor of Florida reminding the people that material things can be replaced.  Stay safe and keep your family safe.  Yes, tomorrow, as Ken and I are making yet another decision for this project, I will remind myself that this really doesn't matter in the long run.  And tonight, because I made that decision to follow Jesus, I will be thanking Him for all that He has provided for me - my family, my home my life.  

Jesus, thank you.  Thank you for your presence with me that brings peace, even during times of tough decisions.  Holy Spirit, continue to draw people into your great love and to know and follow Jesus.  Thank you for a renewed perspective on decision making.  Jesus, please keep all those in the midst of these disasters close to you.  Thank you for your great love.  Amen

Disasters separated by 27 years.....

 Today the news is "flooded" with all the pictures and stories out of Texas and Hurricane Harvey.  Thankfully there has also been plenty of stories of all of the helpers that have volunteered to aid those affected by this natural disaster.  The photos are simply unbelievable.  You just can't imagine 50 plus inches of rain in just one day.  The highways look like rivers!  As I scrolled through the many, many photos, I was praying for those who have lost all their possessions, their homes ......

And then I came across this post....

The 1990 Plainfield tornado was a devastating tornado that occurred on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 28, 1990. The violent tornado killed 29 people and injured 353. It is the only F5 tornado ever recorded in August and the only F5 tornado to strike the Chicago area. There are no known videos or photographs of this heavily rain-wrapped tornado. 

That day, 27 years ago, is one that I will never forget.  This is Doug, just a few weeks after this event.

On that day, I had gotten off of work early to take 8 year old Doug to a doctor appointment.  We had waited a very long time to see this particular specialist to check on Doug's vision.  He had taken so much medicine for his health issues as a baby and young child, there was concern that he may have had eye damage.  I picked Doug up from our neighborhood babysitter's house and we started the drive to the doctor.  He had a 3:30 appointment.  Now this was long before "Smart Phones" and instant weather forcasting...... really there was no way to "check the weather" (which we can now do very easily).  Looking at the sky was the only way to predict that a storm was brewing.

I was immediately worried by the dark and very ugly looking sky - that I was driving directly toward! The route to the clinic was heading right into the storm.  About half way there, the rain started.  And then came the hail.  Before we got much further, all the traffic signals went out, the power went out all around us and I decided to pull over.  I remember very clearly, that Doug calmly pointed out to me that the sky was an unusual shade of green!   This was the worst storm I had ever driven through.

By this time, I knew that we would not be making that doctor appointment.  I waited for a slight break in the blinding rain, turned the car around and headed back home ......thankfully AWAY from the storm.  When I finally reached the clinic on the phone the next day, I was told that they had lost power and part of their roof during that storm.  I felt thankful that Doug's appointment had been at 3:30 rather than 3:00.  We would have been in the middle of that storm.

I think about that day many times as we drive down that main road towards Plainfield.  A large church that was destroyed has been rebuilt, as have the schools that were destroyed.  But each time I look at those new buildings, I see, in my mind, those shells of buildings and trees torn out of the ground and buildings ripped in half,  that we witnessed in the weeks after that terrible tornado.

My home is about 15 miles away from that path of destruction from that tornado.  Thankfully, we had no damage at all from that storm.  As clear as my memory is of that day, I can only imagine the long term impact that Hurricane Harvey will have on the people of Texas.  Even those that might not personally have loss of property.  Everything in their day to day life has been disrupted and it will be chaotic for some time.  

I am so incredibly thankful for the advancements in weather forecasting over the last 27 years!  Thanks to cell phones with satellite mapping and weather radar, nearly every person can figure out if a storm will come near them.  We have instant weather alert apps on our devices that give us warnings that save so many lives.  And, we have more informed people in charge who can order mandatory evacuations when necessary.

Most of all, I am so thankful for the Good Shepherd who never leaves us or forsakes us. In those times of really terrible storms, Jesus is always right there with us.   Additionally, I am thankful for the Holy Spirit - living inside of me - who give me guidance and help in times of trouble.  It was that prompting of the Holy Spirit that kept me from driving into that storm.  

So tonight, as I sit in my dry home, really far away from Texas, my heart is there with those families.  My thoughts and prayers are with the Fire, Police, National Guard and all those involved in keeping the people safe.  I am praying for all those electrical workers, tree cutters, utility workers and many others who are driving in from far away states to aid in the clean up process.   I am praying for all of the humanitarian agencies, churches, and ministries that are sending teams of people to bring water, food, health kits and first aid to so many people.

Tonight, I am so thankful for all of the helpers.........

Jesus, bring your comfort and peace to anyone who is in an uncertain situation tonight - anyone who is fearful or angry or lonely or sad.  Holy Spirit, give wisdom and courage to all of the helpers.  Show them the best way to care for people who are so hurting.  Thank you for your great love for us.  Amen