Thoughts on August 29th

I tried to find a picture to post that would convey what happened here 5 years ago.
I searched videos on Youtube.
I dug down deep in my heart to find the words to explain it to you.
What I've realized is that unless you saw it with your own two eyes and it smacked you in the face & threatened to tear your heart out, it's something you just can't fully comprehend.
There was a lot that went unseen on the news, towns that were ignored in the media spotlight &
people that were forgotten. Instead of preaching about what was lost & what was forgotten though, I'd like to tell you what I learned.

I learned that it's never too hot to get down on your knees and pray.
& if my knees got stuck in the 5 inches of mud that covered the floor, well...
I just took that as a sign that I needed to pray a little longer.

I learned that laughter is indeed the best medicine.
If my sister & I had to wear high pony tails, breathing masks, rubber gloves, no make up, jean shorts & shrimp boots every day to make my Mom giggle... we would have done it.

I learned that hot food is good. Really, really good. If you have a hot meal on your plate,
you better be thanking God or SOMEONE for it.

I learned that MRE's are kind of gross... but the M&M's they included as "dessert" weren't gross at all.

I learned that my brother isn't(or at least he wasn't on that particular day) at all embarrassed to have his little sister & Mom running through the firehouse searching for him. & When we found him, boy, did we hang on tight.

I learned that saying "We're safe. We're alive. We're the lucky ones."
to angry family and friends, could calm and soothe them.
Even if you had to say it 5 times a day.

I learned a lot of funny little lessons. A lot of not so funny little lessons.
But above all, I learned that Corinthians13 had it right all along.
All we needed was one another to get through.
All we needed was the love we shared.

'It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails....'