Hey all — I’m writing to you from frigid East Texas…. Brrrr….
Actually, it’s warming up, and the snow is melting… finally! It’s been a long week!
Power is being restored, but many are still without. And many without water (pray for my sister Stacie and her family… projected return of water isn’t until Tuesday)… It’s been a lot of days of sustained cold temperatures, and the state is truly not equipped to deal with cold + significant snow.
When we woke up Monday to 6″ of snow, we felt like we were in Michigan. The beautiful, white blanket is so familiar to us. But inside the familiarity of snow, was the unfamiliarity of not having any tools or equipment to deal with the snow. It was so strange to walk down our street covered in snow that didn’t have a single tire track. The snow on the road was completely undisturbed!
The deep snow, combined with the deep cold, literally made it impossible for most to get around. And when we processed the implications, it was sobering. If we can’t get around, what about EMS workers, and doctors? What about the people who were stranded in bad weather outside? What about the people who didn’t have heat or water?
It got me thinking about how our tools matter…. We felt helpless, in so many ways, without the proper equipment. The same is true for us spiritually. We can navigate the difficult seasons in life so much better when we’re faithfully equipping ourselves with truth from the Word and a growing relationship with Jesus.
Creativity abounds in desperate situations… A garden shovel is almost as good as a snow shovel; it turns out and rain boots can work in the snow with enough pairs of socks; car floor mats work like a charm to get a stuck-in-the-snow car moving again! Mike and Stacie are without water, so they saved up snow to have water for flushing toilets — genius! And free!
As a family, we’ve enjoyed time together at home. I think we’ve learned to really embrace (for the most part) these little times of reset along the way. One of the highlights has been listening to the audio book version of “The Boys in the Boat” – It’s been so much fun! The kids have also gotten to spend quite a bit of time in the snow.
Neil and I found out about a lady who was rescuing homeless people off the streets and housing them in a local motel. We were able to spend a few hours at the motel for a couple of days, helping fill out assessment forms (they are wanting to connect these people with needed resources after this crisis is over), and also gathering information on these folks’ next steps out of the motel. Not one person refused our offers to pray with them.
The needs in Texas are great, from the homeless to those with homes, but without needed resources. Additionally, this week has had and will have a significant economic impact. Our local Walmart and grocery stores were closed for a few days — not even COVID did that!
We are so thankful for all of the prayers! We’re good — Keep ’em coming for Texas.