--A Picture of Perserverance...

   Today's post is one that I have thoroughly enjoyed "writing", and I know you will enjoy reading.

To be honest, I am not the writer, and I am not the picture taker.

   That person is a woman I have been blessed to meet on the Canning for Christians Page on Facebook. And her story, her writing, her pictures, have been in my head as I have weathered a storm of my very own this week. It has spoken to my heart, and I hope that it does the same for you.

    She lives in an area that was just hammered by Hurricane Issac this last week, and she lived through Hurricane Katrina literally seven years to the day that Hurricane Issac blew into her hometown. She and her family decided to stay in their home, hunker down, and wait out the storm, which stalled out numerous times and dumped up to 3' of rain on certain places. Here is a picture of the eye of the storm, just breaching land:

Source Credit

  Or how about some pictures of the damage left in its wake?

Source credit for both pictures

Grim pictures. Pictures that make us here in the Midwest shake our heads and thank God for the mosquitos and the snow.

But her pictures, well they say a thousand words all by themselves.

Drink it in. 

Then read the words she penned below it when trying to tell me about what crossed her mind to open the doors, step out into the yard and see this.

 I made it through Katrina - two weeks without lights - and am still grateful for all the things I did have. Lights only started going out in the surrounding areas yesterday afternoon so to see so many being so grumpy so quickly really made me sad. I think God has been bringing me to this place (learning more about prepping and living with less material things) for quite some time now. 

      Two years ago my daughter and I went to S Africa on a mission trip. Life is now defined as life before S A and after S A. So when I hear people who have EVERYTHING complaining about being without power for a few hours well......but I do think that seeing that thin fragile flower still standing in spite of how badly it had been blown around during the storm drove home even more deeply that God is still in control. Trust God, fear not, fret not, have faith, the Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want", and best of all " my God shall supply all my NEEDS" above and beyond anything we could ask for.

     No matter how bad "our" storm is - God is on His throne.
And He really cares about how long our lights are out,
if our freezers thaw out...
 how hot we are,
how wet our land is, how dry our field is,
(how many times I get interrupted while I am trying to type this by my GROWN sons-you would think they were two!)
if I find a job,
if my tomatoes are going to produce,
if I am going to have enough or any hay to feed my cattle this winter,
 if my chickens are going to start laying soon,
if I am going to get the kind of rabbits I want,
if my dog dies,
if the doctor tells me I have a terminal illness,
if my spouse dies,
if my child dies in the womb or out of the womb,
if I find out that my son is doing drugs and now hates everything he once loved,
if my sister never speaks to me again,
if I homeschool my kids,
if I can get enough money to take my kids to the circus.....
anything that Satan throws your way, God cares about it
because He loves us.

So let the storm clouds rise, the dark winds blow, they won't worry me for I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God. He walks with me and nought of earth shall harm me, for I'm sheltered in the arms of God. - (haven't found the writer yet)

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face, 

while the storms howl above me, and there's no hiding place 

 Mid the crash of the thunder, precious Lord, hear my cry,

 Keep me safe till the storm passes by. 

 Many times Satan whispers, "There is no need to try. 

There is no end of sorrow, there's no hope by and by." 

 But I know Thou art with me and tomorrow I'll rise 

where the storms never darken the skies. 

Till the storm passes over, til the thunder sounds no more, 

till the clouds roll forever from the sky. 

Hold me fast, let me stand,
 in the hollow of Thy hand. 

Keep me safe till the storm passes by. - Mosie Lister

 I am this frail fragile flower. I am only safe from the storms of this old world because I am standing fast in the hollow of God's unchanging hand.

With great respect to a beautiful person,

Veronica Moak

Thank you for inspiring me in the midst of the storms of life.

Many Blessings to you and yours,
Heather