6.15.2006
a few pics
Check the slide show on the right for some pictures of New Orleans. You can go to myspace to see the pictures bigger. The link is on the right.
6.13.2006
Nawlins Reflections...
Well, we are back from our trip and I can honestly say that this last week was the hardest manual labor that I have ever done. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find on of the guys on this trip that would not agree with me. Tearing down a house is no simple task and when you add on top of that, heat, humidity, and no bathrooms it's even harder.
I cannot even begin to describe the impact June, Suzy, Harold and Brenda had on my life. Working side by side people who lost everything. Here are some things I wrote down in my journal last week while we were in New Orleans (pronounced Nawlins by the natives).
"I wish I could describe to you what it's like here. It's aweful. Nobody has anything. The houses are destroyed. Water flodded so many people's homes. People were picked on only to be dropped off on a bridge and left for 3 days.
Every time we drive around I think, 'God where were you when these people were drowning? When they were looking for shelter? Where were you when these people showed up one and two months later and saw their home completely saturated?'
These questions haunt me because as a Texan away from all of it I can say 'Well, God was there when the boat showed up before the house went under. God was there in the warnings and evacuations. God was there through the FEMA, Red Cross, Hilltop, Project Blessing and countless other organizations that now call New Orleans ground zero.
Being here, taking a sledge hammer to walls, fishing for burried memories and gazing into the faces of June, Harold and Brenda I feel God. He's not just a presence but God is hope. God has raised up his army and has sent them to New Orleans, LA.
Once a thriving city now littered with piles of trash as high as the house it came from. Among the trash pictures of grandkids and parents. Scarves, statues and a million more memories from thousands of people. Where is God? In us. In the hope that we bring to the June's of New Orleans who only want to find a statue of Mary and Jesus. God is in the hope we bring to the Harold's who were able to save their 91 year old mothers from being swept away by water.
God is in the people who continually call us angels. The people who have been praying for someone to come demolish their house. The people who at the end of the day have littled compared to before the storm and still praise God.
It really is a different world. It's not the thriving New Oeleans I came to years ago, but you know what? It's home. For some it was home for 2 months and for some it was home for 60 years. It's home. Tearing down to build up."
The last house we did was the house of a couple who had 9 children, all grown and one still living at home. 10 Rooms, 5 Bathrooms and a shed full of old pipes because the man was a retired plumber. The daughter who was still living there was a musician so it only seemed fit that our last house would be the place of the most powerful devo I experienced all week.
"This is Holy ground. We're standing on Holy ground and I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on Holy ground."
God, may I never forget what I saw, smelled, heard and experienced this week. Forever change my heart to be more likes yours and bless your people in New Orleans. May they shine their light in the dark city. Amen
I cannot even begin to describe the impact June, Suzy, Harold and Brenda had on my life. Working side by side people who lost everything. Here are some things I wrote down in my journal last week while we were in New Orleans (pronounced Nawlins by the natives).
"I wish I could describe to you what it's like here. It's aweful. Nobody has anything. The houses are destroyed. Water flodded so many people's homes. People were picked on only to be dropped off on a bridge and left for 3 days.
Every time we drive around I think, 'God where were you when these people were drowning? When they were looking for shelter? Where were you when these people showed up one and two months later and saw their home completely saturated?'
These questions haunt me because as a Texan away from all of it I can say 'Well, God was there when the boat showed up before the house went under. God was there in the warnings and evacuations. God was there through the FEMA, Red Cross, Hilltop, Project Blessing and countless other organizations that now call New Orleans ground zero.
Being here, taking a sledge hammer to walls, fishing for burried memories and gazing into the faces of June, Harold and Brenda I feel God. He's not just a presence but God is hope. God has raised up his army and has sent them to New Orleans, LA.
Once a thriving city now littered with piles of trash as high as the house it came from. Among the trash pictures of grandkids and parents. Scarves, statues and a million more memories from thousands of people. Where is God? In us. In the hope that we bring to the June's of New Orleans who only want to find a statue of Mary and Jesus. God is in the hope we bring to the Harold's who were able to save their 91 year old mothers from being swept away by water.
God is in the people who continually call us angels. The people who have been praying for someone to come demolish their house. The people who at the end of the day have littled compared to before the storm and still praise God.
It really is a different world. It's not the thriving New Oeleans I came to years ago, but you know what? It's home. For some it was home for 2 months and for some it was home for 60 years. It's home. Tearing down to build up."
The last house we did was the house of a couple who had 9 children, all grown and one still living at home. 10 Rooms, 5 Bathrooms and a shed full of old pipes because the man was a retired plumber. The daughter who was still living there was a musician so it only seemed fit that our last house would be the place of the most powerful devo I experienced all week.
"This is Holy ground. We're standing on Holy ground and I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in his presence on Holy ground."
God, may I never forget what I saw, smelled, heard and experienced this week. Forever change my heart to be more likes yours and bless your people in New Orleans. May they shine their light in the dark city. Amen
6.05.2006
Tearing down to build up....New Orleans: Day One
That was the hardest work I have ever done. The heat, humidity, smell and everything else you can imagine along with the emotional instability of the home owner was almost too much to handle. We "Mucked a house" today. Basically that means that we went through all the stuff in the house and saved what we could and trashed everything else. We also had to tear out the sheet rock and basically just clear out the house of everything.
The deal now in New Orleans is that if these people don't have their houses gutted in the next three months, the city puts a lean on their property and they lose it. Some are trying frantically to get things done while others have given up hope of saving anything.
I fear I would be one of those people who would give up. With what we did today I don't know that I could stand in the back ground while a bunch of kids took sledge hammers to my house. Now grant it, these people signed up for this, but my first thought would have been to bulldoze it and start over.
June and her husband Craig were grateful for the work we did today but as June and I talked throughout the day I found myself fighting off tears she had cried many many times. Today, I experienced a ministry I have never encountered.
"Tearing down to build up." Easy to say, hard to swallow. Ripping down a life time of memories to begin to build new ones while harboring a fear that your new ones may last only a very short time.
Remember how blessed you are an Bless others.
The deal now in New Orleans is that if these people don't have their houses gutted in the next three months, the city puts a lean on their property and they lose it. Some are trying frantically to get things done while others have given up hope of saving anything.
I fear I would be one of those people who would give up. With what we did today I don't know that I could stand in the back ground while a bunch of kids took sledge hammers to my house. Now grant it, these people signed up for this, but my first thought would have been to bulldoze it and start over.
June and her husband Craig were grateful for the work we did today but as June and I talked throughout the day I found myself fighting off tears she had cried many many times. Today, I experienced a ministry I have never encountered.
"Tearing down to build up." Easy to say, hard to swallow. Ripping down a life time of memories to begin to build new ones while harboring a fear that your new ones may last only a very short time.
Remember how blessed you are an Bless others.
6.01.2006
Since last I blogged...
which wasn't too long ago. memorial day proved to be as fun and unpredictable as you would expect. We had cloud cover, a pretty mean rain and then 90+ degree heat. On the lake all day, attempting the wake board for the first time- unsuccessful- and taking my turn on the tube of death.
Tube story: as some o
f you may be aware of, I am the most graceful person on the face of the planet. My attempt at jumping on the tube the first time resulted in the bruise you see here and further proof that no one looks as good as I do missing the tube and whacking my leg on the propeller (it was off don't freak out). I am very proud of the array of color that now adorns my leg. kinda pretty I think. :o) I had a blast. I got to hang out with my precious nephew, I lost my phone, I got a new one and I had the day off. I haven’t really worked long enough to need a day off but I took it with no complaints.
On a different note, I saw something today that I fear very few will ever see in their lives. A limo pulled into sonic in front of me. I thought at first it was an accident but as I followed it around the drive I realized this thing was here to stay. As it pulled into the parking spot to order I though it too good to pass by so I took a picture! Enjoy!
I hope everyone is feeling as good about life as I am. I’m busy but I can’t help but to thank God for the opportunities he has given me this summer. I am working with a youth minister who has an amazing leadership of encouragement about him. My fellow intern/resident is a great man of God and amazes me at every turn with his spiritual leadership. The ministry assistant is a wonderful lady who loves to laugh as much as me! It’s gonna be an awesome summer and we are hitting it at full speed!
Be Blessed!!!
Go Mavs!
Tube story: as some o
f you may be aware of, I am the most graceful person on the face of the planet. My attempt at jumping on the tube the first time resulted in the bruise you see here and further proof that no one looks as good as I do missing the tube and whacking my leg on the propeller (it was off don't freak out). I am very proud of the array of color that now adorns my leg. kinda pretty I think. :o) I had a blast. I got to hang out with my precious nephew, I lost my phone, I got a new one and I had the day off. I haven’t really worked long enough to need a day off but I took it with no complaints.
On a different note, I saw something today that I fear very few will ever see in their lives. A limo pulled into sonic in front of me. I thought at first it was an accident but as I followed it around the drive I realized this thing was here to stay. As it pulled into the parking spot to order I though it too good to pass by so I took a picture! Enjoy!
I hope everyone is feeling as good about life as I am. I’m busy but I can’t help but to thank God for the opportunities he has given me this summer. I am working with a youth minister who has an amazing leadership of encouragement about him. My fellow intern/resident is a great man of God and amazes me at every turn with his spiritual leadership. The ministry assistant is a wonderful lady who loves to laugh as much as me! It’s gonna be an awesome summer and we are hitting it at full speed!
Be Blessed!!!
Go Mavs!
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