Lessons from the storm

A friend of mine sent me this today:

LESSONS FROM THE STORM
by Michael Green
The Pastor's Coach

Those of us who have grown up in the Gulf south region realize storms are a part of life. We're weather watchers. We know the maps, the coordinates, and the routines. A high “two” storm, on up, merits the usual two day evacuation / vacation followed by the cleanup and return to normalcy.

But in August 2005, the sounds of these reports were different and the next few hours required a wide range of decisions. Where do we go, what should we take, should we just “ride it out”?

“Riding the storm out” is quite a common occurrence around here. Some of the old timers delight in their accounts of “Riding out” Betsy, Camille and all the other storms. I knew some folks who rode this one out. I'll see them in heaven.

Early Saturday, Linda and I went to our offices to grab the obligatory birth certificate and insurance files then headed home.

Back at home, the car was quickly loaded with 3 days of clothes and the ever important, Tupperware Tub filled with family pictures and memory stuff. We moved quickly and by 1 pm were headed to be with friends in Memphis.

Late Sunday, the comforting news report said that the storm had been powerful yet it seemed that New Orleans had been spared the brunt of the storm with a slight right turn. We went to sleep with the plan to start back home on Monday. We had no clue as to what Monday really had for us.

I got up early and quietly went down to check the news. The sound and pictures seemed like a dream. Images, not from the Tsunami, but from my home! Shock and surprise led to disbelief and numbness. The extent of my out loud response was, “Oh God, Help Us”.

Most all cell phones were out, most landlines were unavailable, and “504” seemed out of business. I had one City Hall number and after repetitive speed dials a familiar voice answered. I asked my city council person, “How are you?” She said, “You haven't heard”? , “No”, “The levees broke, there is probably 8 feet of water in the church!”

The pathetic scenes of the greatest natural disaster in our nation's history are well burned into the minds of the world but I knew those streets, I knew those buildings. The Superdome became a symbol of despair. Just one week before, I had sat there with my boys to watch the Saints play with no clue that it would be the last event in that room for over one year!

Late Monday, I was standing in front of the television while helicopter footage showed a broken city. The high water made it difficult to now find some of those landmarks so familiar. Then, I noticed something protruding from the lake. Actually, the lake was I-10 and the protrusion was the track of the MegaZeph Rollercoaster from Six Flags. That was our exit. Our church was just across the road!

I stood still and breathless as I urged the camera to keep pulling out to hopefully see more. Then the big shot widened and there it stood, the complex of over 170 thousand square feet looked like an island in the water. Again, “Oh God, Help”.

Everything was out of order, no way to connect, and no contact list was good. For days, the unknown loomed so much bigger than the known. It was a third world.

After the storm, we found church members in 17 states. More than half of our church family lost everything. Only about 25 percent of our members came out unscathed. Today, 48 employees have had to find new jobs. The school is now closed after 30 years. Nearly 1,000 people are still gone. The phone calls and emails were so painful yet predictable. “We love you and our church. We miss our friends but we don't want to go through this again!”

Linda and the boys ended up in San Antonio for 9 weeks. John and Diana Hagee and the Cornerstone Church lovingly cared for them as I headed back to a world that seemed a million miles away. They are now back home and we meet in two temporary facilities. In Slidell, a hotel meeting room, and in Metairie we're in a mall.

Although we are not there, our facilities are being used as a center of relief and aid. Mission groups from around America have worked out of our facilities that had been dedicated to God. We have been able to touch hundreds of lives by gutting houses, giving aid, building materials and prayer.

In the process, we've learned many great lessons about ourselves and the world around us. These truths are applicable for any storm we might face.

The “MYTH / ETHIC” is not true

We've been told all our life, work hard, pay your taxes, help poor people, got to church and nothing bad will happen. This year, I have cried and hugged good folks who loved God, served Him and they lost everything. They did not deserve it. They had been faithful people. Yet, it was all gone.

The truth is we live in this world, and bad stuff will happen. Jesus warned, “In this world you will have tribulation”. Stories about Joseph and Daniel take on new meaning when describing underserved tragedy and the Word does bring insight and healing.

It's at times like these when we hang on to David's insightful words, “When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”

Its Okay To Cry… But Not For Long

We cried a lot, and after about a month of stumbling through, we found a warehouse to meet and word started trickling out. For about the next 4 weeks, announced service times were ignored as the people spent the first 30 minutes “hugging up.” The traditional New Orleans greeting, “Where ya' at”, was replaced with, “How'd you do”? , which meant, “How much water did you have”? The connecting and sharing of stories was healing, therapeutic, and certainly more affective than a “Service”. There is a time to cry but then a time to build, a time to press forward. We're not glad about the situation but we are moving forward. Don't waller in the loss. Ecclesiastes is correct, there is a time to cry and a time to get proactive again, it's healthy.

Major on The Main Things

You quickly realize the important priorities. The frivolous fades. You also realize how much space frivolous occupied. Friends stood embraced holding the only thing they could find near the slab of their washed away home, a cup. But, they had joy in desolation and despair. We found ourselves in a situation totally foreign to us. I stood in a Red Cross line for a flashlight and ice chest. It was like Christmas. The Army Corps put a blue tarp on my roof. I then went through the military gauntlet to get my box of military MRE's (meals ready to eat). It's what we ate for a few weeks. I tried meals 1-24, and we all joked about our favorites. It was different but appreciated and it tasted like a fine meal, after a few days.

The connecting phone calls, like the passengers on the “911” planes, were placed to loved ones, not our stock brokers or bankers. That was of most importance.

Don't Put Off Preparation!

Have your natural house in order, by having documents, insurances, important papers and pictures in concise form. Have contingency plans. With evacuations already discussed, leave early. It's too late when the winds start blowing. Paralysis of inactivity can kill you. Jesus' words in Matthew 25, warns to have our lamps ready and “oiled up”. You never know when you will need them. 13 days later, when I traveled by airboat to my office, I was overwhelmed by some of the things I wish I had taken. One year later, it is still a daily issue of some things I missed.

The Character Issues:

It has been said , “ Tragedies do not make character, they only reveal it.” How true and it leads to this…

If you were a person of Faith BEFORE the storm you will continue to walk in faith as you face the daily hurdles.
If you were stupid BEFORE the storm don't expect a creative miracle in the brains department.
I know I'm being a bit facetious but it is a real key. I watched foolish folks continue the cycle of wrong responses, bad decisions, and, the ever present, blame game then they wondered where God was. In difficult times you see the beautiful and the pathetic. People giving and people grabbing, people living selfish and selfless. Some of the people who lost the most were the most beautiful in their sweet spirits and Godly attitudes.

We helped so many and most of the responses were thankful and appreciative. However, a sad sidebar is that those who had so much done for them still exhibited the same bitterness and ungratefulness as they did in their “pre storm” lives. Character, good and bad was shown and we had a front row seat to this on more than a few occasions.

Finally Brethren,

The spiritual parallels of this experience thunder in our hearts. You never know when your storm will come. Are you ready? Are all the important things done? Have you decided to stay in faith in spite of difficulty? Not blind, gullable, foolishness but a “core deep” affirmation tethered to the moorings of faith. Hold the less important things lightly. We owe it to our people to preach preparation. It is the wise thing to do.

We've also learned from experience that we certainly cannot put our faith and trust in government procedures. Our faith is faith, as it says in Hebrews, “Towards God.” Thus, we walk to express it in our restoration, response, and rebuilding.

Another neat sidebar was the response of the Body of Christ. Before the wind stopped, Operation Blessing, Samaritan's Purse, Service International and many, other God based, organizations hit the ground big time. The church, by far, was quicker, more efficient and compassionate (without the red tape) than any governmental group. The Church Triumphant is Alive and Well!

Today, our job is to continue speaking faith and encouragement against the spirit of discouragement and despair. In numerous interviews, my final word has always been, “God is Faithful”. He has been faithful in the difficult days since. I'm solid and sure in this belief. I've watched His people grow and, have personally experienced His goodness and faithfulness. The Word is true and that truth will get you through any storm.