5 West Nursing

We just got hit by Dolly, a category 1 hurricane yesterday. Her center was located in Raymonville, about 50 miles north east of McAllen, TX, and although there were no major damages (at least around our neighborhood), thankfully there were no deaths reported as far as I can tell.

This was the first storm which hit land that we experienced ever since moving here to McAllen 3 years ago. I guess what makes this experience a bit “special” if you will, is that we were just blessed with a new home just recently… our first storm experience in our new home. Thankfully I was off the day before the storm hit so I was able to be with my family throughout the whole ordeal.

It wasn’t that bad, although the winds were particularly strong, with gusts up to 70 mph. You could hear the wind and rain beating on the house all night. Forrest Gump describes it best when he said it was raining “sideways”.  It reminded my of storms I experienced as a child back in the Philippines. We did have occasional black outs, however, nothing major. We had power practically the whole time… even Internet connection to our delight!

The storm has past, however, the clean up has just begun. We only suffered a broken fence which was actually on our neighbor’s side, so in essence, everything within our property was left intact.

This experience has opened my eyes to something that I’m sure you’ve experience yourself. Just like storms caused by the weather, there are storms that rage within us as we go through this journey we call life. Some storms are mild, like the stress caused by an upcoming test or exam. Others may be stronger, like the financial burden of an unexpected circumstance. Yet, others may be devastating, like the grief of divorce or a loss of a loved one. Regardless of the storm, it’s there. Sometimes we can avoid it, other time we can’t. Nevertheless, I made a few a few observations I hope you’ll find helpful as you go through a life storm. Here’s what hit me…

1. Storms come and go. It may sound cliche, however, no matter how bad it may seem, it will surely pass. Hurricane Dolly made landfall at 1200 noon on Wednesday, July 23. By 0600 the following day it was practially gone. It did leave some areas damaged and others without power, but just like everything else, it didn’t last forever. Some storms move slower than others, nevertheless it moves, and eventually it’ll be over. Just hang in there… the sun will shine soon!
2. Preparation is key. Don’t get caught unaware. I didn’t find out about the storm until 1 day before it was supposed to make landfall. By the time I arrived at the local Walmart to stock up on supplies, there wasn’t anything left… bottled water gone, canned goods gone. Fortunately we did have enough to spare from an earlier trip to the grocery store a couple of days before. We were also fortunate that this storm did not leave any lasting effects. Just like the storms of life, we need to be prepared. We need to build up our reserves so we can ride out the storm. Sometimes we go through tough times  in life that help build character so when the big storm comes, we are prepared. There is a passage in the Bible that states that we are not tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). I’d like to apply this to the storms of life as well.
3. Don’t go through a storm without Jesus in your boat. I’m not religious, only practical. I’m just a sinner in need of a Savior. Living life without Jesus is like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute… you won’t survive. As a young boy my mother would take me to Sabbath school every Saturday. We’d learn songs and listen to Bible stories. One particular song that I remember goes something like this… “With Christ in my vessel I can smile at the storm… until He takes me home.” Check out the rest of the song by clicking on this link. One particular Bible story that comes to mind was when Jesus and His disciples were crossing the sea in a storm. His disciples woke him up because they feared for their life. He commanded the sea to be still and the storm stopped. You can read the rest of this awesome story in the Bible (Mark 4: 36-41). Even if the storms of life hit you know, you’ll be safe having Jesus in your boat. He will never leave you, nor forsake you, and that my friend is the truth!

I’m grateful that the storm had passed without any major damage. I’m sure there will be many more storms to come. Just like Dolly, the storms of life will come too. Regarless of the storms, we know we can trust in Jesus to carry us through.