Sunday, August 31, 2008

Overwhelmed

I'm absolutely overwhelmed tonight for the people of my State.

I got into my truck tonight after closing the store I work at....I turned on the radio and got in on New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin's news conference tonight and was absolutely shocked.

I guess I had been out of the "loop" for several hours and didn't know what was going on....and I sure didn't expect to hear what was being said.

When I heard The Mayor say, "This is going to be the 'Mother of ALL Storms'...this storm will be worse than Katrina"....I just broke down and cried.

I was so grieved.

The news tonight has been grim and it's like a nightmare that won't go away.

Many of us.....are still in pain and didn't even realize it. I didn't....until tonight.
But the emotions are still there....and you start to relive the days you already lived three years ago.....and you start to review the images and the devastation of what happened to people that live not even an hour away from you. And people you know and people you love and those you don't. And believe me.....my family did not suffer like others did.

We lost power for 5 days...we had a bit of damage....we went through some drama.....but nothing like the suffering that many others went through during those days and the days afterwards....some are still suffering.

A thousand people killed......and devasation like we have never experienced especially in America. People stranded on Interstates, people on top of their rooftops, people and animals being rescued.....
And worst of all people acting like animals...murdering, raping, robbing, looting.

Everything that took place touched our city and rocked our lives in various ways.

Even to this day...we are still touched by these hurricanes and to think there is something WORSE coming....I just can't fathom it.

It's late and I should get to sleep...we have people coming to stay with us and we will all ride this out. But you can't sleep.

You watch and listen to the news over and over.....it's like 9/11.
You just can't grasp it and you keep watching....and thinking.....
"maybe their wrong." And "this can't be happening."
And you obsesse over dumb things.

Can you just imagine "watching" havoc and ruination coming right at you for 5 days.
We've known this thing was coming for that long......and can do nothing really but prepare the best we can.

It's like the people in California "knowing" there's an earthquake coming....it's going to be bad, it's going to cause major devastation...it may kill people..and it could get bigger possibly or it could be worse than what it already....while it's on it's way...yet, you don't know forsure where it's going to happen...but you have a bit of an ideal...and you don't know what time it will happen....but you have a bit of an ideal.

There are so many "what ifs."

At least we have time to prepare in some ways.....if you can really prepare. I mean you can physically somewhat and especially spiritually.....but emotionally......
It's still hard.

Thankfully many have had time and oppertunity to get out of harms way.

I feel especially bad for coastal Louisianians.
They have been through so much already with Katrina and Rita. And now this.
I guess that is a risk one takes when they live on the coast......but is there anywhere that is safe from disasters?

I don't think so.

We need mercy.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Joyce, I feel as if I'm right there with you. I cannot fathom what you're feeling, however, because I've never experienced the horror of seeing my hometown devastated by a storm.

Northern NJ, where I grew up and still live, has its faults: overcrowding, traffic congestion, pollution, rampant political corruption and one of the highest costs of living in the country. But thankfully we don't have to worry about natural disasters. We get the occasional crippling snowstorm that dumps a foot of snow on us and shuts everything down for a day. We deal with the occasional ice storm that makes driving even more treacherous than it already is and knocks our power out. But we've never had to evacuate our homes due to a monster storm approaching and worry about whether we'll still have a home to return to when it's all over. We've never had to witness death, destruction and desperation on the scale you and your family did firsthand. For us, Katarina's destruction appeared as images on a TV screen and were therefore not "real".

The worst storm I ever experienced in my life was Tropical Storm Floyd in 1999, and it terrified me. My husband, a town firefighter, was out all day and night responding to calls of downed trees, downed wires and flooding. I was home alone with our 4-month-old daughter. Our basement flooded and our roof leaked. It literally rained in our bedroom, destroying our new mattress in the process. We couldn't even leave the house for higher -- and safer -- ground because all the roads out of town were flooded and too dangerous. My daughter and I camped out alone in the living room. When the power went out, and the wind and rain continued to howl outside, I wondered for the first time about how people managed to ride out a hurricane. If Floyd was this bad as a tropical storm, how much worse was it as a major hurricane?

Needless to say, we survived. My husband came home the following morning. Our roof was eventually repaired and the mattress replaced, and the story of how it rained in our bedroom is one of our now 9-year-old daughter's favorites. For her, it was an adventure she wished she was old enough to remember. For me it was a nightmare I wish I could forget.

As I check in with the Weather Channel periodically for updates this weekend, I'll be thinking of you and your fellow Staters as you prepare for the onslaught of Gustav and hope the outcome is better than three years ago.

Stay safe, stay well.

Unknown said...

I JUST LAID HANDS ON YOUR BLOG AS A POINT OF CONTACT. I am standing with you, Joyce! God is good. He's going to use you as instruments of change and hope. You are strategically planted and you have endured much as God is preparing you for what's ahead; for divine appointments in which God has prepared the soil. Stand fast! Praise HIM! Intercede! Speak forth those Words of life that he gives you. He is bound by His Word. Let His Word build a fortress about you.

I love you, girl! I wish we had preparation for earthquakes. That's for sure.

Love, hugs, and mush, KJ

Barbara C. said...

All of a sudden I came upon LA blogs leading from one to another.
I pray this will be a gentler storm than forcast. "all things are possible..."
Barbara

Sonja said...

The souls of many are at stake. We need to pray for people to come to know the God of Love...our Saviour and Redeemer. That is the focuss. I have been stirred to pray this way...especially for the city of Baton Rouge. I know that the Lord see's, hears, and acts on our cries. In this time TRUST is what we hold on to.
I appreciate your words Joyce. Many are afraid and need comfort.
I ran into a woman at the dollar store who seemed in need of such. I wish I would have prayed for her but I did tell her to prepare and then Trust the Lord.
We stand in prayer with you...as the body UNITED. In a crisis like this people either get mad at God or RUN to God...I beg of you, if you are not a christian...REPENT, ask Him to be you Lord and Trust Him. This is truly the message.
Indeed we are concerned but honestly I also believe that a super natural anointing is about to take place in the state of Louisiana. Let us "gather" together and in agreement say "come Lord come".

sonja h.

Ms.Daisy said...

Joyce,
I've been watching the news and I am praying for you and all the people of Louisiana tonight. God is good and will answer prayers..."ask and it shall be given to you." I believe that. Also, this time, people seem to be more aware of and prepared for whatever happens. Stay safe.

Hugs,
Jean

My Vintage Studio said...

Joyce, You and family, and all of those who live on the Gulf Coast are in our prayers. You have been on my mind the last several days. Prayer is powerful.
Hugs, Sharon

roseroomnz.com said...

Blessings and much prayers being sent your way. Rachaelxo