Posted on 08/26/2011 7:27:01 PM PDT by Former Fetus
Reading about hurricane Irene reminds me of a night, almost 22 years ago. My eldest daughter was exactly 3 weeks old and hurricane Hugo was supposed to "brush past" the South Carolina coast. We lived inland, so we were not concerned at all. My husband had farmed all his life and said that probably we would get some nice rain. I didn't know what to expect, this was my first hurricane, besides I was too busy with my newborn baby. So we went to bed.
Just before midnight, the wind was getting very strong and the rain was hitting the windows so hard that I became concerned that something could come through the window and hurt the baby, so we moved her to the big bed, between my husband and me. Still we tried to go to sleep, but suddenly my husband sat upright and said that something wasn't right. The rain had switched to the windows on another wall and it just didn't make any sense that it would do so if the hurricane was moving up the coast. He turned on the radio and we found out, for the first time, that Hugo had suddenly turned westward and was moving inland.
We made it with just some damage to the house, but I was not prepared for what was coming next. Living in rural South Carolina I was used to power outages, but I never imagined it would take 4 weeks to restore the power to our area! Thankfully I was breastfeeding my daughter, there was no concern there. But, like they say, what goes in one end comes out the other! And here was my problem, I've never been a greeny, but I was using cloth diapers because they were reusable, and supposedly less likely to cause diaper rash. So there I was, in the middle of nowhere, with all the roads blocked with fallen trees, and no way to wash. How long do you think the cloth diapers lasted? Before I knew it, I was cutting sheets, towels... When that was gone, I didn't know what I was going to do. When, oh when, would they restore the power? Little did I know how long it was going to take!
I was sitting, considering what I was going to do, when I heard a knock on the door. We were completely isolated, like I said, the roads were blocked. I opened the door to find a small group of people, wearing shorts and hiking boots, and carrying very large backpacks. An older gentleman told me that they knew I had a newborn baby and they wondered if I needed any diapers. Diapers? I could have cried. I don't remember what I said, but they marched into my living room and started unloading diaper bags from their backpacks. They left enough diapers, in different sizes, that I did not have to buy any for months! Then they left without ever telling who they were, how did they know about my baby, or how did they make it there.
I love it when people ask me if I believe in angels. I always say that I do, but that angels don't wear white robes and halos. At least sometimes, they wear shorts and hiking boots!
Nice story and well written. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for a beautiful story.
Beautiful story. 7 years ago today, we were blessed with our adopted daughter. God is good!!
How lovely. What a blessing.
That is an awesome story and well worth the read. Thank you.
Mobile Washer (Hand Operated Washing Machine)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t11WC1lG_Po
Great story. I got an image of the 7 dwarfs showing up at your door!
LOL! I just needed a hand-operated washing machine that would run with a gallon of (drinking) water. It was probably a week or 10 days before the roads were clear and we could go and buy a generator! I can’t believe how un-ready we were! We really needed them angels!
My wife and I had been married 3 years when Hugo came for a visit. We lived in Charlotte, and I have lived there my whole life up until about 3 years ago.
We had some storms, but I clearly remember that Hugo wasn’t supposed to come inland, and no one was prepared for the fact that it would still be a Category 2 hurricane when it hit Charlotte.
It wiped us out. Charlotte looked like a war zone. After witnessing a line stretched around a shopping center BiLo Grocery store, and some poor kid trying to ring peoples purchases on a hand held calculator, and a 2 mile line for the only gas station open in a 5 mile radius, we took gas for our lawnmower, and “borrowed” our 10 year old daughter’s piggy bank money ($125 + because of her grandparents spoiling, thank goodness) and left town.
I had a Cavalier and I had to get almost to the VA border before we found a gas station with power to pump gas. They also had a working ATM machine, and we were finally able to get cash (before the days when the ATM card carried a Visa, or MC logo). We stayed in KY for a week, until some friends called us and told us the power was back on. We left the same day, and came home to start cleaning up. No one injured that I knew, but I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
I deal with the public all over the country, and today I told everyone I spoke with in the N east, and New England area they better be listening to the weather forecasters, and if they’re told to leave, GO!
Reminds me of why I still believe in Santa, a few years back when we were out of work and Christmas was going to be very skinny I went outside to do something and when I came back in there was a sack with gifts in it for our kids. God is Good All the time.
Wonderful narrative.
PRAISE GOD.
ANGELS INDEED.
How old’s that daughter now?
She will be 22 at the end of the month. And she’s had God’s very special protection ever since. What a wonderful God we serve!
Praise God.
Wonderful!
Have you noticed any special Holy Spirit giftings in her life? What is her outreach to others like vis a vis a relationship with God?
As for any gifts, she has an amazing memory (can tell you the birthday of anybody she's ever met). She loves politics, I wish she would have agreed to become a lawyer! This country needs conservative Christian politicians.
IMPRESSIVE.
THX THX.
CONGRATS. PRAISE GOD!
May she do great exploits for The Lord.
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