Jan's Jots and Thoughts . . .

We're sitting here - waiting on the storms to hit -- wondering what the effect will be -- seeing all the pictures of Joplin's devastation,  watching the death toll rise and realizing that some 50 people still have not been found. There have been so many tornadoes this storm season --one report was 1000 so far.

Terry's got our storm closet readied with all sorts of supplies -- thinking still about the people in Joplin -- looking around at our stuff -- wondering what few items I should put in the closet -- thinking how all of their things are scattered throughout Northeast Missouri for miles -- I am certain  that every approaching storm from this point on will cause them terror and fear.

So many different stories -- one touched me personally:

Marinelle, told me of our friend "the basket lady".  I met this Godly woman and her husband 4 years ago on Labor Day weekend when  Marinelle, her mother  and I went to make baskets at their place not far from Pitcher.  The Pitcher tornado devastated their lovely retirement home and took the life of her beloved husband.    She moved to Joplin near one of her daughters  and had to endure it's tornado on Sunday.  For a while no one knew if she survived this one--  It is reported to have only damaged  her home, while the house across the street was demolished.  I can only imagine the flashbacks and panic she endured during that time.

There is much to be said about the human spirit of resilience in times of tragedy.  We saw it recently in Japan, as their people banded together to help one another.  We witnessed it during 9-11 and earlier in Oklahoma City.  But in all of it -- the tremendous loss --

It's been a season of loss in our school community, as well -- a recent graduate -- whom many of my students were close to, died in a car accident coming home from college two weeks ago. It rocked our school.  Last Thursday one of my student's father was in a deadly car crash on 169 in the early morning hours.  His funeral was today.

We  often go about our days  without a thought, planning our schedules for weeks and months to come.
It takes something like the tragedies and severe weather forecasts we've been hearing for two days to make us think soberly about it all.

Jesus didn't return on Saturday to end it all as some were anticipating -- but HE did come for these recent victims.

Scripture says that God knows the number of our days --and at that time HE'LL come to take us to HIS house.  I like what I heard in Church on Sunday -- Just like a groom waiting for his wedding -- Jesus is so anxious to come and get us -- just waiting on the word from the Father.