HARVEY

You never know how lucky you are until you see someone else's luck. You see and hear things that make you shake your head, and then you move on, without comparisons to your own situations, but you just know it is not good.

If you look at the reports that filter through your computer and TV, the radio, and newspapers, the horror is substantial. No water, food or means of escaping the rising flood waters, caring for the sick, elderly and children, protecting pets and defending yourself from looters are all presented in the scenario of emotional and physical anguish.

Your home is destroyed or washed away, all your memories are forever gone, the old photos of your grandparents and parents, those special occasions when the children were small, all lost in the ravages of a hurricane.

Where do you go, who do you see, what do you do? These questions are what occupy you now, where do I get medical help and maybe medications, is there any more hope in your life as you face the prospects of rebuilding a life time.

And the tears that are welling in your eyes only compliment the sickness that is building in your stomach, as you watch your loved ones as they too struggle and look to you for guidance and hope. And what hope do you offer? A hope of uncertainty, one of make believe promises? Can you stand yourself, as the rain continues and the wind calls out the devastation of not only what you own, but of your future?

And where is God? What happened to God? Why is he doing this to us, why is he sending this devastation down on innocent people? Did we not pray hard enough? Did we not call out his name at every turn in our lives?

From what I hear, Hurricane Harvey is by far the worst storm to hit the continental US, the power, force and speed along with the lingering time it took to depart make for the perfect storm, and people, unfortunately, must pay for this natural intrusion. I wonder if it tests their belief in the Almighty? But if they are looking for God, maybe they don't recognize Him, maybe they don't see Him in the rain, maybe the wind deafens their ears, maybe their voices are stilled and muted by the devastation to their lives. Maybe we need to stop asking him why and start thanking him for the help that is coming, maybe that is who God is.