Post Irma Reflections - Friday Foto Friends

I am writing this on Thursday evening, four days after Hurricane Irma passed through...and since we got our power back on yesterday afternoon, today has been a day of putting things back in place, cleaning up, washing clothes, restocking our groceries, and reflecting on the mercies of God and His power over the storms of our lives.  We are counting our blessings and continuing to pray for those still without power and whose lives have been disrupted by this storm much more than we experienced.  Many will have roofs to repair, trees to remove, floods to dry out and homes to be restored.

 I find myself feeling guilty that we came through this storm so unscathed when others clearly lost so much.  I don't really understand why some have to suffer so much ...but I trust our God Who is in control to have mercy and grace for all...and to make a way for them to recover and come back even stronger than before.

Friday is Friday Foto Friends day...and I wanted to share some reflections from around our neighborhood ponds that are now full of water, thanks to Irma. I found this to be a peaceful way to end this day.

I apparently startled these two Sand Hill Cranes as I got too near their roosting place for the evening...they flew right over me squawking something awful! I about jumped out of my skin!

Maybe I'm still just a little gun shy from the storm after all.

These last two pictures are a "Before and After" set.  This first picture was taken several years ago early one morning as I walked along our road.  I have named this picture "The Angel in the Woods", as it appeared when the sun shone brightly through the trees to be like an angel watching over us. I have always loved this little section of the woods and have felt such peace every time I walked past there.

This is how that same place in the woods looks today after the storm.  Several trees have fallen, and the beauty and peacefulness has been destroyed.  When I discovered this, I felt very sad, like a sacred place had been taken away from me.

But for some reason God has redirected my thoughts on this tonight to read here some final reflections from His Word:

Isaiah 40:27-31

27.  "Why do you say, O Jacob, 

and speak, O Israel;

"My way is hidden from the Lord,

and my just claim is passed over by my God?"

28.  Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord,

The creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29.  He gives power to the weak,

and to those who have no might he increases strength.

30.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

and the young men shall utterly fall,

31.  But those who wait on the Lord 

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint."

For those who may be still suffering and struggling under a load of care and destruction...God says to wait on Him and He will give you strength...He will restore your homes and lives.  For those of us who may be saddened by the loss of those special "places" in our lives, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. He will give you all that you need to get up and walk...yay, even run again and not grow weary!  This gives me renewed hope and encouragement for the future...and perhaps now when I walk past that place in the woods I will be reminded of these verses and walk a little stronger!  Maybe I will even  "mount up with wings like eagles...(or those Sand Hill Cranes!) and fly!!!

(Friday morning: An added thought after sleeping on this overnight-Perhaps my "Angel of the Woods" was rather busy watching over our home during the storm...and she couldn't stay there in the woods any longer!...To that I say, "Thank you, "Angel of the Woods"...and especially I say Thank YOU, Heavenly Father--For I know it was really YOU all the time!)

Now, let's "fly" on over to Deb's place at Breathing in Grace and see what our other Friday Foto Friends have been up to this week!! God bless you, my friends!!