Finding the blessing

It has been a difficult few days in our area.  The tornado took a toll on all of us. If we didn't have damage to our homes or lose electricity, we probably know someone who did. There has been tremendous grief and a mountain of worry.  

In the midst of the trouble, the wound patients have found it hard to be as compliant as usual with things like eating enough protein, staying off their foot, and keeping the dressing changed as often as ordered. They've missed appointments in an attempt to avoid bad weather. It's just been a jumble at our office trying to work around the storm warnings and the storm damage. 

That might not seem like a big deal, but I am very particular about compliance so the wounds will get well quickly. (I've heard I'm pretty demanding.) Today, one of the first patients I saw immediately began making apologies for not doing what they were supposed to have done. Much to my surprise, I just smiled and said, "Oh, that's okay. It's been a hard few days. I'm not fussing at anyone this week.  You get a pass. Just do better next week." The patient was speechless for a minute, then started smiling. "Thanks!" I talked about how the wound was doing and spent the rest of our time finding out about how the storm had affected them. 

After I'd let one person off so easily, I couldn't suddenly get tough again, so I've "given passes" all day. We've had enough hard times this week.  Who wants to add a demanding doctor to everything else?  As I talked with the patients about the storm, I was surprised by how it had affected them. Some were without power. A few had lost a loved one. Some had freezers filled with food in danger of spoiling. The interesting thing was that, though most people had some kind of trouble related to the storm, they all had a blessing of some kind for which they were grateful. 

One man was a child during the tornado of 1936. He was grateful that the clean up wasn't mule-driven this time around. After he described the work back then, I was too. He'd also lived through a tornado that killed his good white horse. He was very grateful that not one of his horses was killed this time round. 

Another man was grateful for his good insurance that would reimburse him for the food in the freezer if it spoils. Everyone was grateful that their trouble hadn't been worse. 

At the end of the day, I was telling someone about the "grace in the storm" project.  As I talked, I realized I had been dispensing grace all day, and I really liked it. So, here's some grace for you: 

Do better tomorrow. 

Apologize to The Lord for your failures and just do better tomorrow. 

Grace. 

It feels good, doesn't it? Now, it's your turn. Spread some grace around.  Have fun!

Tupelo Tornado: Seeking to Save

Needless to say, the tornado yesterday is still uppermost in my mind. There have been countless stories of grace in the midst of the storm, and I hope to hear every single one before I'm done. The story tonight is one from my office. I'm still astounded. 

Our office was right in the path of the storm. It crossed over us. We heard it overhead, we were spared, and we are still incredibly grateful. 

I waited out the storm in the biohazard room of our office with four of our nurses. When we finally got the all-clear, we rose from the floor and, with shaky legs made our way out of the safe haven. As we began to gather our things to head home, Louise clearly was in no hurry to leave. "Are you ready to go?" someone asked her. "No," she said. "I'm waiting on Mark. He's on his way down here."  

Louise's husband, Mark, is a farmer just outside Blue Springs. He had been monitoring the storm and keeping in touch with Louise. When it was clear the tornado was coming our way, we headed into the safe room. What we didn't know was that Mark also realized the tornado was headed our way and that we were directly in it's path. He tried to call his sweet wife. No answer. He tried texting. No response. He tried it all again. You can well imagine his thoughts. 

This worried husband did the only thing that made sense to him at the time. He got in his truck and drove to get his wife. She was in danger and he was going to rescue her. No knight in shining armor was ever more brave. Mark arrived at the office within minutes of our leaving the safe room, which means he was driving directly toward an active tornado to seek for and save his wife. 

That, my friends, is real love in action. It is, in fact, the very love Christ has demonstrated toward us. He, too, came to seek and save those who were in mortal danger, perishing from the whirlwind of our own sinful choices. He, too, braved the fury of hell itself to save His bride, the church. 

It's amazing to me, but this gentle, kind man loves his wife EXACTLY like Christ loves the church. He was willing to risk everything to save her.  If you asked him, he would say, "It was no big deal.  I just couldn't get her and didn't know what was happening." He doesn't even see himself as a hero, but he is. If you ask me, Louise is the luckiest woman I know. She's married to a real-life knight in shining armor who would lay down his life to save her!

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I'm collecting stories of grace in the midst of the storm for a book to benefit storm victims. If you'd be willing to share your story of grace please message me or email it to graceinthestorm@gmail.com