Ways You Can Help in the Wake of the Alabama Disaster

As many of you already know by now thanks to the power of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, Alabama has been devastated by storms that swept through April 27, 2011. The number of fatalities is staggering. Many of you may want to help. I have been in contact with several companies myself and will post as I can about the ways they have responded periodically. There is an outpouring coming from all over the country via various Facebook pages with people wanting to donate items and volunteer.

This storm has disrupted many lives in Cullman County, the Birmingham metro area, and the city of Tuscaloosa and several smaller communities along the way. There are a lot of pictures at http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/04/tornadoes_kill_over_200.html. ABC 33/40 has a lot of aerial videos at their weather blog: http://www.alabamawx.com/.

An announcement from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa stated yesterday that the semester was ending and students could take the grades they had as of April 27, 2011 or schedule their finals at a later date, but their graduation has been moved to August.

Radio stations in Birmingham have been working fervently to compile lists of ways people can help as have television stations. And my list is not complete, but it will be updated as I can.

1. Pray.

2. Contact the American Red Cross.

3. Contact area churches and missions agencies for ways you can donate financially or donate items or volunteer.

4. The church I attend has set up a disaster relief Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oak-Mountain-Church-Disaster-Relief/182244861826158. They also have a page on their website: http://www.oakmountainchurch.org/tornado-disaster-relief.

Oh Alabama. Can We Be Like a City on Our Knees?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlaKYbG5Bq0

I love how certain songs ring louder during certain times. TobyMac's "City on Our Knees" wrenched me.

We have been physically and emotionally devastated, some more than others. May this song be one of encouragement and hope.

I Saw Jesus in the Clouds

This month has been a hairy scary one.
Trees crashing. Lights flashing.
Thunder rumbling. Cars squealing
Tornadoes. Wind.
I was in my car and looked up at the sky.
I saw a face.
I saw Jesus in the clouds.
Was He there to offer peace?
Was He there to offer comfort?
Did He know what was going to happen?
Was He there to offer love and hope?
I saw Jesus in the clouds.

Tornadoes, Uprooted Trees, Mass Devastation, Social Media, Royal Weddings and Providence

We here in Alabama are going through a gamut of emotions this morning as the reality of yesterday's brutal weather starts to sink in. This month has been storm after storm after storm. In my own backyard, I see providence. April 15 brought two tornadoes to Alabaster and because of forethought, my miracle dog was uninjured when a tree crashed in her area because she was inside. Last night, providence was clear as the dog's house was moved two feet and an entire tree was uprooted missing the house by about five feet. Again, the miracle dog was inside.

But the damage in Alabaster and Pelham pales in comparison to Tuscaloosa and Cullman. We who live in Alabama who only have downed trees and no structural damage or injuries are fortunate. Yes, it is ugly, but we are fortunate.

I have friends in Cullman who I have not heard from yet. I have friends in Tuscaloosa who are fine but in shock. And to be frank, I am with them. Most of Alabama is with them. Our hearts are torn over this.

Growing up, I lived in tornado alley in Oklahoma. My parents shielded me from "The Wizard of Oz" until high school. I saw "Twister" and "Tornado." But the footage from Tuscaloosa was exactly like what was in those films. Only real.

I heard McDonald's, Krispy Kreme, Hobby Lobby, and the shopping center off McFarland Avenue were flattened. And I wanted to cry. These are familiar places for any of us who have attended the University of Alabama. I want to go there and gather all my friends in hugs and cry with them.

Ten years ago, we relied on television, radio, newspapers and telephone for news about loved ones. Today, Facebook and Twitter. News of this tornado spread internationally via Facebook from the international students.

Yet, a royal wedding has been half of the focus on morning news shows. In the wake of mass destruction, we Alabamians do not care about the royal wedding. A wedding is joyful but lots of people get married and do not get such media attention. In the wake of the destruction in Alabama, the news media need to wake up and reset their priorities.

Providence got us through. Our death toll in Alabama is staggering. Providence will get us through. Our churches need to step in now and help their members and other residents. Show everyone that "Aslan is on the move."

Window in the Skies by U2 Homework

I said I was going to take the pastor up on his holy week challenge as soon as I was well enough. So here I am typing as I am working on the assignment. His challenge was to listen (or view) "Window in the Skies" by U2 and see how much of the gospel message is interwoven through it. The video is available through VEVO on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK_q7tEOPA0. I would recommend following the lyrics as you listen or watch and those are available at: http://www.metrolyrics.com/window-in-the-skies-lyrics-u2.html.

Frankly, I feel it is not one of their better songs and I have a limited exposure to the group, so of the few songs I have actually sat through the entirety of, this is not high on my list.

It sounds like another one of those "mushy" love songs almost on the verge of break up.

It does have some unique musical qualities and riffs.

Where I could see the gospel message is with the stone moved and all debts removed.

I can honestly say though that one part that might bother me some is the line: "I know I hurt you and I made you cry/Did everything but murder you and I." Why? Because when you hurt someone, whether intentionally or unintentionally, whether through words or deeds, you basically do murder them. And if that hurting continues, it can get to a point where you practically kill their soul and their spirit. That eventually starts coming through to the outside, the physical being.

And reflecting on that line brings tears to my eyes as I face both the receiving and giving end of hurt that has been murderous and that I long to see a restoration through.

I have a lot to learn.

One of my reflections this past weekend was on Titus 2:11-3:8, a passage that most of the people I know from church could either recall from memory or recall the gist of considering we only spent about a half a year in that passage. But I can kind of see how that passage was reflected in this song.

I still do not quite understand how the gospel message rings through a lot of U2 songs, but I am teachable and open to debate on it.

Let's just say, this song has a much different tone than their songs from their earlier years.

Holy Week Challenge

My pastor put some of us to the task this week and I think I may be taking him up on it, but before I do, I wanted to flesh out a question to ponder. How exactly is there a gospel message in some of the U2 songs? As a preteen, I did not get much exposure to the group's music. Certainly got little to no exposure to them as a teen. I attended a private school based at a church that very much could qualify as legalistic. So when I had more exposure in college, I initially thought "Hmmm...another group singing about mushy love topics." My pastor is a fanatic when it comes to U2. Then again, he is a fanatic about Les Mis, Narnia, Tolkein (enh...aren't we all fanatics about something at some point? Me: TobyMac, Rebecca St. James and apparently Superchick seeing how I can identify a Superchick song on television shows now, and Julie Andrews; my aunt: Elvis). Fanatic is actually a good term. So of course, as a result, my exposure has been heavier. And I'm struggling to see and hear the gospel in a lot of their music. BUT...I will take my pastor's task to heart and come back on here with the results. Soon as I feel better. For now, I have to take some medicine and rest since I got a vaccine yesterday and am not feeling very well today. By the way, nothing but love here right now. Nothing but love.

God's Providence Is Baffling

Friday afternoon, Alabama saw some nasty weather come through. We lost tree number five. But a lot of good was seen for my family despite that storm.

Good thing number one: We had decided that the dog would come in before the storms Friday because a storm Monday broke the tree and made it lean. We did not know if and when it would finally crash down, but we did not want the dog outside when it did. Sure enough, it crashed down during Friday's storms. The dog's mad at it now, but at least she is alive and unharmed.

Good thing number two: We were in my 4WD heading to Wal-mart in Pelham. They have some gluten free things. On the way, a girl hydroplaned. She crashed into the semi in the left turn lane and not us. The semi had a crossbar under the back of the trailer preventing her from going under. The driver felt it which made him park it instead of driving off and dragging her car with him. But other than that, no one was hurt.

Good thing number three: We stopped by CVS between Pelham and Alabaster which is when the sirens blared. Found out later that a tornado went over the Wal-mart shopping centers in Alabaster. We were not there because we went further out to a different Wal-Mary.

If I think about it, I saw God's providence and sovereignty and predestination at work Friday. But why is it still so baffling?