Disasters and such.....

     So we've had massive flooding here in Louisiana. It has been tragic, with many, many homes lost, quite a few deaths, and just a huge mess that will take a lot of time and money to clean up. On top of this, we had major flooding back in March, and some of the same areas were affected resulting in homes that were just rebuilt being flooded again. It takes a lot of strength, physical, mental and emotional to get through this, but they don't come tougher than those Cajuns. 

     We were fortunate, and are high and dry. We have donated supplies, and Ray made several trips to a nearby flooded area to help clean out the home of a couple in their 90's. I am not telling of our actions to brag, but to make a point. Every time I think I have come to terms with my vision limits, something else rears it's head. Before Ray and I were married, there were some tornadoes that flattened a city in WAY South Louisiana. We went with a group of volunteers from the fire department to help the local department. We cleared trees off houses, cleared access to streets, just a lot of hard dirty work. We loved it. In 2004, when Hurricane Ivan hit Florida, with the help of our church we loaded up the bed of our truck with cases of water, ice chests, cleaning stuff, and just drove into the middle of the aftermath. We drove into a flattened neighborhood and started serving people. Now we have had a few natural disasters around us, and I can't do that anymore. I can't be in the thick of things. I know that I can help in other ways, and I do try to be satisfied with that, but sometimes I want to stomp my feet and say it's not fair. 

     I hope to always have a servant's heart, just sometimes I'd like to have the options that I used to have. I guess we always want what don't have anymore.   

I've got a lot on my mind......

O.K We are going to start with the BLM movement, the protests, police involved shootings, and all that. It's a mess. Much like your Christmas lights when you finally get them down from the attic each year, this is all tangled together and you can't clearly tell where one issue ends and one begins sometimes. Unfortunately, we can't chunk this mess in the trash can and just go get a new set. We are stuck with unraveling what we got. And it has to be done. So screaming about it, and throwing fits won't help,

Now, Black Lives Matter. Of course they do. All lives matter. As a Christian I have the luxury of having that decision made for me. And I choose to take full advantage of that fact. Jesus died because his father decided that ALL lives mattered enough to be redeemed by Jesus. This is not a decision I have to make or question. It just is. Now that of course is speaking of people groups. As I interact with any one person, i make decisions on a case by case, sometimes, minute by minute basis. And race is often not the first thing I factor. As a female, I fear male first. Anyway.

On to the cop killing. This is just reprehensible to me. When the sniper was on the building in Dallas SHOOTING OFFICERS, officers were running into gunfire to save people, drag them from danger, cover them, And those people, there AT THAT RALLY to protest the police accepted that help, and followed those officers commands to get out safely. Credit where do, several people have come to the media to tell their stories of being helped by those they were protesting. I just don't know if those realize that's the heart of a law officer and not an isolated incident.

The other incidents. I'm stating RIGHT NOW, I was not at any of them. I can only speak from news reports, videos, personal knowledge of past incidents, and reading synopsis reports of pros. I'v ridden with officers on calls. I've listened to their voices on the radio when the "subject" is just not right. And I am a big believer in the theory espoused,( but NOT the Tactics) in the movie Grosse Pointe Blanke, about a hit man.

"If I show up at your door, chances are you did something to bring me there."- Martin Blank

Meaning that in almost every police involved shooting I've seen or heard about, SOMETHING brought them to that crossroads. What was it? prove to me how many times it was a racist cop with an agenda and nothing else that caused the interaction, and I will say, "Fire him, and arrest him, now." Until then.

In our town last week we had a BLM protest/rally whatever it's called. No one looted. no one was arrested, Black officer saw some old friends and took selfies. Politicos spoke. Black ones and white ones.  Then they went home.
A few days later we had a Police Lives Matter rally in the park. People visited a bit. Politicos spoke, everyone lit some blue candles, prayed, and went home.

The bottom line is that we have the right to gather peacefully to protest anything we want. it's guaranteed by the Constitution. Remember that little scrap of paper? It still works if we let it.

Just what's been on my mind.