Count Your Many Blessings, Name Them One By One!

Hi all...I want to say thanks to everyone who is praying for us...your prayers are mighty effectual!

I'm writing this on Wednesday night, but won't be able to post it until some time Thursday, haven't been able to get to a phone line today (I plan to blog it to be saved intact - standingbygrace.blogspot.com).

We are moved into this gorgeous old house, and spent most of today moving boxes, arranging things, and cleaning. We ladies went shopping for basic cleaning supplies that weren't already here, and the men began meeting more neighbors.

Here follows an incredible list of blessings arising today that I just had to share with everyone:

1. As I mentioned in last night's post, this house we are now living in is FREE until we can go back home - no time limit, and it's phenomenal. It's big enough that I can have a room all to myself, without having to be packed like a sardine with others. E&M have their own room, J&M have theirs, and the kids are all sharing a very large room, which is the only carpeted one (the rest are all either hardwood or Spanish tile), and it's brand new carpet.

2. Our "landlords" came by twice today with more things we might need like towels, and told us that any of the furniture they have in storage is available to us. So, in addition to the loveseat and mattress that we already knew about, we have found a dining table and one chair, a couple comfy arm chairs for the "family" room, a coffee table for the same room, a tv stand for the same room, 2 tv's (one for the family room and one for the kids room), a bookcase for the kids room, a tv stand for that room, a vcr for the same room, a desk for my room, a frame and boxspring to go with the mattress in one of the rooms, several side tables for each room, and probably more stuff I can't remember.

2. A very kind neighbor with high-speed wireless DSL has offered to allow me, in addition to Eddie, use their home for our Internet connection. If the local phone or cable company will give us free access for a couple months since we're refugees, then we will use that. Eddie plans to try to find out tomorrow. But, meanwhile, we can go sit on the neighbor's porch or in their house and use their wireless connection.

3.This same family is bringing us a refrigerator tomorrow! With this, we will be set to buy actual "real" food! Woo-hoo!!!!!!! And, they dropped off an air mattress, some kids clothes, some brand new XL t-shirts for all us adults, some blankets, and have offered to help with anything else we might need.

4. The next door neighbor on one side came by and gave us bed linens while we ladies were out shopping, and told Eddie to send us by for some pots and pans when we got back. So, we go over, and she's got 5 electric appliances for us, a kitchen kettle (like a crock pot, but not), a small roaster, a huge griddle, a square skillet and a percolator (coffee pot). Not only that, but she gives us an entire serving for 5 of beautiful stoneware dishes and enough plastic cups for the kids. In addition, she gives us an enormous enamelware turkey roaster. She talked our ears off for a while, which we thoroughly enjoyed. :) She's also housing another displaced family, this one from Chalmette.

5. The neighbors on the other side invited us to dinner (grilling), all 12 of us, and fed us very well on steak and chicken. They have also graciously made their washer and dryer available to us, with only one stipulation...it has to be done by 8:00pm. And until the refrigerator was offered, they were offering the use of the spare fridge in their basement, again with only the 8:00pm rule. This couple is also housing M's uncle and his friend who are stuck like us...they're from Mandeville.

6. The landlords also have a huge swimming pool at their new home down the block, and have made it available almost without restriction to us, which is helpful with 7 kids in one house - 9 and under.

7. We are in a gorgeous neighborhood, that looks very like uptown New Orleans. All the neighbors (and their refugee guests) have been incredibly welcoming and kind to us, which is far more endearing than the huge oaks, St.Charles-style homes, etc. The area itself is just an added blessing. We are very close in to the historic part of Natchez, with a lot of things to do without ever needing to get in the car. Also, in this one block, it's like N'awlins Lite...nearly every home is owned by a former New Orleanian or someone from "Da Parish", and/or is currently inhabited by at least one refugee family. And they all sit out on their porches and visit back and forth (kinda like I remember things in my neighborhood growing up), and all care very much for each other. The ages range from an older widow to a few young couples with pre-teen kids.

8. We have heard about some friends from church, that they are safe. Only one family hasn't been heard from yet. Please continue to pray for their safety.

9. Alpha and Omega Ministries (aomin.org) in Arizona has set up a PayPal account for our church, and is accepting donations to help the families who need it. Donations are already arriving. We just found this out today. This is what the body of Christ does...help each other. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35

10. We have heard from someone who managed to get from where he lives in Pearl River (he didn't evacuate), to somewhere fairly near E&M's home, that the flooding wasn't really an issue right there. The trees, however, could possibly have done great damage, it seems that was the agent of destruction in that particular area. While it's not news that the house is fine, it's still something more concrete than we've been able to get on the news or online this whole time. Just to know SOMETHING is a blessing!

Now, the topper...I didn't read my Spurgeon morning devotion this morning, but as I popped E-Sword up this evening, the text below greeted me. I pray that these words throb deep within all your hearts as they did in mine, cause you to praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, all the more, and to rest in Him in all things...even the aftermath of a monster hurricane.

August 31
Morning

“On mine arm shall they trust.”

- Isa_51:5

In seasons of severe trial, the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust to, and is therefore compelled to cast himself on his God alone. When his vessel is on its beam-ends, and no human deliverance can avail, he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God. Happy storm that wrecks a man on such a rock as this! O blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God and God alone! There is no getting at our God sometimes because of the multitude of our friends; but when a man is so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn, he flies into his Father’s arms, and is blessedly clasped therein! When he is burdened with troubles so pressing and so peculiar, that he cannot tell them to any but his God, he may be thankful for them; for he will learn more of his Lord then than at any other time. Oh, tempest-tossed believer, it is a happy trouble that drives thee to thy Father! Now that thou hast only thy God to trust to, see that thou puttest thy full confidence in him. Dishonour not thy Lord and Master by unworthy doubts and fears; but be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Show the world that thy God is worth ten thousand worlds to thee. Show rich men how rich thou art in thy poverty when the Lord God is thy helper. Show the strong man how strong thou art in thy weakness when underneath thee are the everlasting arms. Now is the time for feats of faith and valiant exploits. Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as surely as he built the heavens and the earth, glorify himself in thy weakness, and magnify his might in the midst of thy distress. The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye. May the Holy Spirit give you to rest in Jesus this closing day of the month.

By grace alone,
Laura

P.S. For updates or to ask how any of us are, goto: katrinacusrex.blogspot.com or sgfellowship.org/blog.