During the past couple weeks my heart has gone out to those effected by the devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma. I was discussing with some friends how it seems wherever we turn, north or south, east or west, some sort of natural disaster is striking and claiming lives. When reading up on the damage from the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma I stumbled across this video. In it, a news crew is interviewing and elderly woman as she stands among the wreckage that once was her home. She explains how she had taken refuge in her bathroom, with her dog, when she heard the tornado coming. | |
With the sounds of sirens in the background, Ms. Garcia begins to speak, her voice full of emotion and heartwarming gratitude. "I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be okay, but he answered both of them," she continues, gently patting her dear dog, "because, this was my second prayer."
I'm just sitting there weeping because this is a miracle. I'm so thankful for Ms. Garcia, being an animal lover I'm so thankful for the dog. It isn't a matter of what if's, what if she hadn't gone back to the house and stood in that spot?, what if they hadn't seen the dog? NO. That's not what this treasured little story is all about. What stuck out to me, was that beneath the rubble and pieces of Ms. Garcia's home, when it seemed like there was nothing left, God had a beautiful gift awaiting her.
I think this story really can relate to how I should be living my life. Most of the time I spend way too much time looking at the destruction and pain that has come into my life. The remnants of my plans. The destroyed pieces of what I expected out of my life. The pain I've experienced time and time again. It seems like my life is all over in shattered pieces .. and I don't look any closer. I stand on top of the miles of disappointment I feel life has dealt me and I just give up. Through this story I realized, sometimes we are looking for God's goodness in all the wrong places. We may have no idea that our greatest hopes and desires are buried beneath the rubble we focus on. Ms. Garcia was thankful for her life, and little did she know underneath her ruined home was her best friend. God is always looking out for me. And for you too. I think that old woman needed that dear little survivor dog more than anything else 'man' would have called important in that house.
It's all about perspective. I think it's time for me to stop calculating the damage that I think has ruined me, and instead dig a little deeper and see what blessings God has waiting expectantly for me
beneath the rubble.