Saturday, October 23, 2004
{ 10/23/2004 10:27:00 AM }
I didn't think much about it when the rain first started. Sure, the weatherman had predicted severe thunderstorms and the possibility of flooding, but that was for people who lived close to the river. I thought we were too far away to be bothered. But the rain didn't stop, and some some roads in our area had to be closed.
"This is pretty serious, isn't it?" my little sister, Kelly, asked my dad at breakfast.
"Duh", I answered.
Kelly stuck out her tongue at me, and mom shot me "the look". She doesn't like it when I say that. In fact, there were alot of things my parents didn't like lately. My attitude was one thing. My friends were another. My parents said they couldn't understand why I hung out with such a lowly group of guys when I had such "nice" friends at church.
"If your friends aren't Christians, they're not going to act like Christians," my Mom told me time and time again.
She was right about that. The fun my friends like to have was definitely not of the Christian variety. I'd been a believer long enough to know that. But instead of doing something about it, I just followed along- even though I couldn't say I felt good about what we had been doing and sometimes wondered if my parents weren't right after all.
My Dad got up from the table. "We don't have anything to worry about," he assured Kelly as he left for work. "We're high and dry."
It was amazing how a couple of hours could change all that. The river rose faster than anyone had ever seen, and suddenly our part of town was being threatened.
Dad was back home at noon. "They're going to build a flood wall on the east side of town," he told Mom. "The river is really swelling. If we don't do something now, this whole town is going to be under water.
"Can I help?" I asked.
Dad and Mom exchanged looks. I was supposed to be grounded for being out with my friends past curfew the Friday before. I could see the two of them silently debating whether or not they should lift my restriction. "Sure," Dad finally said. "Get into your oldest clothes."
When I went to change, Dad told Mom to start packing. "We'd better be ready for anything."
The rain had turned to drizzle by the time Dad and I arrived at the flood-wall site.
"Look at all the people," I said. Some were shoveling sand into bags while others passed the bags to where the wall was being built.
"If we're going to turn this disaster around, it's going to take teamwork," Dad said. I nodded. "Take a place in line," Dad told me as he picked up a shovel. "I'm going to help fill bags."
The work was back breaking. The lady next to me would toss me a bag, and then I'd toss it to the guy next to me. There's nothing like passing sandbags to give you some perspective on life. I thought about the flood and what a disaster it would be if the water reached our house. I thought too, about the disaster my life had become.
"Bet you could think of some things you'd rather be doing today," the guy next to me said.
"Yeah," I agreed, "about a hundred."
He laughed. "I couldn't agree more." Then he stuck out his hand. "I'm Bill".
We shook hands. "Kyle."
"So, Kyle, why'd you decide to help?" the guy asked.
"Well, it was this or stay grounded," I told him. "I broke curfew last week."
"Not a good move," Bill added with the hint of a smile.
"You're telling me," I said, shaking my head. "You know, I can't remember the last time I made a good move. At least, according to my parents. Why are you here?" I asked.
"Nowhere else to go," he said. "My house is under water."
"And you're here?" I was amazed.
"Seems like the Christian thing to do."
"I guess it is," I said, surprised by his answer.
"The way I figure it," Bill continued, "I could be mad at God for letting all this happen, or I could ask Him to help me through it. Either way, my circumstances won't change. God's in charge and I'm not. The only thing that I can change is my attitude.
I was quiet as I thought about what Bill had said. Who's in charge of my life? I wondered.
I almost laughed. That wasn't such a tough question. The church part was in God's hands, the friends part was in mine, and the punishment part- that was firmly in my parent's grasp. Meanwhile, my life seemed to go from one disaster to another.
What was it my Dad had said earlier? "If we're going to turn this disaster around, it's going to take teamwork." I knew he was right. But just as fighting a raging river was too big a job for any one person to tackle alone, so was turning my life around. I needed help.
Lord, I can't do this job by myself, I prayed right there in the midst of the people and sandbags and raindrops. I need your help.
I wish I could tell you that at the moment of my prayer, the sun broke through the clouds and a glorious rainbow appeared as a sign that God had heard me. But that didn't happen. There were still sandbags to pass and a river to fight. And someone said more rain was predicted for that night. But I knew it would be okay. None of us had to fight off disaster alone. It would be a team effort.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillipians 4:6
God Speaks: You can face circumstance when you put your trust in Me.