Day 90

I am so grateful for all the wonderful help we’ve had along the way, as we recover from the damages of Katrina.

I am thankful for Bob, who returned on the reconnaissance trip with Jon, helped rip out smelly carpet and kick holes in our walls to slow the growth of mold, and was there every day for the first couple of weeks, tearing out molded sheetrock, wet insulation and ruined cabinets. He is back again helping Jon to hang kitchen cabinets over this four day weekend.

I am thankful for our Pastor, Rocky, who has been there every step of the way, often with the help of his oldest son, Matthew, hanging sheetrock, taping, mudding, sanding, and texturing, and this weekend helping to hang kitchen cabinets.

I am thankful for the two navy groups that each spent a day at our house, cutting trees and cleaning limbs and branches in our backyard and side yard.

I am thankful for Heather and Sam who clean muck covered bathroom floors.

I am thankful for Daniel for hanging the insulation in our house and helping to prime and paint, and for him and his friends who have hauled trashed, bagged trash, and tore down broken fences and hauled them to the trash pile.

I am thankful for Mark and Brenda who so graciously let us stay in their home while we worked on ours.

I am thankful for the groups of church teams that have come down and helped us hang sheetrock, mud and sand, and this weekend I am thankful for another group of three that are hanging the doors in our house.

I am thankful for everyone who has sent encouraging words during these past three months who have sent money and gift cards to help out, who have sent books to replace some of the ones Jonny lost, and who have sent stuffed animals to give out to children who lost their homes.

I am thankful for the school district that is raising money to replace and rebuild a playground at one of the affected schools on the coast.

I am thankful for all the people who come down to the coast to help cut down trees, haul flooded vehicles, gut homes and rebuild. I am thankful for all the food, supplies, clothing, coats and bedding that churches have sent. I am thankful to see FEMA trailers all over, because that means people have places to live while their lives are rebuilt. I am thankful for all those who work in gas stations, home improvement stores, grocery stores, appliance stores, furniture stores and all the other stores that have been a part of our recovery. The employees are working long hours, with not enough other employees and too many customers with so many needs.

I am thankful for each and every one of you, for your prayers and your encouraging words.

I think I have mentioned everyone. Please forgive me if I left something out. It is not because I am not thankful, but rather because of stressed induced forgetfulness.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Blessings to you all

Grace & Peace