Storms...

So....it's unbelievable to consider, but today is the 2nd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina here in La. Many, many things to say....and think, and feel on this topic. First, a little synopsis of "our experience" in the storm:

• -Summer 2005 had been a good one so far...a fun family wedding...Kayla & fam, Sonja & Brent had visited, and we had a really special time at the "Flight One" singles event. in IL.
• -8/25...Mom had an outpatient surgical procedure at Memorial Hospital....(one of the hospitals that flooded...no evacuation plan...no real help..people died.)
• -8/26...recovering from surgery...leg in cast...on pain meds...saw on late night news that storm had changed course and was moving towards our direction.
• -8/27...got up this Sat. morning and decided we should evacuate....finally got a hotel room in North La.
• -8/28...realized this was going to last awhile...headed on to my uncles' in Texas.
• -8/29....storm hit....looked like New Orleans had fared well..."dodged another bullet." but then it became clear that wasn't the case...watched the storm coverage in unbelief as the whole city of New Orleans flooded due to the levees' break....scenes absolutely horrific...esp. if in places you know...and the chaos and mayhem hardly resembled an American city.....had a terrible time reaching relatives...phones down everywhere.
• -we stayed at my uncles' for a week....Mom still in a cast....Dad working frantically w/coworkers scattered all over to keep "bank business" going. As soon as we heard that electricity had been restored to our house on Sept. 11th (we're in city limits....farther areas out took much longer even in our town) we headed home. Dad left the next day for Houston...Mom and I were alone for that week, until we could find another doctor to remove her cast (since he was unable to return to New Orleans, we never saw the Dr who did her surgery again)....then we drove to Houston....much confusion getting settled as that city was swamped with people, and the bank had a hard time finding housing for everybody. We were there until Thanksgiving....in a strange way, the storm "benefited" us as our plan all along had been to be in Houston for Mom's post-operative therapy....and this way the bank paid for our housing and Dad was able to be with us the entire time.

In the whole big picture of things, we were extremely unaffected by Katrina. There are sooo many unbelievable and tragic stories of what people endured and lost. Chris Rose (writes for a NO newspaper and has a great book 1 Dead in Attic) calls these the "little histories that break your heart." But if you have an ounce of connection and compassion, you realize how much EVERYONE in this area has been affected by this larger than life event. And the "normal" outcomes of a catastrophe have followed: depression, suicide, divorce, bankruptcy, and the highest murder rate in the country. I say "normal" because that's what we know happens in times of high-stress...without support people break apart. As much as we want it to be otherwise, there's often not a "rainbow" at the end of storms....sometimes you just get through them the best you can.
I think of the many misconceptions people have about New Orleans...so since this is my little soapbox for today:) I will give you my spin on them:

• -the damage was man-made....see my link to Levees on the side.
• -aside from the insane history of insufficient levees, the destruction of the wetlands that served as a buffer to the area is a real factor...(i am an accidental environmentalist at least on this issue!)
• -there was relatively little time to make decisions...the storm changed course and caught us off-guard.
• -the city was already crippled by major family/political/and social dysfunction...with poverty a way of life for many. Learned helplessness was certainly a contributor to some folks not evacuating...as well as the very real fact of no transportation. However, for the most part, the evacuation was hugely successful...amazing how many people heeded the warnings and left the widespread area!
• -that said, it's difficult to explain the "mindset" here that makes you feel tough...that the "big one" is never really going to happen...even though we left, we hardly took anything with us, not expecting anything to really occur. So I can't point a finger at those people who left with little medication or important papers. (but to be fair, I DO always have Mom's medical records with me so whatever happens I have what she needs.)
• -Many, many people owned those homes that were destroyed (ie not public housing...many homes had been owned within the same families back to pre Civil War times). Some had insurance, but that hasn't been much of a help since many companies have not paid up. The number of people who have actually received federal $ is shockingly low...and insurance rates are now so high that nobody can afford it. As a result, people can not afford to rebuild...esp. while still paying the mortgages on a destroyed home.
• -whatever your politics, the response was and is quite a disaster on a local, state, and national level!!! (Even if there have been honorable intentions.)
• -All in all, as terrible as things have been, I think it's a shame that (sometimes for political reasons) there has been a total lack of perspective in how this disaster compares to other problems in the world...like Darfar, the Tsunami, and rampant poverty in 3rd world countries...that seems like a typical self-centered American thing to me.
• -finally, you have to see the damage to understand it..impossible to describe!

I know this long post has sounded negative...and for sure, there are plenty of stories of hope and the resiliency of the human spirit and help coming from all over the nation...mostly from churches. And it's an exciting time in some ways...alot of growth and "rebuilding"...both of lives and places. The region and New Orleans will never be the same..but hopefully positive change can happen. But I think it's really important to honestly recognize how fragile our lives are...something like Hurricane Katrina makes it impossible to be dishonest. Well, I guess you could be...could somehow blame the victims of the storm and look for reasons that make them "different" than oneself. Truthfully, "there but for the grace of God" go all of us.
This is a link to one of my favorite essays about the City of New Orleans by Rick Bragg, author of All Over but the Shoutin' (an awesome southern book!) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/01/AR2005090101813.html

And I love how the lyrics to this old Gaither song remind me that the Lord is our only source of strength and calm in any storm.

"Peace Shall Come... Quiet As the Morn

Bathed in Dew...Like a Day Newborn

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled...Never Be Afraid

For Thy God Has Promised...Through the Dark to Make A Way

"Peace Shall Come...Child, Lift Up your Eyes

And Behold...Deliverance in the Skies

The Peace that Lives Within You..Inherits all the Earth

See the Dawn is Breaking...On a Brand New Day at Birth."

(This long Labor Day weekend we'll be going back to my uncles' in Texas...where we were 2 yrs. ago...to be with them as he is still battling cancer. Please keep him in your prayers. And while you're praying, please say one about Mom's therapy...we are embroiled in terrible insurance issues that are keeping her from having it! Thanks!)

End of Summer?!!

Although it's still VERY hot here in south La and it hardly seems possible that this year is moving so quickly...I do believe that summer is almost over. I am so ready for fall....even though we lack the beautiful colors here, I still love the feeling of fall. I'm ready to light some fallish candles and put on a sweater! And (unlike many of you) my summer has not been all that exciting, while this fall promises to be a bit more so. And I find myself in the "back to school" spirit....I loved school...loved the new notebooks and pens, new clothes, new classes....always some nervousness too, but how exciting to be entering a new grade level...and the further I got in the journey, the better it got. It really is true that if you make it to graduate school, it hardly seems like work as you're studying what you genuinely love.

Last night was the 1st choral rehearsal of this new semester...so I get to "pretend" to be back to school in a way. It looks to be a good choir semester...doing some Mozart, traditional carol arrangements with orchestra (yah for officially starting Christmas music!!), and other stuff...and our favorite, brilliant director is back from finishing up some doctoral work. The local university where I participate in this choir is where I went for violin lessons and did piano competitions. There have been many "deja vu" moments in returning to these halls of learning as an adult...even the sense and smell of the place are somehow imprinted in my mind. It's been a very interesting "full circle of life" experience.

This afternoon I was able to flip through the Bauer Well-Educated Mind book to which several have referred...very interesting. While by no means feeling like a very well-read person, I will admit to being pleased to see that I might have received a fairly good "classical" education. Not sure I want to read through her list in a regimented way, but it definitely is a good reference tool. I feel so grateful to the good men and women who taught the discipline of literature to my young mind...there were some amazingly gifted professionals in my school years...(my high-school AP English professor was truly one of the best teachers I've ever seen...what fun we had in his class with everything from the Greek plays to poetry) ...and what a joy to enter into learning and discussions....to stretch the mind and soul by reading the classics. And sooo much more to read in this never-ending school of life. I've recently been thinking on my lack of a really strong foundation in holiness classics and improving that is a big and important goal. These rambling thoughts have been my little "shout out" to education and the excitement of back to school days....almost makes me want to enroll again....but then I remember the looong papers and rethink it!:) Blessings on all your wee children as they embark upon the journey of learning!

While on the subject of reading let me recommend 2 books new to me:
-Heart in the Right Place (Carolyn Jourdan)...an awesome, funny memoir...family, identity, and rural medicine issues.
-Wives And Daughters (Elizabeth Gaskill)..my very well-read cousin Rhonda sent us this book...it's a classic that I had never even heard of...silly me...it's very, very good.

"Pear Buckle"

For some reason, we seem to have slacked off of the recipes...that's sad. Needing to replace those passports pics. w/something more normal is reason enough to post one for me! In my opinion, there's not much that something home-cooked can't improve!! And there have been so many crazy things happening in the world recently, that a little comfort food is definitely in order. Some friends at church have been giving me pears from their pear-tree (so I like to call them organic) and I've enjoyed (perhaps too much) using them in this way. This recipe was originally "peach buckle" but I changed it to pears plus made a few healthy changes...like cutting down the butter...it's so good! It's from Art Smith's cookbook Back To The Table: the Reunion of Food and Family...he's Oprah's chef and this book is a winner in general. So go find some organic pears of your own and try this!:) (Perfect w/coffee!)

"Pear Buckle"
INGREDIENTS:
5 cups peeled, sliced pears
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup AP flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-----
1 cup AP flour
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tablespoons butter (softened)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 11 by 8 1/2 inch baking dish. Toss first set of ingredients. Spread in the bottom of dish. Cream together butter, sugar, and egg with hand-mixer...then mix other ingredients into that. Spread the batter by spoonfuls over the pears. Bake for about 45 min. until golden and cool slightly. Awesome warm or at room temp.!!

*I have noticed that I seem to only post desserts...I do cook other things:), but seem to only think of posting desserts! While on the subject of food, had a great meal this afternoon (Sat.) including "Wahoo" for the entree....never knew that was a type of fish (kinda like halibut)...been seeing people use that as an expression...but who knew it was a type of fish?! It was really, really good! And now you know!

And just another, totally unrelated to food comment......
GO SAINTS!!!!! (who won in Cinn. Sat. night!!:)

Passports!!!

I'm not sure how well these comparison passport images transmit...but I had to share!! The 1st one was taken in 1992 before my TLC trip to Eastern Europe (not sure that it's really a fair representation of how I was lookin at the time, but a hoot anyway!) And I (thankfully) just received the new one a couple of days ago so I'll be able to take the trip to Germany and Austria this November. THIS is the difference 15 years makes!!! It's like a textbook example of how the aging process (ie "life") works. I cannot explain to you why I chose to wear a "sailor-suit" in that 1st picture....unexplainable! Thank goodness for smaller hair and professional eyebrow grooming! I found this very amusing and hope it gives ya'll a laugh, too!:)

(and just FYI, this is the cancelled passport,

so not a security risk!)

Prayer

I read the following devotional awhile back, but haven't posted it. Just last night I was discussing with a young friend how I believe a legacy of prayer plus the prayers of others for us has a protective and shielding quality in times of crisis...I think it can guard us even from things we don't fully understand, like depression and other disorders. So grateful for such a heritage! However, despite these strong and somewhat esoteric beliefs, I think "praying" is one of my weakest areas. But how much we need to do it! In just our little blog world, there is a strong need to pray for Cherie's cousin, Jenny's friend, Heather's safety, my very ill uncle and the everongoing issues with Mom....and I'm sure there are many more. It can be overwhelming! I have very few of "the answers" here...but I'm challenged to "dig deeper" as the oldtimers say, and very thankful that God's presence and provision is unshakable!

{Psalm 51:11: "Devotions from the Studio" (Michael Card)
Again and again in the laments of the Old Testament we hear the lamentor pleading to God for a renewed sense of His Presence. In time, after reading the psalms of lament, you discover that God’s Presence is really the one and only answer that is being sought. The laments in the Bible (as well as our own laments) teach us that what we ask for in prayer is almost certainly what we do not need the most. Because what we need the most is the Presence of God. ( Ps. 10:1, 88:14)
The single answer to all the prayers of lament in the Old Testament is hinted at in Isaiah 7:14, where one of the names of the Messiah is revealed to be “Immanuel” “God with us.” The Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ is the fundamental, exhaustive answer to the laments of the ages;
“Where are You?” “Why have You abandoned me?” “When will you show up?”
The perfect, complete answer? The flesh and blood of Jesus of Nazareth, the One who is with us, who promises “I am with you always,” who never leaves nor forsakes.}