In the blink of an eye

Back in September, Labor Day weekend I went on vacation to Martha's Vineyard and North Kingstown, Rhode Island. While in Rhode Island I took a day trip to the community of Narragansett. A beautiful ocean side community in South Kingstown Rhode Island. Here are some of the pictures I tool while there.

On October 30 Hurricane Sandy decided to leave its mark on New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Narragansett was left with great destruction. See the photos of the aftermath.

 

 

Where the Coast Guard House was there was a rock sculpture garden. Rocks placed ever so delicately you wonder how the sculptures did not topple over. With this destruction is it no doubt they are gone since the garden was by the ocean. Major weather storms always seem to carry the message that what we have here on earth is temporary, but yet we hold to them so strongly and when we lose them the struggle can be long and difficult. While I don't live in Rhode Island seeing these pictures of destruction saddened me. Though I was only there a brief time I had a connection to this place. But events like these emphasize those things that I have a stronger bond with. It is has been almost a year since I moved to Roanoke and I have a strong bond to the house I live in. I have decorated it and made it a home for me and Sophie, my dog. I know if a major storm came though and took my home away it would be traumatic. The relationships that I have made at work, in the community and at my church are a significant part of my life now and any loss would bring grief to my life.

 

So how do we deal with the changes in our lives? This week my devotion began with the following verse:

 

I lift up my eyes to the hills — from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.

Psalm 121

For me when things get tough or things change going to God is the first thing I do. In a  world where nothing is constant my God is. My God has kept me for 40 years and even if I was to die today he would still keep me. Disasters and catatropies will always occur in this world but God still keeps us. He still keeps us. Thanks be to God.