joplin

I don't put a lot if anything on here about world news or like, intellectual stuff you can read in newspapers.  That'd be because I am not intellectual and I don't think I have much to add to those conversations that's of value.  I also purposely try not to put much on here about ministries we're involved with and the little things we feel God leading us to do.  This is more of a blog for our family record because I have the worst memory ever, and most of the time I feel like our ministry opportunities are between us and God.  I want to treasure them and not feel like I'm running advertisements or bragging.  I also don't talk a lot about how great my hubs is, even though he is.  I don't know why I don't because I should.  This is a rare post where all of those things collide.  Brace yourself.
Bran was getting ready to fly out west to Missouri for a national conference for the pastors of our denomination when the area of Joplin, MO was demolished by a tornado.  It was only a few hours away, and it seemed a little too perfectly planned for his first trip to the state to come at a time when there was so much need for help.  Bran and a few friends also attending the conference skipped out on some meetings to hop in the car and drive to Joplin to see if there was anything they could do.  They linked up with a church there, which was acting as a donation and temporary housing center, and spent a day and a half cleaning up, talking and praying with people, and just asking what they could do to help.  It was so impactful (not a word? oh well.) on B that when he came home, he couldn't stop talking about it and thinking about it.  He got together a group of people from church (mostly our teens) and hopped in a church van to drive like 15 hours or something just to help out a little more.
I stayed here with the kids, but am proud of what my hub acted on.  It's easy to hear about those things happening, feel so bad for the people devastated by them, and then say an, "oh, wow I can't imagine" and keep going with life.  I know from experience.  But without taking a second to even think about it, getting in a car and making the trip happen seemed like the obvious reaction to Brandon.  The man might make my blood pressure rise daily because he won't put his stinkin laundry in the laundry bin that's 2 feet away from his side of the bed, but he does love and care for people  ...and I'm pretty sure that my clean side of the bedroom won't be brought up as I'm entering heaven, but B's days in Joplin might show up under the highlights reel.  ;)  (that wasn't exactly theologically sound, but ya gotta know what I mean.)  My husband has inspired me to act more and make excuses less.  Maybe you too.  (..Next time, I'll let him stay with the kids.)