Shirley Evans Said It Best

from Lexi Eddings...

A Coldwater Warm Hearts Wedding starts with a quote from Shirley Evans, who's just learned she has breast cancer:

Trouble makes us stronger, they say. It brings out the best in us and shows what we're really made of. But don't you just hate it when blessings come in disguise?

A disguised blessing came to the Ozarks last week. Our little town was drenched with 13 1/2 inches of rain in less than 24 hours. Previous flood records were blown away. (See my previous post for pics taken from our house that'll make your hair stand on end!) People who'd been assured their properties were not in a flood plain found themselves with five feet of water in the second story of their homes. The highways leading into and out of town were shut down. Gas stations ran out of fuel. Grocery store shelves started looking a little thin. Now, even a week out from the worst of it, I'm having trouble refilling a prescription.

But there is a silver lining behind this storm. Despite the damage done, no one died in our part of the Ozarks. And even during the worst of the storm, our community came together. First responders were out risking their lives to do water rescues. Three of our friends spent a terrifying night on the roof of their home near the river before they were saved by emergency crews in a boat. Once the rain stopped, county linemen were in our neighborhood, retrieving an electrical box that had been torn from its foundation by the rushing water. Power was restored promptly. Neighbor began helping neighbor with clean up. Our church has opened its doors as an emergency shelter for those whose homes have become uninhabitable or lost entirely. Work crews are being organized and supplies distributed to those who are in need.

We lived on the edge of Boston during the nightmare of the 2013 Marathon bombing. The city pulled together. We sheltered in place while our law enforcement did their jobs and brought the perpetrators to justice. Lives were lost or changed forever. A beautiful young couple in our neighborhood both lost limbs, but the community rallied around them. We were Boston Strong.

Now we're feeling Ozark Strong. Our little town has had, to borrow from Tolkien, a chance to show its quality. And it's pretty darn good.

Have you ever lived through a "blessing in disguise" that made you stronger? Wiser? More tenderhearted?