Hurricane Harvey

On Wednesday the 23rd, I found out through social media that a hurricane was heading our way. The projected path of the hurricane was supposed to make a direct line for San Antonio. My mom tribe and I chatted about the storm, wondering how bad it would be. I had been through some tropical storms in Houston and at first, I was skeptical about how much damage it would do. I tried not to feed into the hysteria. But as people started posting on Facebook and Instagram about the chaos and panic at the stores, I didn't feel prepared for what might be coming. There was no bread or milk to be found, water was scarce, and there were lines at the gas pumps. Stores were running out of batteries, and flashlights, and even radios and generators. As we tracked the storm, things began to look even more grim and the hurricane became a Category 4 with winds up to 130 mph. I headed to the store a few times, making big trips to buy essentials like formula and to stock up our food storage. I also bought meals that could be easily made on our camp stove and without heat. I filled up the car with gas and took cash out of the bank to have on hand in case of an emergency. I even made up 72-hour food kits for all of us (something I should have done a long time ago). I should have been more prepared for something like this. 

Over the next couple of days, we prepared to hunker down in our home. I wasn't sure if my phone would last for very long since my battery is very old and weak. I had it constantly plugged in so it was always at 100%. The streets slowly emptied of cars, as more people were seeking shelter indoors. The storm hit us early Saturday morning, with strong winds and lots of rain...

And that's really all we got. It rained for a few days, and there were a few strong gusts (one of which, knocked down our poorly screwed-in fence), and we had a small leak through our window, but there was very little flooding, hardly any damage, and no power outages in our area. My friends and I all felt a little silly for feeding into the hype. The storm had veered off to the left of San Antonio and we narrowly escaped it. 

Many others were not so lucky. As I watched Hurricane Harvey unfold it's destruction through southern Texas, reports were coming in from Port Aransas, Rockport, Corpus Christi, Galveston, and my beloved Houston of complete devastation and flooding. My heart sunk deeply as my eyes were glued to my computer screen, anxiously waiting to see if my friends had remained unscathed through all of it. Hurricane Harvey dropped 40-52 inches of rain, created tornadoes, and intense lightning storms, cyclones, and flash flooding. 

It has killed 70 people with some people still missing, 40,000 homes have been lost, and as many as a million cars were destroyed in just a few days.

I have heard of countless rescue stories both from friends and strangers. Some of my friends have lost everything because of this storm. My friend Chelsey Meier and her sweet three children had to escape their flooded home in a rescue boat. 

Although the hurricane finally dissipated, the damage it has done will be felt for years to come. My heart longs to be in Houston, helping out my friends mucking houses and cleaning up debris. All I can think is that it could have been us. What would I want done for me in this situation? What can I do to better prepare for disasters? 

People have been so giving since the hurricane struck. My heart was lifted back up from hearing about all the generosity and kind-hearted deeds. My dear friend Amanda Anderson organized a diaper drive for the hurricane victims and took all the donations to the Texas Diaper Bank. She had a WHOLE WALL OF DIAPERS! I went over and helped her, along with some other ladies, to organize everything and make it easier for people to help haul the stuff away the next day and it took us three hours to sort through everything. I have definitely learned what NOT to donate during a crisis. 

Along with the hurricane. there have been large, disastrous fires all over Montana, Oregon, and now in Utah, earthquakes in Idaho, and now another hurricane is brewing near the Caribbean and Florida and Hurricane Irma is a CATEGORY 5! 

Needless to say, America has had a lot of disasters as of late. I think we're all feeling more generous, more grateful, and more aware of one another and each other's needs. I know I have felt Heavenly Father helping me find ways to serve others during this time. I know He is aware of what is going on in our world. Christ is the Master of the storm  and He will take care of us. Of course, we must follow the counsel given by prophets and by the scriptures to be prepared. We'll be much better off if we are self-sufficient, but Christ can heal our hearts and give us comfort through these difficult time.

All of these natural disasters and phenomenons, including the eclipse, make me feel like I need to be prepared not just temporally, but spiritually as well. 

I'm grateful all my friends are taken care of and safe. I'm grateful we survived this disaster and that it has changed me for the better. I'm grateful for the world I live in. Despite all the evil we see from the media, there is so much more good, and it's nice to see the good being highlighted for once.