North Carolinians usually don’t get too worried when a hurricane is headed for Florida since we are a pretty good distance away. But as Helene began to take shape and take aim, we began to be aware that she had her sights set on many states other than Florida–including our own beloved North Carolina.
I drove to work on Friday through darkness, heavy rain, and whipping wind. At about 10 a.m., Steve called to say we had lost power at home. Thankfully, he got our generator running, distributing myriad cords and cables in all directions
We were happy to be able to share our electricity with our neighbors: one neighbor put some of her meat in our freezer and charged her phone. Another used our electricity to wet vacuum her car that had leaked and gotten flooded. And a third (right next door) ran over a cord to get enough electricity to power his fridge. There’s something about a storm that brings neighbors together.
Thankfully, our electricity was restored yesterday morning. I actually did a happy dance in the kitchen when the lights came on. Thankfully, I was home alone and no one had to witness it. (I stayed home from church because I hadn’t felt well for a couple of days.)
Let’s talk about life in other places.
I know you’ve seen pictures of the devastation in the areas hit by Helene. Tens of thousands of people in those areas would be grateful beyond words if the only hardship they were facing was a loss of electricity. Out of the all the “helping stories” I’ve been reading, this has been one of my favorites. Those mules are literally “pulling together” to make things better.
I’m writing about North Carolina because that’s where we live but so many other states were impacted as well. It is heartbreaking to see the photos coming in from the western part of our state, from our beautiful, beautiful mountains. The place people go for vacation, for refuge from the cares of life. The place people go to see the turning of the leaves and all the greens becoming gorgeous shades of every color.
Many people, Steve and I included, would like to have taken a drive this fall through those heavenly spaces to see the leaves’ glory. But this year, in hundreds of towns and on dozens of roads, the leaves’ beauty will only be witnessed by the locals and the aid workers–blazes of beauty in a devastated and deconstructed landscape.
We heard someone say today that it could take a generation for some of these areas to rebuild. Some will be restored more quickly but none of them in days or even weeks.
I think especially of the moms who are trying to be brave for their kids, attempting to make sense of so much loss. Moms who won’t get up tomorrow and pack lunches in their cozy kitchens and get the kids out the door to school. Many moms will never see their kitchens again. Or their wedding photos. Or the lock of hair from their daughter’s first haircut.
They and their families have been propelled into a future they could never have imagined coming. Their lives will always be divided into two parts: Before the flood and After the flood.
in a safe home with electricity, food, and running water. I have no reason to complain about anything–not about traffic, not that I have to get up early, not that the grocery store is out of my favorite bread.
I’m alive. My future isn’t shattered to bits. My car isn’t floating down a stream. My oatmeal is in the cupboard right where I left it yesterday.
Thinking of all of this and not being able to make sense of any of it, my mind can only go back to those trees to our west, getting ready to put on their big display of the year. They are not disheartened that their glory will only be witnessed by a fraction of the people who usually see them.
They were created by God to shine in a desolate place. The residents, the construction workers, the relief workers–each one will see sunlight shining through the robust reds and glittering golds and will be strengthened and inspired by the glory of creation.
Seasons come and go. Seasons of destruction and seasons of restoration. And the turning leaves keep watch over it all, faithful in their calling to simply do what they were created to do–to proclaim that even in the valley of the shadow, there is hope. Beautiful, beautiful hope.
What about you?
Were you affected by the storm? Tell us your story.
Helene has devastated parts of VA. So many lost everything.
Our company let us work from home on Friday. Our tornado alarm sounded many times during the day. So many trips to the basement to wait it out.
We had a tornado touch down about 30 minutes from us….very close to aunts/uncles/cousins/friends. Thanking God they are all ok with minimal damage. Not so for some that homes were destroyed just a tenth of a mile from them and one lady who suffered several breaks as she was sucked out of her home and dropped in her yard 🙁 she is very blessed to be alive! several others had small injuries.
South West VA lost homes and lives. So devastating. We too have seen strangers reaching out. People pulling together to help one another.
Many supplies have been collected and are being taken to the hardest hit areas in VA and NC.
Praying for all the many from FL/GA/SC/NC/VA that are experiencing heart break and sadness.
GOD be with them all!!!
Eswim,
Hearing a tornado alarm once is bad enough, but having one go off multiple times in a day is beyond scary.
I’m trying to imagine being sucked out of my home and dropped into my yard and my brain can’t even go there. So thankful that the woman was not injured more seriously or killed.
We are joining so many others in praying and giving to everyone who was affected; a catastrophe beyond words. Hugs.
Our town was devastated by the storm and a friend of mine and mentor teacher, who guided me so well when I was a new teacher, died when a tree fell on her home. It’s unprecedented. Our home is fine and my family is safe, but so many in our very small town are hurting. I am heartbroken for all the parts of our beautiful country that were ravaged by Helene. But in the midst of chaos and trauma, we have seen friends helping strangers. We have seen love and the body of Christ in action. I am careful not to say that because we prayed, God spared us. So many were not and I am sure they prayed as well. Our pastor’s house had two huge pine trees fall through the middle of it. They are blessed to be unharmed. I know there’s a reason for this and we don’t have to look far to see the sovereign Hand of God at work. I am grateful!
Lisa,
So saddened to hear of the loss of your friend and mentor. What terrible news to get. I’m thankful your pastor and his family were safe; how traumatic to have trees just come through the roof!
I’m like you. I hate to see such beautiful parts of our country ripped up. Our little mountain towns will never be the same again. But at the same time, I’m thankful for the people who have come forward to help and for all the people who are pulling together in this time of crisis.
No impact here in Nebraska. We’re in a drought and could use some rain.
Glad to hear your power was restored in a timely manner and that you were all safe! Also so great that you could share the generator wealth with your neighbors! Praying for all of the victims of the storm and those who lost their lives. It’s just so incredibly sad.
LeeAnne,
Hoping your drought ends soon and you get a good “gully washer!” (That’s a phrase from the olden days.)
Yes, Steve and I join you in continuing to pray for everyone whose lives have been so horribly impacted by the storm.
So many in our county lost power when the winds whirled through and some still don’t have power. Our local co-op has brought in 140 additional linemen and maybe by tm ( actually today now / Tuesday) that power will be restored to all. A neighboring county has no water; their infiltration pumps were flooded. People in our county are helping them along with helping other counties and especially Unicoi County,Tn, maybe 90 minutes from us. A nightmare …the tragic flash flood there has taken lives. People had to be rescued from rooftop of the local hospital there. And the gut wrenching facts and stories we are still hearing of all the people in the next door mountains of western NC, along with Unicoi County, Tn, will bring you to your knees. So many in NC are still waiting for help to reach them … the remote mountain locations are always staggeringly beautiful and now…those mighty mountains have been beaten up by a raging storm . People are running out of food and water; there is sparse if any communication; roads are wiped out; occupied houses swept away by muddy brown angry water. It appears that many, many small precious mountain communities that are located near small mountain villages and towns will maybe never be the same in NC. Understatement.
This catastrophic occurrence is overwhelming; it makes your heart weepy and heavy. It’s just unfathomable the amount of destruction.
Thankful for allll the helpers from near and far and more are arriving by air and land daily now. We are grateful beyond words for their help.
Southern Appalachian Mountaineers help each other…and will keep helping each other with grief as our companion for this raw loss has made its mark.
Trusting Our Good Shepherd through it all . Through it all .
Dee,
I can hear the tears in your voice as you wrote. Such a heartbreakingly beautiful word picture about what has been going on–and what will continue to go on for years to come.
I can’t begin to imagine being rescued from a hospital roof by a helicopter. I can’t begin to imagine those amazing hills and valleys ruined. I can’t begin to imagine the unimaginable.
But as you said, thank the Lord for the helpers, even the ones coming daily from the place where I work.
And thank the Lord that we have a Good Shepherd to trust through it all.
Thankfully I was not affected by Helene. I have friends who live in western North Carolina and I’ve heard from most of them they are safe. I’m so glad you were relatively unscathed and love how everyone worked together sharing electricity from generators and everything. All those affected by the storm and all those working to provide aid remain in my thoughts and prayers.
Sue Ellen,
This was definitely a once in a lifetime event and will mark those who have been affected for a lifetime.
Thanks for continuing to pray. It is just beyond imagination. I’m glad your friends in WNC are safe!
Becky, like you, I am in NC but in the Raleigh area, we didn’t know what to expect, I had all my battery operated candles, flashlights and lanterns ready, luckily we were spared, we got torrential down pours, wind gusts and flooding, some trees down, but we kept our power. As I look at the devastation in Western NC, my heart breaks, I have driven that route over I-40 from NC to TN so many times on my way to Kansas….the beauty of the mountains is stunning and sometimes as I climb higher and higher I see those isolated towns and homes and think wow…what if…and the awful what if just happened….the stories of those trapped with no way out, people needing medicine and food and water, pregnant women….many people in my area reaching out, trying to see if loved ones are all right…as you said it will take years for many of these towns to get back to normal if they ever can…..many, many churches and other rescue groups here in Raleigh are pitching in and asking for help and donations….I will try to do my small part and meanwhile, pray for the safety and recovery of our western neighbors.
Dale,
I love the phrase “our western neighbors.” Because in catastrophe, we are all neighbors.
Since you’ve driven through those mountains so many times, you can relate better than most to what was there and what has been lost. To have such great beauty savaged and ripped apart just hurts my heart. Thankful for all the thousands of people who have gone in to help; and will continue to go.
Neighbors, all.
No impact here in Kansas. We need rain but not like Tennessee and North Carolina got. It’s so sad seeing videos and pictures online.
Glad your electricity came back on yesterday and that you had a generator to keep some things going.
Phyllis,
Yes, we were thankful for a generator and a relatively short time without electricity. It really makes you appreciate it when you don’t have it!
I’m in central Florida and have weathered lots of storms, including four that passed over us in the span of six weeks back in 2004. We were without power for almost two weeks. We were without power again for about a week when Irma hit us a few years ago. Not fun in the FL heat and humidity. I remember driving about two hours away to find a restaurant with power and nearly crying over the miraculous fact that they had ICE in the drinks. I never thought I’d see ice again! I guess the little things matter more in those situations. This storm didn’t damage us as we’re too far inland, I’m right smack in the middle of the state and not near any coasts or large bodies of water. I remember how awful it was with past storms just dealing with minor roof damage, trees on the roof, and no power; I cannot even imagine what these people are going through.
Melissa,
Amazing how wondrous ice can be, isn’t it? It is such a luxury and something I take for granted when I fill my glass with the wonderful stuff at the my refrigerator door.
Being without power for 2 weeks in Florida’s heat and humidity is a huge deal. I would have done the same thing you did in driving a long ways to find a restaurant with power. I’ll bet you enjoyed that meal enormously.
I’m glad you’re in the center of the state and not as prone to get full effects of hurricanes.
Enjoy your ice today!
Very nice poetic slant in your closing paragraphs…
The beauty of trees goes beyond and before us to heaven, I believe. (I will see them more fully there)
They are amazing gifts to humanity. And the colors that will come… wow! Rejoicing will ensue!
Prayers for those affected by Helene. Ruth
Ruth,
I love trees and to have thousands of them destroyed is so sad.
I always say how much I love that our neighborhood had so many trees but in a storm, it turns out not to be such a good thing. We always have trees falling over and knocking out power. I guess it’s the price we pay for having their beauty around.
Thanks for your compliment on my poetic paragraphs. Those are just the words that came out of my heart.
We were so relieved to know that you weathered the storm safely! 🙂
Fred and Lucy,
Thanks for being concerned; we’re thankful to be okay!
Only storm that affected our family was Sandy. We had no power for nearly two weeks. Thankfully we had a small generator for for the fridge, freezer , internet, tv, etc and enough to charge our phones and light up a room of two. We had gas hot water and stove so we hot water even and cook. No heat, so had to keep fire in family room going which was no easy task. We had an octogenarian in the house so we had to be more careful than we would have been just for ourselves. A lot of respect for those who have to keep a fire going. Went through a lot of wood and had to be ever vigilant. These days with climate changing, a generator is an important piece of equipment to have.
Hi Catherine, I am from NJ but was living in KS when Sandy hit, my sister lives on LBI and her house took a direct hit, she is only one block from the beach, they moved as much furniture as they could upstairs, her first floor was completely destroyed by flooding and they had to re-do it. Luckily her main house is in Caldwell, and they just lost power for a few weeks too.
Catherine,
Yes, I can imagine that keeping a fire going nonstop for that long was a challenge, when you’re not used to doing that all the time.
A generator doesn’t have to be huge but if you can keep food from spoiling, that is huge. We were grateful to have ours.
Our power went out Friday morning at 10 here in Mt. Airy, NC. They finally got it back on at 10 this morning. I have decided that I would not have made it as a Pioneer. We are all spoiled to the comforts we live with daily….until we are not. My heart breaks for all of those in the devastation. It is surreal. I have prayed and prayed for them all and will continue. Our church is getting up supplies and are taking them near Ashville. I have seen a lot of churches doing that. That is a blessing. I had to throw out hundreds of dollars worth of food out of two freezers and the fridge. That was really hard. A drop in the hat for those that don’t even have a fridge anymore. I wish I could blink my eyes like a genie and make it all better everywhere but since I can’t I will just trust that our Heavenly Father has it all under control according to His will….
Kaye,
Oh, I’m sorry you lost that food! We’ve been there, where we had to throw out a lot of stuff. So frustrating.
I wouldn’t have made it as a pioneer, either. Those were some tough people!
Glad to hear your church is sending supplies to help; it’s inspiring to read of so many people are joining together to bear the burdens of those who are suffering.
I can’t wrap my mind around it. The track was supposed to come right over us, and I “prepared”. In hindsight, if we had gotten what NC got, my preparations would have been woefully under the mark. I keep thinking about all of the people who woke up early Friday not realizing that in mere hours, their lives would be changed. People still sitting in a dark house, with no communication, not sure if they’re going to make it or if anyone even knows that they’re alive. Friends are posting handwritten lists sent to them from loved ones who wrote down the names of everyone in their neighborhood so that the outside world could know they exist. In a world so “connected”, it’s unfathomable that so many could be cut off from civilization. I am beyond grateful for ME that the track changed, but I am heartbroken for all of the people who will have to rebuild. Not just their house or their road, but their entire life. May God keep hope alive in their darkest moments.
Pam,
That’s a really good point about the world being so connected and yet there are people who still haven’t been able to communicate with the outside world since Friday. It’s beyond unreal. And so hard for the people are waiting to be found–they must feel so very alone which just serves to make their situation all the more difficult. It’s always a little “easier” to go through a hardship when surrounded by people who understand and support you in the middle of it.
As you said, we can prepare all we want for storms but in this case, all the prep in the world wouldn’t have done any good. Echoing your thought, “May God keep hope alive in their darkest moments.”