Today’s post comes from the final portion of Hearts across the Water. If you’ve been following our blog, we’re looking at stories from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These two 2005 storms did more than change the landscape of southern Louisiana. It brought about seismic changes that are still echoing across this part of America. …
Monthly Archives: September 2015
Cool Change
Today’s post comes from the final portion of Hearts across the Water. If you’ve been following our blog, we’re looking at stories from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These two 2005 storms did more than change the landscape of southern Louisiana. It brought about seismic changes that are still echoing across this part of America. …
Reconciliation: Two Sisters
A word from Curt “Two Sisters” is my favorite story from Hearts across Water. My wish is that this story of forgiveness and reconciliation during a hurricane will spur you on to close the gap on any broken relationships in your life. Be curious Be amazed. Tell a good story. Curt This is the final …
Leaning Trees
Leaning Trees Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 On the day Rita arrived, I made one last survey of my tree farm. I wondered how different it would all look after today. A tree farm …
Those &$@@*^^! Black Bugs!
Black Bugs Over and over in the days leading up to the hurricane’s arrival, people used this statement that reveals the human tendency to look for the silver lining in even the darkest cloud, “Well, at least Rita will wash away the black bugs.” We heard variations on that sentence many times. …
Y2K + 5
Y2K + 5 I wonder how my friend Mike fared during Hurricane Rita. Mike, who lives near DeQuincy, is a person who likes to be prepared. Five years ago as the year 2000 neared and the fears about Y2K became common everyday talk, Mike took action. He got prepared for the first day of the …
Sheriff Bishop’s Gun
My Sheriff I’ve lived in Beauregard Parish for fifty-two years And he was my sheriff for all but sixteen of those years. There have only been three parish sheriffs in my lifetime. I was born under the administration of Sheriff Paul Stark. (1948-1972) When he retired, a banker, Bolivar Bishop, was elected. …
Matt Farmer’s Barn
Matt Farmer’s Barn It is the first Sunday we’ve had church since Rita. Much of our community is still scattered over four states, but many are returning home to clean up. Most homes are still without electricity, and water pressure is only now beginning to build up for use. Our attendance is small today, but …
In the Storm’s Eye
In the Eye of the Storm It didn’t surprise me that Ruth Covington died during Hurricane Rita. She had grown so weak during the days before the storm, her passing was not unexpected. In fact, it was only appropriate that she passed away during the midst of a hurricane. She had lived such …
The Tree is Still Standing
The Miller Oak The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is today. The morning after Rita passed through I couldn’t wait to get out and survey the damage. As I’d driven around our community the day before I wondered aloud what things would look …
Two Dog Stories
Sugar and Ivory It’s odd but I will always think of two dogs when I think of the long night that Hurricane Rita struck Dry Creek Camp. We had 350 people on our grounds. They had been moved and bedded down in our most solid dorms and everyone took enough food and water for the …
Bill Lindsey’s Hammer
Bill Lindsey’s Hammer It is just before bedtime on the night before Hurricane Rita slams into Southwest Louisiana. A crowd of fifty anxious faces stares into mine as they await words of wisdom from the camp director. The faces are each so different and individual. Some faces are black; others are brown, while others are …
Thoughts on a rich and privileged life.
It is a privilege. It’s become one of my favorite words. Privilege. After three (wonderful) years in the Third World, I’ve come to realize how privileged we are as Americans. Today’s post is about a great privilege I’ve had. The privilege of marrying into a family. In 1979, I married into the Terry Family of …
Leaving Louisiana
Headlights in the Dark We’d never seen anything like it. As far as I could see, looking south on Louisiana Hwy 113, the main (and only) thoroughfare through Dry Creek, there were headlights. On Thursday the exodus had begun and it seemed everyone knew a shortcut to avoid heavily traveled US 165 and US …
