Wednesday’s Reflection
ELIJAH HERE. Things are getting harder for me and my family.
When the shop where my mom worked went out of business, I figured she’d find another job soon. But weeks went by, and it hadn’t happened.
“We’re going to have to cut back even more,” Dad said at supper one night. He looked at grace and me. “Understand?”
We both nodded, and I said, “No problem. But I was worried. Things have been really tight for months, and I couldn’t imagine what else we’d have to cut. . . .
In the middle of the night, things got really un-boring—and not in a good way! The nor’easter moved closer to Brambleberry Island than the forecasters thought it would. We had to go to our basement to wait it out. The electricity went out, and the wind blew so hard I thought our house would fly apart! . . .
Finally, the weather let up, and we could go outside. I couldn’t believe it! Clothes, paper, toys, and all kinds of stuff had been blown over. Lots of our neighbors’ trees had fallen. Someone’s roof was completely gone, and two cars were flipped over! . . .
Our house was basically okay! . . .Once the electricity came back on, we’d be able to live like normal, but many of our neighbors wouldn’t.
Standing in the middle of all that devastation, I realized something. Lately, I’d been focusing on what I thought I was missing from my life. But the stuff I was so jealous about—games and shoes and trips—didn’t seem important now.
We were all speechless at first, then Mom wiped her eyes. “Let’s pray,” she said in a trembling voice. We held hands, and Dad led us, thanking God that we were safe and praying for our neighbors whose homes were damaged.
- From the “Brambleberry Island” series by Diana R. Jenkins
Pockets, March 2011
From pages 17 and 19 of Pockets, The Upper Room’s devotional magazine for children. This story excerpt is from the “Brambleberry Island” series by Diana R. Jenkins. Pockets, March 2011, copyright © 2011 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission. http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/. Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
How do you pray when faced with natural disaster? Share your reflections.
Today’s Scripture Reading
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