I didn't make it to New Orleans, but the trip wasn't wasted. Why didn't I get there?
First, the heat. It was 85, 90 degrees in mid-October in northern Louisiana, with 70% humidity!
Between noon and 4, i could hardly move. My two cats could not tolerate it as well as me, and the air conditioning is gone from my car and requires an expensive repair.
I got to Shreveport and checked into a campground, a state park near it. There were many survivors there, and I met a couple of them. I was told that going south, the campgrounds, hotels and motels would all be full. In addition, all survivors are now placed in homes and the work of caring for them is covered. Mainly now it is the huge cost to the government - 9 million a day acc. to one source, and of course the work of rebuilding. And, I was warned - the heat would be worse. As a Minnesotan, I find the heat hard to comprehend. The hurricanes are surely a result of excessive heat.
So, it may seem unprofitable, but God had a purpose in my going to Louisiana. The people are wonderful - friendly. They are so much more friendly than in the north, and it was a joy to meet, talk and spend some time with them, in addition to meeting actual survivors. I didn't press them to tell me of their experience, as I could tell they were just in a state of shock.
I hung around Shreveport, saw the movie "In Her Shoes" and enjoyed eating in a restaurant. I also enjoyed the diners out in the country outside Shreveport.
The lessons I learned are that the people of the south are awesome, that God did not directly attack New Orleans with a punishment, but that it was a natural, built in consequence of pollution and overheating that is partly motivated by greed. So it WAS a reaping for sin, but one that the people of Louisiana had to reap in place of many Americans who were more responsible than they.
I also enjoyed the generosity of the state of Louisisna, who allowed me to camp free along with the survivors, and seeing how they were sacrificing all their camping profits for the sake of the survivors.
It is clear to me now that the majority of those who suffered were African Americans who have relied heavily on the government. It was also a reaping that the government failed them. The relentless attitude of the government being a big, mean daddy who owes everything and who must provide everything, even in the face of bashing and harsh criticism, is one that finally produced the negative result that it inevitably will. The government, a type of idol, a substitute for trusting in God - FAILED. And the church did not. It is as it should be.
I met a young lady of Indian descent (east Indian) who said that India is many times 120 degrees with 70, 80% humidity. Oh my Lord. That sounds like hell on earth. I am amazed that there are people enduring weather more formidable than the cold of Minnesota, and that many people in the world are not happy about their weather.
4 comments:
Few rules we humans follow :
That no man has ever sacrificed himself in the common meaning of that phrase--which is, self-sacrifice for another ALONE. Men make daily sacrifices for others, but it is for their own sake FIRST. The act must content their own spirit FIRST. The other beneficiaries come second.
Don't you agree?
wow, human, wow.
You gave me the perfect opportunity to say that one man did exactly what you are talking about. No human can be totally sacrificial in an of himself because no one is God, except one.
Jesus the messiah of the world gave up his life for us, who had no other purpose than to destroy the power of sin and death. But no on ever need to do anything that does not content their own spirit. What you fail to acknowledge is that God created a universe in which things that content the spirit of man benefit all man. Jesus' spirit was greatly contented by his sacrifice for us in that it fulfilled the desire of God to make man right with him.
The problem you talk about is when people feel that what is cause for contentment is something that destroys the hope, the life, the love in another person's life. That kind of contentment comes from a deception that whatever the act, it will give the destoyer contentment. That is inspired by the prince of darkness, who seeks to destroy.
Either someone is being fooled by him that they will find some sort of fulfillment, or they are an embodiment of him themselves.
I am not denying the fact that we should love and respect humanity, very much I agree that humanity is the only true religion... but my question is why only because of the fear of God you want to do that???!!!!!
Why can't it be self-realized and is not being bombarded to you??????
I want to ask a question to all learned:
If I do this - I won't praise any God, I won't pray, I won't wear a tag & I won't read any holy books... but I will love every living being that I come in contact with, I will help with whatever possible strength and so on... this itself is heaven for me on earth... why do I care for one after I die, let it be hell after that if that is so.
How can you be sure of what will help another? Only God can sufficiently help others - we make a mess of it.
What does this mean to you -
"All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
or this: "for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus our Lord?"
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalms)
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