From the Vault and New Thoughts

I just noticed that I started this blog a year ago.  I looked at a few of the first post and I am blown away with how the Lord has been so faithful in this journey. This post in particular floods my thoughts with emotions. http://the6morrisons.blogspot.com/2010/09/cup-of-sugar.html   You see on this side of the move, now in another zip code, many miles away,some relationships have changed and many relationships are deeper. New friends have been added and will continue to grow in depth because


God knows........
God knows how many hairs are on your head (Matt 10:27, Luke 12:7)
God knows the number of stars in the sky and has named each one of them (Psalm 147:4)
God knows and loves my neighbors/friends much more than I ever could (Psalm 139:13,14)


A few weeks ago my neighbor from Wake Forest who became a life long friend came to visit us in Harrisburg PA.  We gave a tour of our new town and shared stories about how the Lord is moving in here. We stayed up talking, sharing and catching up on stories until our eyes were fuzzy. Sure, it's hard not to skip across the street to borrow a cup of sugar  BUT we serve a big God who deeply loves our friends more than we ever could.  Agape love,  perfect, unconditional love, unfailing love, that only comes from Him. There are times that I  get a lump in my throat thinking about people we miss or not worshiping at Faith. However even in those moments God is faithful in reminding me of our purpose here on this side of heaven. I was reading in James this week about not just being forgetful hearers but effectual doers of His word. Not by works to earn salvation nor does it mean that we only ask Jesus to come into our hearts to get our ticket punched for heaven . Accepting Christ as your personal Savior  provokes a deep longing to know God more and to follow Him.  Giving up comfort for the sake of the gospel is daily, not just moving to PA.


There are days that we are beyond tired and fall out in the bed at night. At times our plan to rest doesn't happen quite the way that we thought it would. The Lord has graciously filled us up in ways only He can.  I can recall a day when I was worn out, I stayed home from football to hang out at the house. When Billy came home he found Maddy and I in the alley talking with some neighbors. As I started telling Billy of how the Lord crossed our paths with this particular neighbor at His perfect timing I forgot I was tired. I was filled up, excited and praising God for His plan. God continues to weave new people in our lives on a daily basis.  Relationships continue to deepen and we are blown away at how this plan is so much bigger than us and beyond thankful to be part of His work.


Settling into Harrisburg, PA  I will say my purpose and prayer is much the same as it was a year ago when I posted "a cup of sugar"as I wrote these words;
     "I am overwhelmed by the privilege to be where I am now (today), in this community, this neighborhood, a new church, our family. My prayer is God will show me daily how to love the people around me by being  real, transparent, compassionate, giving, available and vulnerable. Even though our time appears limited in this zip code it doesn't mean that we stop developing new friendships as well as deepening the ones that already exist.  We truly are only a vapor in this life, time here on earth goes by fast.(James 4:14) This is evident in how we reflect how quickly our kids grow or how the years seem to be moving at a faster pace. It certainly does matter what we do everyday for His kingdom. It does matter giving up daily comforts in order to share the good news of Jesus."


We have been encouraged by many of you praying on our behalf. God has been faithful to hear your prayers and we ask that you continue to do so, for that is where the work begins. Thank you for your cards, emails, texts, fb messages and visits. We know that it takes sacrifice and planing to pray and to keep in touch, YOU are part of the eternal work in Harrisburg PA.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-22

TouchDOWN! with Logan's pre-game music

Logan is having a great year in football. He is developing leadership skills, character, and fundamental football skills and making friends. We have met a lot of new people at football and its been nice to begin to see familiar faces to see in the community.

The coaching crew and team moms.  I have enjoyed getting to know the other parents and have had many opportunities to talk outside of football.  (cheesy smile I know, the sun was shinning in our eyes and I was a bit excited to take my very first football picture)

Here is the team, we are in the Smurf league ages 6-7 years old. All the kids on the team go to the same school. Logan has one of the kids in his class at school which made the transition to a new school easier with a familiar face in the classroom. 

Here are a few pictures from the game on Saturday.

Logan was selected as one of the captains today

Logan has played many positions this year.  He plays offense and defense. Saturday he started at Quarterback and did a great job!

Indians pulling together, Logan's going down the middle....

running, pulling away......

Gone! First touchdown for the team this year. Whoop-woop!

Logan made a great block to keep his guy running with the ball.

 

GO INDIANS!

Hopefully you've enjoyed "Make War" by Tedashii as much as he does.  He listens to it before each game to get fired up....it works.

Great Flood 2011 Harrisburg PA-Day 2

 Today we were able to get the basement somewhat dry and once the water is safe to use we will get things cleaned and throw away anything that got wet. We spent time talking to neighbors today in between helping one get several inches of water out of her basement. We had power so we had means of getting the water out of the house unlike the folks in the flooded areas. There is nothing  for them to do besides wait for the the water to recede. Here are a few pictures a couple blocks over from our house.

We talked with the owners to the right with the wooden fence for quiet sometime.  Putting faces to the people who have lost a lot and face the task of cleaning up in the days to come is hard to witness.

Once a nice manicured yard has turned into part of the Susquehanna river

Trash covers the standing water in the streets

Front street looks like its part of the river.

You can see tiny fish swimming in the water on the street

Once a great place to watch the water but now only a place to sit and be in the water.

This is front street along the Susquehanna River.

Street after street is covered

Here is the Governor's Mansion..they had a few inches of water in the basement but fared well with no major flooding.

You can only imagine what awaits many people when they look in their basements

The smell of gas fumes and trash was just horrible in some places. This is fuel oil mixed with water that has leaked out of tanks in people's basements and into the streets.

This was cool, Billy joined in a conversation as these two men where having a deep discussion about religion. They all talked for a bit and Billy and one of the guys exchanged contact information with one another. So they could get together and study the bible together.

This car is owned by an 87 year old man who was out delivering "Meals on Wheels" to shut-ins.  He was determined to get them all done but couldn't make it through the standing water.  He said he got them all delivered except two.

There is nothing to do but wait.....

Okay, sometimes you just see the most puzzling things so I took the opportunity to take a picture. We watched this gentleman teeter on this railing to have a friend take a picture of him sitting on the end of the railing dangling his feet over the rushing river. We all know what could have happened if he lost his grip but he didn't and he now has a picture to hang on his refrigerator.

How can you help???

click on the link    

http://www.redeeminggracepa.org/?page_id=377

Flood 2011 Harrisburg PA

It certainly has been an eventful day. We went out this morning to grab some water and a few other things to prepare for power outages.  We took a few pictures this morning so you can only imagine what it could look like currently. There has been mandatory evacuations for the first 3 blocks of our neighborhood on the Susquehanna River. We have been working diligently sweeping and cleaning up water in our basement.  We had about 3-4 inches come in so far.

Okay, I was going to send this out earlier but our power went out.  We are told they have turned power off in many areas due to the concern with rising water and many basements being flooded.  This could cause fire hazards and issues with gas lines. We are under a boiling water restriction, so in words....don't use the water.  We have a handle on the water in our basement currently with constant work.  We just pray the power stays on.  We are going back and forth to our neighbor's house who has several inches in her basement. I can only image what it looks like in the flooded areas and how much people are struggling. Pray for Harrisburg and the surrounding areas. The river is not supposed to reach the peak until tomorrow so we have a ways to go in order to see this thing improve.

Keep in mind these pictures were taken this morning.....I am sure this is good compared to what it may look like now.

Susquehanna River Harrisburg

Starting to come over the side of Front Street

One of the entrances to our neighborhood

City Island is full

One of the bridges on the Susquehanna River

The walkway by the river.

One of the saddest pictures we took, a pair of pants, a pillow some plastic sheets and a blanket washed from underneath the bridge where some homeless folks stay.

Ya think?

Ducks in the parking lot of the baseball stadium

there were a few cars in the garage and the water was about to swallow them

All along 2nd, 3rd and Front street people had moving trucks loaded with furniture and any items they wanted to keep.  Even the Governor's residence had moving trucks in the driveway.  There was stuff piled up all along the streets that people had pulled out of their basements that had already gotten too wet to salvage.

This is the walking bridge on the Susquehanna going to City Island

Looking across the river to the West Shore from City Island.  These 2 restaurants are now under water.

 A fire in our neighborhood...not sure the story

One of the entrances to our street

 I didn't let the kids stay and watch, was a little afraid the person was going to be stuck in her car. She made it out through her back door and got some help to get her car out.

We saw her a little later a block from here trying to start her car and bailing water out of the floorboard with a McDonald's cup.  She was slightly frustrated to say the least.

We will post some more pictures and updates tomorrow.  Please pray for the folks affected in our area, its going to be a difficult recovery for a lot of people and we are blessed to only have to worry about a few inches of water in the basement so far.

How can you help???

click on the link    

http://www.redeeminggracepa.org/?page_id=377