Posting this for a friend

Hey, everyone, I am not a "blogger" and it's not often that I use e-mail as an opinionforum. But as I was watching the hurricane coverage on TV tonight, athought hit me between the eyes.Many people are upset with the government (FEMA, etc.) for failing to actfast enough to help the hurricane victims. Perhaps the criticism isjustified. State, local, and federal officials did not implement aneffective plan for meeting basic, immediate needs--with some really direconsequences. But ordinary people all over this country have pulled together withoutwaiting for the government to step in. Several of us at my church in Ohiospent the midday organizing donations in the back of a U-Haul (thank you,Patty E., for your hard work--it was all worth it!). I saw a similareffort at a gas station down the street. I've heard of people going downto shelters and taking entire families home with them for an indefinitestay. A black church in Biloxi has become a de-facto community center,serving hundreds of meals and hosting relief groups coming in from allover. Where government fell through, churches and other groups have donewhat they've always done--stepped in and met the people's needs withevery resource that God provided to them.I know a day might come that I need the services of the feds. Moreover,it may well be that only the government's pockets are deep enough toprovide assistance for "the great rebuild." But isn't it nice that thegood Lord gave us all a brain, a heart, and two hands to use until thesheriff rides into Dodge? Just a thought. May God bless everyone whohas stepped in to help those whose hands are tied......Elena Stevenson

Responding to Katrina

~Jen~

For fun I thought I would add these pic’s of my beautiful friend Jen ~ she just moved for MN to CT which is still the same driving distance from me which really sux! She had her 20 yr high school reunion so i swiped her pics, *evil wicked Grin* anyway I need to learn how to upload photos so I thought I would torture her with these:)

Jen and I met what seems a lifetime ago, I was a seasonal radio announcer. Translation I was a DJ for a 24 hr Christmas music station! I know it’s scary shush don’t tell anyone k :) she also worked for that station a year or so before. One of the DJ’s kept telling each of us we should meet she was a nanny in CT as I had been before I went into Youth Ministry, she was also a person of faith and according to Jim a hell of a lot of fun and he was sure we would hit it off.

One night while Jim was up to his usual shenanigans trying to get me to screw up on the air, this girl breezed in with a cream coat and bright red hair perhaps not so natural lol. She invited me to a party at her house New Years B-day haven’t a clue her family adopted me and I spent every chance I could with them. The rest is history now 16 or 17 years (gotta count the big numbers:) later she has a fab hubby two beautiful kids one in each flavor and is still an awesome friend and a great encouragement to me.