My husband kindly sprayed down the house on Friday, trying to knock much of the big mud off. Saturday morning, it was still an awful mess. I don't know that I realized the real impact until I was trying to clean it up.
I too hosed the house down to no avail. Then I got out my dawn cleaning solution, a scrub brush, large tattered rag and I began scrubbing. What a chore!
The job required cleaning off the siding, the porch, the windows, the furniture on the porch, and light fixtures. Eek, what a muddy mess.
As I was cleaning I started thinking about people who suffer serve damages due to weather. Things like flooding, oh my stars I couldn't begin to imagine! Tornadoes, where your roof is literally lifted off of your house. Hurricanes, taking your house apart piece by piece. Fire, for instance, a few summers ago when the fires crept into neighborhoods destroying homes ~ everything inside, either due to fire or smoke damage. I'm sure there are more instances, these were the ones that came to mind.
As I cleaned, I was grateful for my limited damage and I was grateful for the ability to clean it up myself. I was grateful we weren't displaced or others.
This, although a very small situation in a big picture view, brought me an empathy I perhaps did not have before. Not that I didn't care or worry, or have a heart for those who suffered damages due to weather on their homes. I do feel terrible for those who suffer, however my heart will feel differently in the next situation as I reflect on how small my situation is and how devastating could have been.
Sometimes in moments like this, I pause and I thank God for opening my eyes a bit wider to things I don't fully take into consideration or understand. How in His loving way He is able to pull back the layers a bit and let me see what it means to be in a situation, without fully submerging me in it.
This morning, I have a great deal more compassion and empathy for others who take on far greater challenges than the minor clean-up I endured.
Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes, and my heart so that I might have better eyes to see and a heart filled with more compassion and understanding when a need arises.
"Our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses"
Hebrews 4:15