Remembering April 27th, 2011

As many of you probably know, April 27th, 2011 brought many changes for many families.  For ours, the change felt most was that of  learning that our Tom had gone to be with the Lord just minutes after a tornado brought down the house (and many others in our community and state) and left many trapped until help arrived (dear friends and neighbors).

We find it incredibly hard to believe that it's now been two years, and we wish to share with you how very grateful we are for the kind emails, notes, flowers, cookies and candies, smiles, hugs, phone calls, visits, and prayers sent our way and which remind us of the truth of the following statement:  Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by doubling our joy, and dividing our grief.  And..."A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." ~ Proverbs 17:17

We spent part of the anniversary weekend visiting with dear friends who also were hit by the tornado and an evening alone (just our family) remembering many a kind providence of the Lord and happy happy memories of Tom.  And speaking of kind providence's, no matter the difficulty, there always seem to be so many.  One I'd like to share concerns a jack which was used to lift a main beam.

As friends worked to locate and free each person, one realized a jack was going to be necessary in order to get  the main beam of the house jacked up and off of people.   He asked one of my daughters, who was already out, if we might have a jack and if she could get it.  We had many jacks, but they and the building in which they were stored had been blown away.  My oldest son, Jordan, was still trapped but overheard the urgent request for a jack.  He was the ONLY one who new that his father had purchased a new one on the way home from work and before the storm hit.  He could not see outside and didn't know if his father's truck was still where he'd left it (some vehicles weren't), but he told them that if it was, to look in the back floor board.  They should find a BRAND NEW jack purchased from Tractor supply...just because they were on sale.

Now, I must tell you that I can't fathom WHY Tom purchased a new jack.  We were trying to save money and we DID NOT need a new jack.  We already had several.  My husband didn't know we were going to need a new jack.  But God knew.  And even though Tom had no idea what was soon to come, the purchase he made was used to bless his family.

I can't tell you what a comfort that is.  And there are so many others which come to mind.

We're reminded in John 14, "Let not your heart be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me."  But it's hard to choose to not let our hearts be troubled.  Difficult things happen.  Storms of various kinds are experienced by all.  Tragedies, such as those most recently, seem to come frequently.

But we reach for the hope...knowing He's really the One holding on to us.  And we know that our great God works all things together for good... and that He leads His children along...EVEN WHEN WE DON'T KNOW IT'S HAPPENING.  Like when purchasing a jack we don't *need.*

And finally, in summing up, we still want to keep alive Tom's memory in our hearts and minds. And we want to continue to honor the legacy he left of serving the Lord from a heart very grateful to God for all he'd been given and forgiven.  And we desire to be faithful in telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord.  And of how He continues to lead His children along.

  And once again, we are also very grateful for you all.  For your prayers and kind expressions and for the gift of friendship and family.

God bless you!

The Lee Family

"The memory of the righteous will be a blessing..."   ~  Proverbs 10:7  ~