Life presents alternatives for the choices each person will make in a lifetime. Choose the wrong alternative and the path for life will either be one of reward or dependency. Weather events of the past few years illustrate what alternatives are available and the choices made relative to those events.

A huge hurricane hit New Orleans, Louisiana causing both loss of life and gigantic property losses. The area was paralyzed for months as the people made pleas for help to the state and federal governments. Ray Nagin, the mayor, and the governor of the state didn’t know what to do. The governor said of the problem, “This is so overwhelming.” What was the reason that paralysis was the order of the day? That will be seen later in the article.

Then in 2012, a hurricane Sandy inflicted damage on the east coast causing loss of life and destruction of houses and businesses. Yet, in 2013 the damage still has not been corrected. Debris still litters areas of New York and New Jersey with no expectation that it will be gone anytime soon. What is the problem that the destruction hasn’t been cleaned up? Again, that will be seen later in the article.

Joplin, Missouri, was devastated by a tornado in 2011. Property was destroyed but the worst was the loss of life. Families were torn asunder causing pain that will last for the rest of their lives. Though the people of Joplin were not as prepared for a disaster as they should have been or might have been, the city is recovering and well on the way to being healed. The reason will be seen shortly.

Vilonia, Arkansas, was hit by a tornado in April 2011. The residents began the recovery process immediately. There were interruptions of the work at times (one when FEMA made a group serving food move to another location. Never doubt the government’s ability to interfere), but they forged ahead, determined to return to normal. The small town had few resources, but help arrived in the form of material, equipment and human from all directions. Vilonia is still not back, but the residents aren’t giving up on the rebuilding.   

On May 20, 2013, an EF5 tornado roared through Moore, Oklahoma. Twenty four people died and 13,000 houses and businesses were destroyed or damaged. Immediately after the storm went through, the residents of Moore came forth to begin the search for and rescue those trapped in the wreckage. Workers began the removal of trees and other debris from the streets. Utility crews from other areas poured in to begin the restoration of power. Though more rain and wind assaulted the area on Wednesday, the work continued to bring back some little bit of normalcy to the community.

 Now back to New Orleans and its lack of recovery. That area has received government handouts to the point that the lackey Democrat mayor and welfare receiving residents had no idea how to fend for themselves. The governor, a liberal Democrat, was also helpless since she was dependent on the federal handouts. Though they knew the storm was going to hit, they had no plan for coping or no plan for evacuation.  It was chaos and after the storm passed, they sat and yelled for the government to help them. FEMA arrived days later and only added to the confusion. What was the reason for the paralysis? Years of dependency on government aid made it impossible for them to help themselves. Impotence best describes the lack of ability to recover from the storm. 

On the east Coast, hurricane Sandy victims behaved much as did the New Orleans residents. They wanted government help. FEMA added to the problem by issuing rules and demanding that residents could only do what they approved. The mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, puffed out words and mostly didn’t do anything worthwhile. Chris Christy, governor of New Jersey, behaved much like Bloomberg. He issued a lot of hot air, shook hands with nut job, and did nothing more. Draconian laws and regulations prevented the citizens without some bureaucracy’s approval from doing work to recover. Utility crews from other states were sent back home because they were not union members and the local union crews refused to work with them. Ignorance, politics and lack of planning made a bad situation worse. Government was supposed to help them. It didn’t work for them then and it still isn’t working months later.

What a difference in Joplin, Vilonia, and Moore in comparison to the other two. Though Joplin and Vilonia weren’t prepared as Moore, the resident’s can do spirit kicked in and their spirit began to function in both communities. They didn’t sit and wait for FEMA to show nor did they complain that the government wasn’t doing enough to help them. Help came to them from all directions and they welcomed it with open arms. When laws and rules stood in the way of doing the jobs, those laws and rules were suspended to aid the work, which might help prove that the laws and rules aren’t all that necessary.

Moore, Oklahoma, residents had a tornado plan and for the most part were ready, as is humanly possible, for the assault on the community. Their reliance on God, freely spoken, and their abilities to do the work began that day to bring the community back. They will recover and will return to being a viable community again. Loss of life was minimal, but one would have been too many; however tornadoes are no respecter of persons.

Each of the communities chosen for discussion had alternatives from which to choose. They each chose their path and the alternative each chose determined the outcome for each community. Two communities chose to depend on government and laws. The residents of New Orleans didn’t develop any abilities to help them survive. Why should they? The politicians told them government would help them. Though some tried to help themselves, for the most part they waited on government which did next to nothing and is still doing next to nothing at great expense to the taxpayers.  

Residents of New York and New Jersey had a mind set similar to the New Orleans residents. The local and state politicians impressed upon the residents that government would bail them out no matter what happened. It didn’t and it never will. Idiotic laws and rules further stifled any effort at independency.

The alternatives chosen by Joplin Vilonia and Moore residents enabled them to begin the arduous task of recovery. Those communities didn’t depend on the government; they depend on God and the abilities he gave to them. They warmed to the task before them and their communities are on the way back to good health.

Paul in Romans wrote 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) God is with them every step of the way and they have asked for his help and guidance. That is one of the alternatives; depend on God and ask for his help or shut him out and depend on the government. God works impossibilities every day and with him all good things are possible; with government most all that is promised is not possible. The people of three communities freely mentioned God; the residents of the other two seldom gave him notice.

Life’s path depends on the alternatives that each person chooses. The alternatives are God, independence and resiliency or government and dependency. Far too many choose the latter and become mired in misery. Those who choose the former always see the brilliant light at the end of the tunnel of darkness and work to enter the wonderful light of success. Those who choose the darkness of the tunnel never see the light, having become the victims of the stultifying alternative they chose.

© 05-24-2013 DEC