In April of 1985 (thank you Lori and Jennifer!!), on a Friday night I went to spend the night with my memaw Flossie and granddaddy Marvin. It was a strategic move by a 13 year old, so that I could watch The Dukes of Hazard and Dallas. My memaw NEVER missed Dallas, but my parents wouldn't let me watch it!! Plus, memaw made some serious pancakes, so breakfast was always amazing! Anyway, that night a tornado came through Atco, Georgia. A bad one. The village houses in Atco weren't the safest place to be during a tornado either. We hunkered down in the "hall" between two bedrooms and listened, as the most horrible noise I've ever heard went overhead. We were lucky. No damage, other than debris, at our end of Atco. But, down at the other end where we went to church, Atco Baptist Church had some 100 year old oaks that had fallen all over the property and a couple of gorgeous stained glass windows damaged. Still very lucky but also a lot of damage.
That Saturday morning brought a sunrise and a new day. VERY early, my granddaddy and I left for the church. There was a group of men gathering quickly with chainsaws and axes, trucks and gloves. We worked ALL day! Chainsaws running. Sawdust flying. Sweat dripping. Loading "firewood" onto trucks to carry to people's homes that had fireplaces. I don't even recall how many of our gorgeous oaks were knocked to the ground by the tornado (I think 5), but I remember that they were all cut up that day and the city workers had worked all day and only got one cut up on the road in front of the church. I recall that day being the first time that I felt like "a man of the church". I had always gone to church. I had always gone to church at Atco Baptist. But, that day was different. I had sweat and sawdust and mud-stained clothing (maybe even a splinter or two), same as my daddy, my granddaddy Marvin, my granddaddy Austin and the other "men of the church". I don't know how many men gathered that day to accomplish the task. I can name a lot of them, but in fear of forgetting some, I will not. That night I remember clearly feeling older than I was, because I did a man size day of work, not for money, or for reason of gain, but just because that was what "a man of the church" does.
I write this memory today, because I got to relive it a little this weekend from a different perspective. Our county was hit with a tragedy last Wednesday. A tornado hit Adairsville. A very tough direct hit by a F3. A lot of damage, a lot of demolished property, a lot of injuries and one tragic death.
The Bartow Baptist Association put together (and are continuing to) a relief effort. They called for manpower. They asked for help and asked for folks that have them to bring their chainsaws. I told Donna I felt like I should go even though she and I were planning on spending some time together. She agreed, but then IT happened. A 12 year old little boy in the back seat asked THE QUESTION! "Dad, can I go?" My first instinct was, "NO"!! You are way too young. You could get hurt. Blah, blah, blah.....
Until the story I told above came to the forefront of my mind. I remembered it all. I couldn't help but say yes. Sure it was going to be cold. Sure it was going to be dangerous. Sure it was going to be hard work. Grif knew all of that, but he still asked. It was a great day that we had together! I ran a chainsaw all day. I watched him keep a close eye on me to make sure his dad didn't get hurt, but I also saw him dragging limbs to the designated piles. I saw my boy picking up logs bigger than he should have and struggling to get them over the the log pile. I saw him helping. I saw him being exactly where God wanted him that day. I saw him getting a taste of what it is like to be a man of the church.
It was a proud moment for this daddy! To let my son see that sacrificing the "god" that we in America call a weekend to help someone in need isn't much of a sacrifice! It is what we as Christians are called to do. Matthew 25:40 tells us that whatever we do for the least of these my brothers and sisters we do for Christ.
Right now our brothers and sisters in Adairsville need us. I hope we do not ask, "Lord when did I see you hungry and not give you food? When did I see you thirsty and not give you drink? When did I see you naked and not clothe you?"
Lord, when did I see trees down on your property and not take them away? When did I see you thirsty and not bring you water? When did I see debris over your city and not clean it up? What ever we do for our brothers and sisters in Adairsville, we do for Christ.
Craig
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