YIKES, Ike! (Part 1)

Four days ago, on September 11, residents of the Texas coast (and others along the Gulf Coast) were making up their minds about how to greet hurricane Ike. At that time Ike was nearing the Houston area and, like The Clash’s lyrics, many people were wondering, “Should I stay or should I go?” With a variety of reasons on either side, people began storm preparations. Some people boarded up homes and stocked up on food and water, while others packed up valuables and pets and began the trek out of town. Everyone has their own colorful story of where they “hunkered” down. (After “the” and “and”, the word “hunkered” was the most used word by journalists covering the storm.)

I was out of town during this time, watching 24 hour news coverage. In story after story, we noticed the reporter’s continual repetition of how someone was “hunkering down”, to which we found ourselves giving an automatic response of “hunker down!” Merriam-Webster defines this as settling in or digging in for a sustained period, and actually is the perfect word to describe what was happening in countless households. Some people have completed the “hunker” process and are arriving home to find that everything is just fine. But there are others who are still “hunkering” and playing the waiting game to find out when power is returned or just waiting for the opportunity to get home.

I pray that wherever you are, you are safe and finding the help you need. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and allow someone the blessing of coming to your aid. Be sure to stay in touch with your friends and family and thank God for all that He has brought you through.