Shelter from the Storm

When I was a child I built "forts" out of pecan branches and Spanish moss. The shelters looked more like moss igloos than forts but with a vivid imagination one could pretend that crawling into this fortress could protect you from the outside world.

I did not stay in my fort very long because this was usually in the summer in the Delta country of southern Mississippi. The leftovers from nature did "not" protect from the humidity and I discovered that mosquitoes knew how to penetrate my fort.

Still, I made the fortress and there was a certain pride in standing back and realizing that without tools or training I had made a dwelling place. A good thunderstorm could wreak havoc to my shelter but there were plenty of building materials remaining.

We are people who need shelter. We like to know that there is something between us and the outside world. Alas no mater the materials all of our shelters are temporary. When I was a child I did childish things but when I grew up I took up another vocation to help people "build shelters" using materials that are more permanent. The result is being able to know there is One who is our "shelter from the stormy blast."

After I finished my Spanish moss forts I would go up to my grandmother's front porch where you could find everyone from the town drunk to the mayor of the state. That porch was a "dwelling place" where all were welcomed and offered hospitality and love. I love to be able to offer that kind of shelter and dwelling place...
jody jseymour@davidsonumc.org
(I'm away for a few days so there may be a blog vacation of sorts..we'll see..)