After The Storm

It's no secret that Houstonians and people all over the upper Texas coast have suffered some devastating effects recently from Hurricane Ike. While, at this writing, many people in the city still don't have power, many area homeowners have made some early assessments of storm damage to their property. For a lot of families, the decision to jump right into clean-up mode of their homes and property was an easy one. In fact, for many, while waiting for power to return, clearing debris and making minor repairs gave those families a needed project--something they could proactively do to get their lives back to normal.

For other folks, the devastation has been much more severe. For instance, many homes that originally existed on Bolivar Peninsula, north of Galveston, prior to the storm, no longer exist. They have been blown away completely, leaving nothing but a foundation. Obviously, the only choice those families will have is whether or not to rebuild those houses.

Over the course of time, massive storms hit marriages, too. When a big storm blows hard against a marriage, there can also be devastating results. Storms against a marriage might come in the form of job loss, an affair, a serious illness, perhaps even a death in the family. However, sometimes, even when something traumatic happens to a marriage, the damage can remain minimal. Those couples in those situations might benefit from merely tidying up a bit, maybe purging some of the debris of an unhealthy relationship. Working together, that couple can probably repair the damage themselves and become stronger as a couple in the process.

But what do you do when your house seems to be blown away completely? What happens when there seems to be nothing left of your home after a major storm? Good question. If there's a strong foundation remaining, a more dramatic decision can still be made together--whether or not to rebuild. Obviously, rebuilding a home from the ground up is a much more challenging project. But families do it all the time. Rebuilding certainly requires more work. It usually requires assistance from professionals. And rebuilding requires a long-term, big-picture approach along with a lot of patience and faith. But the benefits of rebuilding can be so worth it. The end result can be a more beautiful home that is stronger and better built than it ever was.

Caring for a loving home is a great responsibility and privilege--and it's always hard work. Hang in there to do what you can to make the most of the blessing you have been given. Be proactive to do what you can to keep your home strong and in good repair.