“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'”
~Fred Rogers

Mr. Rogers’ quote about looking for the helpers is one that is cited often. 
So often, in fact, that it may make us cynically roll our eyes some days. 
Though just because it’s quoted often doesn’t mean that it’s not true. 

Last week was a challenging one for many people.  Some of us didn’t lose electricity hardly at all while others lost electricity for days.  It happens, though we’re all probably less used to it happening in August than in the winter.  Is it easier to deal with the heat or the cold during times like these?  Depends on who you ask! 

Yet losing electricity and dealing with storm damage on top of a pandemic and so many other circumstances all of us are dealing with was a lot to take.  Even if we couldn’t do it in the moment, maybe we can look for the helpers in this latest round of challenges? 

The people who let us use their wifi or charge up our devices at their homes. 
The people who let us store items that needed refrigerated in their homes if they had power or a generator. 
The people who let us shower in their homes or brought us water if we’re on wells and had an especially hard few days. 
The people who helped us clean our yards and remove debris. 
The electrical lineworkers and tree removal crews who worked under challenging circumstances to restore power, some even coming from out of state to help us. 
The truth is that there were helpers all around. 

So thank you, God, for those who help during scary, stressful, and/or challenging moments. 
Thank you, God, for electricity and the ways it keeps us connected to one another. 
And thank you, God, for our church family continuing to weather these storms with you by our side.  Amen. 

Love,
Pastor Lauren 

This Week’s Thoughts 8.13.20