Even clouds that ride on hurricanes have silver linings

First off, I need to say that my wife Chris, my 99 year old mother-in-law Robina and I are deeply grateful to all those with IPSC who so generously offered us shelter from hurricane Matthew. Of the six offers, we accepted the one that we did for reasons related to mom’s difficulty with stairs, etc. I did not realize until after we had arrived at the home of our hosts that I was within walking distance of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia where I was to speak the following Sunday. And that allowed me to make a poor joke “As I live in Bluffton, ordinarily I would have left at 5 am to drive here, but since it was a nice sunny day, I decided to walk.” Wonderful, welcoming and engaged congregation and I want thank Rebecca Drennan and Cheryl Soehl for the invitation to speak there.
 
But back to our accommodations. Our hosts fed, sheltered and entertained in the most gracious manner. My mother-in law-was as comfortable and as well taken care of as we could have hoped for. Our hosts were LDS, commonly known as Mormons, and as I grew up in that culture in Utah we had a lot to discuss. I was quite happy to find LDS participation in our organization and I must say that our hostess Deborah represents this faith in exemplary fashion. The LDS religion has a creed encoded in their 13 Articles of Faith, the 11th of which is “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” As open and willing to discuss religion as they were there was no proselytizing. All in all a most enjoyable visit and a kindness my family will long remember.
 
When Chris, mom and I returned home on Monday afternoon there was massive damage in our neighborhood, apparently a tornado cut a swath through as well as the destruction wrought by the howling winds of the hurricane. Our home was untouched, water and power working for which we are deeply grateful. Several days later we found that although the Port Royal Plantation of Hilton Head Island, where Chris' mom lives, sustained significant damage but her home suffered no damage either.

As Oprah and others often have said, there is no more important prayer than that of gratitude. Thank you!