Joplin Mo- Love

   You probably didn’t know, my home town is Joplin, Mo. I grew up there and graduated HS from the HS that was torn apart by the tornado.                   Auntie Lolo Crafts
   For a week now I have been on FB, and all sorts of news sites trying to see what I can and find out how my friends are that are still in Joplin. My parents, brother & I eventually moved a way a few years ago, so they are safe. But after living there so long we all had friends that still live there. Most are well and just trying to help others that had more damage than themselves. But I did lose a dear HS friend and her husband.
   Lorie and I had reconnected the last year or so on FB since our 30th HS reunion is next month. I was looking forward to seeing her sometime other than the reunion, wasn’t going to go, long boring story. When we were in HS together we both participated in choir, flag team and drama. On “senior night” we (Lorie, myself & a group of friends) went to Lories house for a party, then took a ride out to the “spook light” near Joplin, and ended up at HoJo’s for breakfast. It was an all night long, crazy night, that I have mostly forgotten. But not Lorie, she had pictures and memories from that night and shared them with me on FB.
   Lorie and her husband were just back from a Disney vacation, their favorite place in the whole world, to celebrate their anniversary. She was on a “Disney cloudy high” They’d just had so much fun there. But I that doesn’t make me sad, on the contrary, she was just so happy and in love.
   If you have a husband or significant other, you may understand better than others. But Lorie and her husband got to be together at the end. No one wants to be left behind alone. I have no doubt that they are in heaven with God comforting us in the loss of them. You never know when or where we will lose someone, but the loss after is hard, and Joplin has lost too many.
   Joplin is not the only town to be hit by severe weather this season. I feel sorry for all of the homes, business that have had damage in all places in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and many, many more states across the country. But Joplin was my home for a long time. Out of all the places my family lived Joplin was most of all “home”.
   Thanks to all my friends here in Kansas, and all over that have lifted Joplin up in prayer. A special thanks to strangers that have taken up the prayers for ones they don’t even know in towns all across the US. You don’t have to know someone personally to pray for their well being and safety. You just have to care.
Peace-