I don't think I've ever met 2 people more positive, upbeat, charismatic, and spiritual as my friends, John and Kara. It's been a over a week since they've been evacuated from their home in New Orleans, into my home in Houston. It's been a week since they realized that they may have just lost everything that they own. And it's been 28 years since they've realized that they are truly blessed...lucky just to be alive and healthy. These 2 can turn any situation into a positive one. They turn stress into faith, trauma into strength, tears of sadness into tears of laughter.

My in-laws, who live about 5 minutes from me, are also housing some New Orleans refugees. They know, for a fact, that they have lost everything. They've been informed that the flooding is as high as 3 feet on the second floor of their home - the home that they've lived in for the past 30 years of their lives. When John and Kara found this out, they immediately began devising a plan as to how they could help out this family. "What should we do?" Kara asked me. "We don't really have any money to give them. Maybe we can just cook them some meals everyday so that they have one less thing to worry about while they're rebuilding their home." I didn't have the heart to remind Kara that she probably didn't even have a kitchen anymore herself. But at the same time, I marveled at her true sense of selflessness. Both she and John are always the first to volunteer to help any friend in need.

The funny thing is that while John and Kara are grateful that I opened up my home to them, I, instead, feel like I should be thanking them. Having them in my home has reminded me to have faith, to be more kind, and laugh a little louder and longer. Just last week, in a moment of self-pity, I prayed to God and asked Him to send a little love my way. He sent me John and Kara the next day.

Amen.