Volunteers take a break after hard work cleaning up tornado debris. The volunteer spirit lives in Out of the Wind. |
From time to time, I am without the words to express myself. The shock of an unexpected, yet natural, death puts me into such a state. I keep remembering her vibrant spirit, her smile, and her laugh, but more so, I think of her ability to motivate my daughter and encourage others. There's just not much else to say.
This is not another commercial for my book, but if you will allow me, I will say this: in Out of the Wind, one of the background characters mixes tea for the tornado recovery volunteers. She is trying to get just the right amount of sugar in the mix to satisfy our volunteers from Kentucky. As simple as it is, that image of "Mrs. Benefield" making tea to serve to our friends is one I wanted to remember in my writing. Every time I read that one brief paragraph, I will remember Patricia. Strangely, I gave that character the name Benefield because of my elementary school acquaintance who recently passed, as well. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed “Why do You stand afar off, O LORD?
Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (NASB) |
AuthorD. Ed. Hoggatt is an award-winning fourth grade teacher. Click Titles to Order Now
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July 2017
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