A test of the Memory - What happened on...?

Do any of you know what happened on April 27?

I know...we have to really think about it. So much has happened since then...

There's been the royal wedding.

The death of America's Most Wanted man.

The drama with the IMF chief.

The whole Schwarzenegger debacle.

The mighty Mississippi has flooded farms and small towns all down its path.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been rockin' the NBA playoffs.

With all that going on, it's easy to understand if you've forgotten April 27.

April 27 brought terrible and devastating tornadoes to several Alabama towns - causing more destruction and loss of life than even the May 3 tornadoes Oklahomans remember so well.

There are many stories of heartbreak and loss; stories that make your stomach lurch because of the sadness they evoke. Stories that make you hold your kids a little more tightly and make you want to hold your possessions a little more loosely.

There are stories of compassion and sacrifice, of Christ-like service and generosity.

My friend Rachel who lives in Alabama is living one of those stories. She and a few of her blogging friends have set up funds and wish-lists to gather baby supplies for those families who have lost everything.

Rather than trying to tell Rachel's story for her, I'm going to beg, plead, and cajole you to visit Rachel's blog.

Look at her pictures. Laugh at her jokes. Read her thoughts. Pray for her and her family. Send her coupons. Spread the word.

Donate items to these families with young children. Pray for those people who have lost every earthly possession; pray that Christ will become an indestructible, treasured possession to them.

Remember that not so long ago, it was our city that was destroyed. It was our schools that were cancelled. Our homes that were flattened.

In our world where breaking news happens every five minutes, it's easy to forget that some disasters take a long time to recover from. Families in Alabama are still reeling from their losses and struggling to get set up again.

If you can help, please do.

If you can spread the word, please do.

If you will pray, please do.