The Genealogies of 1 Chronicles (Cont'd)
Whew, more genealogies (chaps 7-12). I notice that wedged in the midst of all the Chronicler's "begats" are little tidbits of life. Buried in the begats are all the little stories of people, like Jabez, who had to live as one named by his mother "pain in my neck!" In chap 7, in between some begats, is the story of a battle between the people of Gath and Ephraim's sons over some ... cattle. Ephraim's sons died. Not the first time someone died in a robbery as life plays out. So a father mourns his children. Lots of little tidbits about the lives of people who were a part of some bigger picture. Just a little bit of the life of ordinary people can be seen oozing through the lens of the big picture story. And in it all is God.

I volunteered at the George R. Brown Center yesterday. My job was hauling laundry and used bedding for evacuees who were "moving on up," mostly into their own apartments. I had a chance to talk with several evacuees of Hurricane Katrina and hear their stories. Two fathers , Edward and Alvin, had sent their families out of New Orleans ahead of the storm. Both endured a harrowing night of terror in their homes. Both came to Houston in search of their families. Alvin told me he didn't know where his family was. The George R. Brown was the first shelter he came to. Not knowing his family's whereabouts, he walked inside and starting calling his children's names. Suddenly, he heard, "Daddy!" Just a little bit of the life of ordinary people seen oozing through the lens of the big picture story. And God is in it.

A woman whose name I can't now remember worked at New Orleans Children's Hospital. I helped her pack up her brand "new" $1,500-car as she made her way to her newly assigned apartment. She was excited about beginning a new life in Houston. Just a little bit of the life of ordinary people can be seen oozing through the lens of the big picture story. And God is in it.

Edward had been waiting for days to receive his housing assignment. The call came as we sat and talked. "You're good luck, man!" he said to me. Just a little bit of the life of ordinary people can be seen oozing through the lens of the big picture story. And God is in it.