August 29 was our 22nd wedding anniversary.
August 29 was the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastating landfall.
By candlelight, in the coolness of the morning, on September 2, 2005, a few days after Hurricane Katrina hit, I wrote the words to this song. Being without power at my house, I drove 200 miles to my in-laws' house where I recorded it on my Digitech GNX4.
Sparked by that event, my songwriting continued to flow and in February of this year, I traveled to Fort Wayne, Indiana to record an album of 11 original songs, with David Smith providing the backing instruments and harmony.
Link to song on iTunes
We are watching as Gustav seems to have taken aim on our area of the country. People have been acting more quickly, stocking up on supplies, etc. We are praying that we will be spared. We are trying to prepare for the worst.
This year, things are a little more difficult, as my dad has recently begun dialysis treatments 3 days a week in a town about 25 miles away. Gas shortages could make the trip difficult.
He's also on a machine that delivers a higher concentration of oxygen, which requires electricity. He doesn't require it 24-hours a day, but usually sleeps with it on. Our water comes from an electric well in our yard, which is the source of our drinking water, water for washing, flushing, whatever. We have a generator, but only about 30 gallons of gas. I'm not sure how long that will last. My parents live in a camp that they built on our property and are also on our well for water. I am trying to figure out the best way to maximize the use of the one generator. When Katrina hit, we didn't have the generator. We had a small swimming pool in the back yard, and I used water from the pool for flushing. Nine days without electricity. No bathing. No cooking. No air conditioning in August, early September in southwestern Mississippi. Lord, I would rather not repeat that!
Well, compared to others, we were very blessed to not suffer significant damage or injury.
I'm off to continue preparations...
Gerard
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Here are the lyrics to "Let's Work Together".
Let's Work Together
Words and music by
Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.
Times are hard, but we are strong.
We're Americans, aren't we?
We've been through wars and storms before
and made it back again, haven't we?
Don't let this storm bring out the worst in you.
Take my hand and we'll make it through.
(Chorus)
Let's work together. Let's help each other
to live together and love one another.
Let's work together. Let's help each other
to live together and love one another.
No, it won't be easy. It will never be the same.
Let's look around at what we've got
and not for someone else to blame.
(Repeat Chorus)
And before we start on any plans,
Let's look to Heaven, give thanks for what we have.
Let's ask forgiveness for when we've failed.
Let's ask for mercy to endure the trials.
Let's ask for wisdom as we plan,
Let's ask for strength as we begin
to work together and help each other.
to live together and love one another.
(Repeat Chorus)
Copyright (C) 2005 Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.
Post a Comment