It's been over a month since the tornado struck my hometown. I'd like to say that things are finally back to normal.

But they're not. I don't know if they'll ever be, at least not completely. Until that day, we never thought anything like that could happen to us. For those of you who have no idea where Big Stone Gap is, it's a teeny little town of about 5,000 people, tucked snugly into the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. We have approximately 10 traffic lights, and in the winter months our sole attraction is Wal-Mart. In the summer, we host one of the longest running outdoor dramas in Virginia, the Trail of the Lonesome Pine Outdoor Drama. It's a place where everybody knows everybody else, or they know somebody who knows somebody who knows your daddy. Get the picture?

I've often complained that everybody knows everybody else's business in that town, but I realized that there's an upside to that, too. In the days following the tornado, word traveled fast. People flocked from miles around to help us recover. Benefit concerts were staged, food and clothing drives were launched. It's humbling to see how many people really cared about us.

Now, a month later, the mess has mostly been cleaned up, although some people are still waiting on insurance claims and repairs to be finalized. The park has been drastically straightened but still isn't open to the public--although they are allowing teams to use the baseball field. Those kids playing T-ball or baseball brought the first signs of life and laughter to that place since the storm last month. The sight and sound gave me hope, hope that things would eventually get back to normal--or at least reasonably close. Yes, many homes are gone, and some of the items damaged or lost can't be replaced. And yes, the trees that once provided shade to the folks at the picnic tables are gone, too.

But maybe, just maybe, all wasn't lost. We regained a sense of community that we've long been lacking. We gained an appreciation for each other, for our rescue workers, and for the God who brought us through this without one loss of life. Even though some people lost a lot, we can still be grateful for life and for second chances. That's something to think about, isn't it?