Pray for Oklahoma

I HATE TORNADOES!!!!

Grace in the Storm

From Grace in the Storm - How to pray for people affected by Super Storm Sandy.

Lord, have mercy!

How Hot is It?

Don't know about where you live, but where I live it's been pretty hot!
    

Storms and Death... and Hope

Yesterday there was a horrible line of storms and tornadoes across the southern USA. I found out last night that a tornado touched down on the Mississippi farm where my Dad spent his childhood and youth. One of my cousins and her husband were killed when the storm destroyed their trailer.  Beverly and Mike were good people, and Christian believers. They had moved back to the family homestead to help care for our elderly Uncle Terrell, who had a heart attack two years ago and has been in poor health.

This means I will be attending a funeral this weekend. I hate funerals. I hate death. In those sentiments I am in good company, because Jesus also hated funerals. He hated them so much that he disrupted every funeral he ever attended..... with a resurrection.

As he disrupted funerals all over Galilee, one day He will disrupt death itself. I am looking forward to the final funeral disruption and our eternal resurrection.  I will see you again, Beverly!

"When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (I Cor 15:54-55 ESV)

Weather Drama

It's been a tough week for weather where I live.  On Monday we had a brief storm with high winds. Look at what fell in my driveway, just missing my car.

Then on Friday we had a line of storms come through with several tornadoes. The video below was shot just a few miles from my office.



Another twister did great damage near the campus of Mississippi College, my Alma Mater. I am thankful to God for his protection and care during these storms - and hope the weather drama is over for a while!  Prayers for those who were injured and for those whose homes and businesses were damaged.

Calvin & Hobbes on Snowman Evolution

On this snowy day in Mississippi (where we rarely get any snow) I can appreciate a good Calvin & Hobbes snow cartoon.

Hat Tip:Calvin & Hobbes on Snowman Evolution – Justin Taylor

A Dusting of Snow in Dixie

This picture was taken in my backyard after a dusting of snow overnight. Snow doesn't happen very often down here in Dixie!

Katrina Anniversary

Today is the 4th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. New Orleans got the publicity, but the center of the storm hit Mississippi.

Here's what I wrote last year about our family's experiences during that storm.

I pray that nothing like this happens this year!

Hurricane Anniversary

Marshall Ramsey cartoon from the Jackson, MS The Clarion-Ledger

This Monday was the 40th anniversary of Hurricane Camille, which devastated the Mississippi gulf coast in 1969. Next week will be the 4th anniversary of Katrina, which landed around Waveland, MS on August 29, 2005.

God be with us this year.

Snow in Mississippi!

Oh the weather outside is frightful
But inside it's so delightful
As long as there's no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow let it snow!

You got to let us southerners act a little silly when it snows (as it is doing as I post this). It happens so rarely here.

We Don't Like Ike!

First Fay, then Gustav, now Ike!

Let's all offer many prayers for the people of Galveston and Houston tonight and tomorrow.

Dodged the Bullet

Still raining here. However, it looks like the worst is past for us. New Orleans has apparently dodged the bullet this time.

Thank God!

But there are several other storms on the horizon. Let's keep praying.

Gustav

Everyone should say some prayers tonight and tomorrow for the people of New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast.

Katrina: Three Years Later

Oh, Yeah - I well remember it.

On Sunday morning, August 28, 2005, the forecasts were frightening. I called my daughter in Hattiesburg -only a one hour drive from Gulfport- and begged her to come home before the storm hit. I warned her that a powerful storm like this would have a large impact on her so close to the shore. She resisted, but finally came home Sunday afternoon. 


Monday morning the storm hit just west of Gulfport. Biloxi and Gulfport got the 30 foot high storm surge on the eastern side of the storm. Many of the hotels and restaurants we have enjoyed over the years were gone forever in just a few hours. New Orleans on the west side of the storm got the heavy rain plus the winds over Lake Pontchartrain, resulting in the breaking and overflow of the levies.

Here is what I wrote to a friend in Maryland on Tuesday, August 30, 2005, the day after the storm:

We just got our power back about 3:15 after more than 24 hours without electricity.

The Jackson area got at least tropical force winds, possibly higher. Most of the area lost power. There are trees down all over our neighborhood, including one across our next door neighbors driveway. We drove through the neighborhood last evening and saw many trees down, some broken in half and some torn up by the roots. We have no damage that I can find, but still have a lot of limbs and branches to clear and dispose of. One very large branch bounced off our roof over the kitchen, but I don’t think we were damaged.

We are so thankful that Michelle took our advice and came home on Sunday. Her home in Hattiesburg is less than 100 miles from Gulfport. Hattiesburg got Category 3 hurricane force winds. The entire city is without power and has no water. There are trees down on every major street in Hattiesburg. All routes from Jackson to Hattiesburg or the coast are closed and impassible. A friend checked on her house and said there are trees on the roof but it does not look like the roof was penetrated.

You probably know more about conditions in New Orleans, Biloxi and Gulfport than I do. What a horrible mess and a great tragedy! Keep praying

I've been to New Orleans twice since Katrina. There is still a lot of damage there. The Mississippi coast communities were devastated and will never be the same. Landmarks that survived Hurricane Camille in 1969, and all the other storms for over 200 years, are gone for good.

Storms are a fact of life on the gulf coast. My brother and his family in Tampa, Florida have certainly seen their share of them. Now, according to current forecasts, Hurricane Gustaf might be heading right for the Louisiana coast. Hurrican Hanna threatens Florida. Here we go again!


Please pray for us, and for all the residents of the Gulf Coast.

Goodbye, Fay.

The rain finally stopped. Goodbye, Fay

Rain

It's raining. And raining. And raining. And raining.

Did I mention that it is raining?

Fay, Fay, go away. Don't come again another day!

Update: 8:30 pm. Guess what? It's Raining!