Tried With Fire

I never expected to be posting this soon. Thanks for praying. Irene weakened substantially before it hit our area, but many folks are without power and at least 6 deaths were reported due to the storm. I don't know what the coastal damage is like due to flooding, so prayers are still needed for those suffering now. Amazingly our neighborhood didn't lose power, which I fully expected. There was a large maple limb in my front yard which the pastor already tackled with his chain saw. My neighbor watched it break during the storm. It fell against the power lines causing the pole to dip. The pole sprang back up and the limb fell back in the yard. God was very merciful to answer my prayers that my neighbors wouldn't suffer because of my trees Thanks again for praying. Praise God for His kindness and mercy.

We're waiting for Hurricane Irene to reach Virginia tomorrow afternoon, and we're preparing as best we can. If she's anything like Isabel, we will be without power for an extended period of time. (It was 2.5 weeks with Isabel). Hope to be back after the hurricane, God willing. Your prayers are appreciated not only for us but for everyone in Irene's path.  Thanks. His oath his covenant, his blood, Support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.

10 inches of snow After nearly 24 hours of snowing, I'm finally digging out.  We had a total of 10 inches by the front door, higher in other spots with drifting.  This may be small potatoes for other parts of the country, but this storm may have set a record in our neck of the woods.  After clearing off the car this morning, I drove very very slowly to the closest main roads.  Our street is 2-3 inches of packed slush, ice, and snow, but in 2nd gear I was able to safely navigate the few blocks out of the neighborhood.  The main roads are mostly clear, and the highway should be fine, thanks to a report from a neighborly police officer. Therefore, I will be venturing out this afternoon to get my daughter!  She is starting to come down with something, so I will glad to have her home to give her some TLC.  The sun is shining right now which will help to melt the ice. But we should enjoy the snow while we can as this week-end will be in the 50's! Yeste...

It's been snowing since last evening.  When I retrieved the shovel from the shed an hour ago, the snow was 6-7 inches deep on the ground.  The worship service was cancelled this morning, so I am at home reading the word and hymns.  I'm also resisting the temptation to grumble because my daughter won't be coming home today due to the road conditions.  I also pray the roads will be clear enough to get her tomorrow. As I was looking out the window and watching the snow get deeper and deeper, I remembered this verse from Psalm 148: Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy winds fulfilling his word! God is sovereign over this snow storm.  He could have easily sent it tonight rather than last night or not at all, but it's snowing like crazy to fulfill His word. So rather than indulge in a bout of sinful complaining, which won't change the weather, bring her home any sooner, or help my attitude, ...

Issued by The National Weather Service Wakefield, VA 4:01 am EST, Thu., Dec. 16, 2010 ... WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EST THIS EVENING... A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EST THIS EVENING. * ACCUMULATION... 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW. * ICE AMOUNTS... A TRACE TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE IS POSSIBLE... MAINLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EVENING. * TIMING: SNOW WILL BEGIN BY MID MORNING WEST OF I-95... PUSHING INTO EASTERN VIRGINIA BY MID TO LATE MORNING... AND CONTINUING INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET... AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. We'll see if this occurs today.  We are snow wimps here in VA, so this forecast is a big deal for us.  Many school systems have already closed even though there hasn't been a single flake from the sky.  Most groce...

  Snow is so rare that even flurries are exciting.  It's not sticking to the roads, but it's starting to cover the yard.  It will probably be gone by tomorrow, but at least we can enjoy it today.

We may be getting some interesting weather tomorrow and Friday. Hurricane Earl is heading towards our general vicinity.  Lord willing, he will not make landfall on the North Carolina or Virginia coast.  However, our governor has already declared a state of emergency due to potential coastal flooding. Our last hurricane was Isabel in 2003, which was a Category 1 when it made landfall.  We were in the process of moving and were without power for 2-1/2 weeks.  Thankfully our old house and our new house survived the storm, but there was major damage throughout Virginia. My daughter asked if I would survive a hurricane better as a Calvinist.  I was not reformed in 2003 so I did not have the best grasp of the sovereignty of God.  I did not exhibit a very good testimony of contentment with His providence nor was I in a very gracious frame when a nearby tennis club had their power restored before we did. But God is sovereign and controls the hurricane for His...

This may be small potatoes for folks used to real winter weather, but every snow is exciting for us snow-deprived Virginians. There was hardly any snow earlier this morning, but the skies have opened up in the last hour. The National Weather Service predicts rapid accumulations of 1 to 2 inches of snow in an hour with high winds causing blizzard-like conditions. I am thankful we can enjoy the beauty of the snow from inside a warm house. I think this weather calls for some baking!

There's a winter storm watch for our area beginning tonight through Saturday evening. We haven't had any significant snow like this in seven years. I'm too old to play in the snow. However, this will be conducive for soup making and bread baking. From the National Weather Service: SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST LATE FRIDAY EVENING. THE SNOW MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SATURDAY... AND WILL CONTINUE INTO THE AFTERNOON... BEFORE TAPERING OFF TO SNOW SHOWERS IN THE EVENING. THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE AN AVERAGE OF 8 AND 12 INCHES OF SNOW ALONG THE VIRGINIA... NORTH CAROLINA BORDER WITH LESSER ACCUMULATION TOWARD THE ALBEMARLE SOUND WHERE SLEET WILL MIX WITH THE SNOW ON SATURDAY.

I know it's not nearly as cold here as elsewhere in the world, but it has been cold enough for me. Our normal temperatures should be in the 40-50 degree range, so 20-30 degree days are very cold for our neck of the woods. Our older home is not well insulated, and we are feeling the chill settle in. Even the bunnies with their built-in fur suits are parking out in front of the radiator. I will admit that I am a wimp when it comes to the cold. If I lived in Laura Ingalls Wilder's time, I would have either gone back East or been buried along the trail. Stay warm!

It's only a paltry 1 inch, but we'll take any amount of snow we can get. I took this picture before leaving for church this morning. As expected, it was all gone when I got home.

When I raised the blinds this morning, I discovered a cedar tree had fallen down in the yard last night. There was a period of high winds early in the evening. Combine that with the saturated ground, and you get a fallen tree. It did not hit the house. However, it is leaning against my neighbor's smaller trees and bushes and have pushed them against their house. I walked over there this morning, and it doesn't look like their roof is damaged. A tree guy (I think arborist is the correct title) is coming soon to check out the situation. We have had some tension with our neighbors due to the unfinished addition. They were rightly upset over that situation. I would rather not be in another conflict with them, but God is sovereign over the tree falling where it did. He must have a purpose for this. I am praying for grace and peace.

The Nor'easter has been drenching the area for more than 24 hours. We are expected to get a break from the storm on Saturday. Bridges and tunnels have been closed due to flooding and winds. We now have a moat around the house and a pond outside the kitchen window. There was a lone squirrel crouched at the base of a willow oak. On either side of the tree, little pondlets were forming. He (or she) reminded me of Piglet getting stranded in his house. Last time I checked, the squirrel was gone, so he must have made it to higher ground. I had to run some errands today. Some of the roads are flooded. Thankfully, I was able to get home safely after negotiating some minor flooding. We are getting some water in the basement which is only to be expected with the saturated ground. But I am thankful for a large floor squeegee, a working sump pump, electricity, shelter, and warmth.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning, coastal flood warning, and flood watch for our city and the surrounding areas. As I listen to the rain and wind beating against the roof, I am reminded of this quote from The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel: However contrary the winds and tides of Providence at anytime seem to us, yet nothing is more certain than that they all conspire to hasten sanctified souls to God and fit them for glory.

Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. Psalm 135: 6-7 When we were driving home from prayer meeting on Wednesday night, we were admiring the sun shining through openings in the gathering clouds. Shortly after we got home, it started to thunder and lightning. The storm only lasted about an hour. We didn't lose power so I thought it was a typical summer thunderstorm. When I looked at today's paper , I learned that the storm was so severe that it knocked four high tension power lines spanning the James River off 300 ft transmission towers . As you can see in the picture above, the dark lines going down into the water are the fallen power lines. The power of nature is an awesome thing. It's sobering to think that 85-90 mph hurricane force winds, strong enough to knock down thousands of pound...