Faith Sense

The first presidential race I recall was between Eisenhower and Stevenson. For a long time I had a button that said, “I like Ike!” But after the ordeal of the last week and the clean up that is still ahead because of the recent hurricane through here, I can unequivocally say, “I don’t like Ike.”

My home is about seven miles from Galveston Bay, but in an area that was not requested  told to evacuate, in fact we were advised to shelter in place. So we rode out the storm in our home. The first half of the night was not terrible, winds were sustained near 100, but did not do much damage. When we were in the eye, around 3 am, my wife woke up and we went out on our front porch to assess things. There was only one limb down in the front yard, which faces north. The winds had been blowing from the northeast. We were only in the eye for around 20 minutes, then the winds started from the southwest. My wife had gone back to bed (my grandsons slept from about 11:30 till nearly 9 the next morning, we were without power from 12:40 Friday night till about 7:15 last night).

Between 4:30 and 5:30, things got a lot stronger, sustained winds about 115, but the difference was significant. The wind whistled down the chimney and every few minutes I could hear another branch snapping in our front yard. When daylight came, the winds were down considerably, but it was not safe to go out till about noon. We had 16 limbs down from the big tree near our front door, but not one on the house. We lost our fence in the back, but we had water through the whole ordeal.

Our community is coming back to life, many of the residents are returning now. School may be able to resume Tuesday. Most of our neighbors had similar damage to ours, but in the congregation, two families had considerable water in their homes and have lost every thing, material. The ones of us that were in town have been cleaning up debris for the members who could not do for themselves, widows and elderly. It has been tough in some ways, but great blessings of brotherhood and belonging have been experienced by all of us.

If the storm had not made a little jog to the east within the last 30 miles before landfall, the storm surge would have inundated some very populated areas and much of the crucial refinery and chemical output that is so much a part of our local and national economy. Some say we were lucky. I attribute that to Something much greater!

This prayer was written as part of a writing challenge on another site. The assignment was to write as though from another time or era.
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Our Mighty Lord who art in Heaven,

Mayst Thy name be held in honor in all Creation. Wilt Thou receive our petition as a sweet savor. We are wretched and unworthy of Thy concern, it is only by Thy lovingkindness that we are sustained.

We lift up our supplications before Thy throne on behalf of our families. We beseech you to encircle our offsprings with a hedge of protection from the Evil One, deliver them from his schemes and snares. Let each one set his foot on the strait path that leadeth to an eternal residence in the mansions Thou art preparing.

Lead each of us to recognize Thy sovereignty in our lives, even as we gratefully receive Thy bountiful blessings. May we grant forgiveness to our neighbors with the same beneficence that Thou hast bestowed upon us. Grant us, Oh Father of Mercies, remembrance of Thy holy writ, that Thou loveth obedience more than sacrifice, yea that Thou wilt reward he that doeth Thy will!

Reprove us, Lord when we falter, but cast us not away from Thy presence,
In the name of the precious Lamb sacrificed in our stead, Jesus the Christ,

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