Journal of Gratitude Day 5

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6


Today I am really grateful to the men and women from all over who have traveled to the Northeast to help with repairs. Electric companies, tree removers- hundreds of workers pitching in to help get power restored. It is a huge job and I am glad there are folks willing to leave their families and go help random strangers.
THANK YOU!

Sandy

New York City was slammed on Monday by Hurricane Sandy. Winds drove water into Brooklyn and lower Manhattan and seawater flooded the subway system in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, and put runways at both JFK and LaGuardia airports underwater.

By Tuesday most of my family and friends reported in on Facebook- Many are going to be without power for a while, some with damage:  a dock lost, a basement flooded, a tree collapsing through a roof… thankfully without injury. It could have been worse… so much worse…

Breezy Point had flooded when a fire broke out, and with high winds, flames engulfed over 100 homes. They were burned to the ground- one of the worst fires in NYC history. The miracle is that no lives were lost.

At the Battery in New York City Monday night, the storm tide during high tide reached 13.88 feet above normal, a record, eclipsed a 11.2 ft water level seen during a hurricane in 1821. 1821...

Frank Giannola took this picture at La Guardia:


I am thinking there won't be flights for a while...

I think a lot of things are going to take a while... And, sadly, places like Seaside Heights may never be the same...

Praying for all of the East Coast...

Storm

My cat, Storm, Is something else. A domestic longhair, we rescued him when he was 8 weeks old, back in August 2006. He is a wonderful cat, even tempered, gentle and loving.

But he keeps setting the corn snake free.

And we finally found him in the act.

BAD KITTY.

And yes, I was smiling at the time.

Tornados

Being from the East Coast, my tornado experience growing up was all about Dorothy and Auntie Em...

Since relocating, I have found it disconcerting that tornados are no longer a rare beast that lives only on the silver screen. After the huge tornado that tore through Joplin, MO, I took it very seriously when the clouds darkened and the winds started to pick up.

The power went out just before 8pm, and I had my son grab his camping lantern and we went to the basement to wait out the storm. It took a while for me to confirm- via cell calls to friends who still had power, that the danger had passed.

I was able to confirm my daughter's safety- she was working at the hospital and experienced her first tornado code. It is just such a strange way to live.

We are expecting storms all week, not a comforting thought. And really, enough with the rain. If farmers can't plant their corn by June 1st, they can't get it insured. Which will mean higher feed prices and higher food costs.

So say a little prayer...

The King of Kings

Last night we had a thunder/lightening storm that was frightening in its ferocity. Booming thunder, driving rain and multiple lightening stikes, as well as rotating winds that signal tornado potential.

On I 75, outside of a church, there stood a 6 story high statue depicting Jesus from the waist up, hands extended to the heavens. The locals named him "Touchdown Jesus"- clearly football is huge here. I had to have the significance explained to me. Apparently, the hands raised high is how a ref signals a touchdown in football. Who knew?

Last night, lightening struck the right hand of Jesus, and the huge statue burned to the ground.

The iconic statue is gone.

What does it mean when lightening strikes the right hand of God and He burned to the ground?

When the fire was called in to 911, even the callers didn't seem to believe what they were seeing.

The church has vowed to rebuild the "King of Kings" statue.