Tuesday, July 26, 2011

My World Keeps Turning


…albeit…. S  L  O  W  L  Y.

Perhaps the weather condition of my home state reflects in the condition of my blog posting—or lack thereof—over the past several months:

85% of Texas is in either extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories. 

My hometown of Fredericksburg is in the Exceptional Mode.

Exceptional being AWFUL - - DRY - - - parched.

In addition to drying up, our temperatures are high and higher. We are inching our way upwards from 42 days of triple digit temperatures. For those of you who, like me, are slow in math, “triple digits” is a fancy term for anything over
ONE HUNDRED DEGREES +

of hot, hotter and hottest temperatures.
*duhhh*

Today in Kerrville, Texas – a mere 20 miles from Hometown – the outside temperature registered
105

No rain means dry fields, empty creeks, dry lawns, dying trees, no wildflowers, and precious few weeds. It means livestock are sold off at rock bottom prices and that wild animals—deer, raccoons, skunks, possums—are skin and bones skinny and hungry and thirsty. And dying.

Our Texas hill country has had more than our share of drought conditions off and on during the past several years.
Believe me that dry is bad even in the winter because dry burns regardless of the temperature.
But DRY in summer is frightening because summer-hot dry burns faster and hotter and in the blink of an eye.

Do you remember reading Erma Bombeck’s The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank? Wise woman, Erma. Here’s a picture of the pasture, way behind our house, that sits on top of our septic tank. J


Notice the dry, burned-up, wasted pasture all around.

At church the other day, some of our local friends complained to me about our neighbor across the road and his use of EVERYONE’s underground water to irrigate HIS hay fields. I have nothing to do with another’s use of water and while the said neighbor is within his legal rights—part of his livelihood / agricultural needs—we’ve noticed that it’s been weeks since an 18-wheeler truck has maneuvered through his narrow gate to pick up a single bale of hay. We have noticed, by the way, that in spite of our community water wetting down his hay fields, his coastal is not growing. Yes, it is green, but the weather is too hot for the grass to grow tall enough to cut and bale.
Seems to this city girl that my Sunday School teachers were onto something way back in the early 1940’s when they taught us to take turns, to share, and to love one another.

Each night, the weather people continue to say, “There is no hope for rain.”

Nevertheless, we who are called by His name continue to petition Him, our High and Holy heavenly Father, Creator of all that is or has been or ever will be, to be merciful and to heal our hearts, forgive our sin-filled ways, and to please wet our land and fill our creeks.
And, by the way—again—do you remember that dreadful day this spring??? May 22, 1011… Joplin, Missouri…. Talk about deadly.
          So, while we entreat (beg, plead) our Holy Father to  pour out water from the heavens onto our land, we must remember to continue to pray for those who lost everything. Homes. Belongings. Photographs. Grandmothers. Aunts. Livelihoods. Kitchen sinks. Roofs to cover those who survived.
          And we MUST give thanks for God’s perfect love.

Praying to serve and glorify my God and my King.

With love,
Liz

6 comments:

  1. Liz, it makes me sick to think of how hot you are there! I know a little of that, because we went through it earlier for months and months here in Florida. It finally broke for us, and we have had the showers, etc., that used to be the norm for our area once again. But you are right. You can keep things alive with watering, but in those temperatures, they just don't grow and bear fruit. We lost so many trees here. Great for the woodpeckers, though!
    One added problem we have with droughts is sinkholes. The water table lowers to a point where houses and land just sink into the ground. Nightmare material!!!!! You will be in my prayers, my friend!!!!

    And thank you for your sweet words on my blog. I'm honored that you took the time to read!

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  2. Dear Liz,

    Reading your post about the drought in Texas, I was reminded of Ann Voskamp's post about her Farmer husband planting soybeans while she thanked God for every drop of rain that did not fall which would rot the beans before they were planted. Seeing black clouds roll in over the fields as the men worked as fast as they could to plant, Hope, Ann's daughter, thanked God for every drop of rain that would fall.

    Out of the mouths of babes...I guess if one writes a book about how you should thank God in everything, you have to expect to be caught up short now and then. Reading your post, I am impressed with your thankfulness through it all and your continued concern for those in tornado alley. I am honored to be among your regular readers.

    You have inspired me to read for Nelson Publishers and encouraged me to enjoy my granddaughter while I could. I am happy to be visiting my cyper-neighbors again. If you have time, check out my second book review.

    Praying for you,
    Dawn

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  3. Dear Liz,

    Here is the address of my book review:

    http://dschondogbookreviews.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/money-secrets-of-the-amish-by-lorilee-craker/

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  4. I'm assuming it's still hot and dry in Texas. And I hope your guy has stopped stealing water. And your Sunday school teachers had it right. But then you knew that. I've prayed for rain for you guys. And not tropical storm rain – but slow steady rain that has a chance to stay. God bless and keep you Liz.

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  5. Yes, Craig...upwards of 100 and the land is cracking. Thank you and Cora and Dawn for your prayers. We know God remembers us and we try to wait on Him... in faith ... believing. Having others walk with us helps. I love all my followers.

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  6. MELINDA ANONYMOUS
    I THOUGHT IT RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING.WE CAN TO
    EASILY GET DISTRACTED FROM GOD AND END UPIN A MESS
    UUNLESSS WE KEEP OUR EYES ON HIM @LLET HIMDO THE
    MIRACALS.WE DO NEED RAIN ,A HEALING RAIN FOR
    BOTH LAND ,FARMERS,PEOPLE,@OUR COUNTRY. WE MAY NEED THE FARMERS ONE DAY.

    ReplyDelete