Texas Fires vs Louisiana Hurricanes....

The last couple of days have been pretty rough on my Texas Panhandle neighbors.

I read this article and it struck me how no one around here is whining about how the Federal or Local Governments didn't come haul 'em out. As a matter of fact, the Local governments actually did pretty good at trying to protect their own - you'll see if you read the article that nursing home patients and others were transported to safer areas via school buses. And we didn't have any warning, either. At least, not nearly as much as anybody had for Katrina and her friends. These folks just had to grab what they could and literally R-U-N-N-O-F-T. Two poor souls didn't even make it - the fire overtook them as they ran from their home.

I guess my point is this: I just got so tired of hearing how our Government (via President Bush) failed the "test" when we didn't warn about the levees and we didn't send enough evacuation help and we didn't do enough afterwards.... I'm still tired of hearing it - "Brownie" on Capitol Hill, pointing the finger (although I admit I don't think he got a fair shake, either). Where does personal responsibility come into play here. And I know that I'm not saying anything new - bloggers and pundits and analysts and all sorts of really smart other people have been talking about this ever since it happened. I am just taking the time to get up on my own personal soapbox on my own personal web log and give my own personal views.

I am also asking everyone who might read this to pray for rain! Someone sent me an awesome "prayer chain" email the other day. The kind I don't usually forward because they are attached to some kind of "you'llpassthisonifyoureallyreallyreallylovejesus" kind of philosophy. Here's a newsflash: If you reallyreallyreally love Jesus, He already KNOWS it! You don't have anything to prove by passing on an email from someone who doesn't really care about your soul one way or the other anyway.

Anyhow - here's the prayer I am referring to - and I do truly subscribe to the concept that if we all pray together for the same cause, there is awesome power in that! When you read this, just take a minute to recite the prayer - feel free to pass it on, if you like.

Dear God,

I come before you standing with all who are praying at this moment for the relief of drought in the states of Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. I come in agreement with all who stand before you now, asking for the rain we so desperately need.

Holy Father I ask you to bless, abundantly, those who are suffering great loss as a result of the fires. Grant them the strength and comfort they need as they try so hard to make sense of all the devastation and put their lives together again.

In the name of Jesus the Christ, we come before you asking for this request to be granted.

Amen

Take care ...osm