Hurricane Irma: Fretting and Prayer

Of course alongside 20 million other Florida residents I am fretting about the Hurricane, and its impact on our homes, hopes, and lives.

I live alone, so its easy to get into stinking thinking about the storm. So I've had to get out and about and to be with other people so that I can get out of my head, and instead enjoy human company.

Wednesday I had lunch with my dear friends Jack and Donna Chrisman  at Evies Tavern and Grill just off University Parkway at Whitefield Ave., not far from their home.

In the evening I was at the Purple Rhino on Beneva at Webber St., there to share a glass of wine with good friends Rick P., Gordon C., John U., and Allan R.

This evening  (Thursday) I was again at Evies for a burger with Rick P., Gordon C., John U., Rick R., and John C.



Of Friday (10th) I'll be at Dennis and David's home for our weekly gathering called "Ben's Bar"; a gathering in honour of our good friend Ben Morse who died last December.

It is utterly important for me to spend time with good friends and to enjoy their company as we await Irma's arrival.  It beats being at home alone and wallowing in fear.

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Above all else I think about Katie who grew up at St. Stephen's Parish in Pittsfield, MA. when I was the Rector.  Katie and her husband Shane lost everything to Irma as the storm hit their home in  Tortola in the British Virgin Islands,.

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                                                                    Irma is on her way.

 So how should I pray?

  Although I am not a believer in "praying the storm away" I find myself saying "Lord, send Irma way out into the Atlantic".  It's not that I think God will answer that prayer, but it is what I am thinking, and I might as well tell God what's on my mind.

 I keep coming back to the bedside prayer for children:

 Lord keep us safe this night, secure from all our fears.
May Angels guard us while we sleep, 'til morning light appears.

 Secure from all our fears is the important ;phrase.  I pray that I will not succumb to paralyzing fear.

 And my mind takes me to part of Reinhold Niebuhr's famous prayer

 "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change those things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference"

 So I pray for the serenity to accept the things I cannot change




Comments

  1. Joan Rasch8 September 2017 at 20:29

    Please stay safe! and keep us posted if you can.
    BTW, the county webpage says that the Brookside and Woodland middle schools are pet-friendly shelters.

    ReplyDelete

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