Hurricane Sandy

The Lord is slow to anger and great in power;

His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,

and clouds are the dust of His feet.

Nahum 1:3

As I write this evening, the entire eastern portion of the United States is holding its breath as we await the formation of what some are calling a "massive storm of historical proportions."  Hurricane Sandy has claimed more than two dozen lives in the Caribbean, and continues to churn northward just above the Bahamas.  Storm models believe it will make landfall as a Category 1 hurricane.  If it merges with a strong cold front approaching from the west, it could morph into a massive, slow-moving "Frankenstorm" that could cause untold damage to the East Coast and New England.  “Sandy will not be your typical hurricane,” AccuWeather reported. “Sandy will be more like a large nor’easter on steroids. It could have the strength of a Category 1 or 2 hurricane. Tropical storm and hurricane-force wind gusts will extend out hundreds of miles from the center.”

I live in Virginia, and our governor issued a State of Emergency this afternoon, many hours before Sandy is slated to make landfall.  Other governors further up the coast have done the same.  The forces of nature are notoriously unpredictable, and at this point, it is anyone's guess exactly when and where this storm might decide to turn inland.  I have lived in this area for ten years, and have experienced the effects of three hurricanes and one particularly devastating tropical storm.  I have already filled my car with gas, stocked up on cases of water, non-perishables, and C batteries for my trusty flashlight, and purchased a new car-rechargeable camping lantern.  My experience with storms in this area is this:  we always have trees that come thundering down, I always lose power, and my neighborhood is one of the last to have power restored.  Last time this happened, I was in the dark for eight days.  I cannot afford a generator, but this time I will have the blessing of a good lantern.    

Tomorrow evening we have the Light the Night walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Virginia, and I am hoping that we will be able to participate in this event, even if we have to stroll in the rain.  As long as we don't have the winds, I think we can manage the short walk itself.  I have a feeling the festivities are going to be rather damp, but hopefully our spirits can remain bright.

If this blog suddenly disappears on Monday or Tuesday, you will know that we have experienced a power outage in the midst of  Sandy's overwhelming roar, and will return once everything is cleaned up and restored.  Please pray for all those in this storm's path - for wisdom, for safety, for endurance.