I would like to ask for prayer for Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. We are experiencing severe drought conditions with winds gusting to fifty miles per hour. The electrical lines are blowing together, creating sparks and fires are breaking out everywhere. Many homes have already burned and several people have been killed.

Fires are all around me and the air is filled with smoke. It is terrifying. I also fear for my mother who lives alone 150 miles away.

Please pray for moisture and God's protection.

smile

You got it, Smile! I pray for showers of blessings in whatever form you need them. May He shelter you and yours in His arms, keeping you safe from all harm!

You have my prayers too, Smile. I hope your mother will stay safe.

While we're praying, lets add one for the people in Southrn CA who are having such terrible flooding right now. My brother lives far enough from the water and in a flat enough place that he shouldn't have a problem. But many of the people he knows are not so fortunate.

Thank you Song and Jackie. I will continue to pray for the floods in CA.

There are fires all over the state and I think at least ten houses burned in my town today. The fires started around Thanksgiving and have never stopped. Today was the worst. There were twenty fires in my town alone and many more all around and statewide. I know some died in the last firestorm, but I'm not sure how many have died altogether.

We are grateful for help from Alabama, Florida, Tennesee, and others who came to help.

It's supposed to be slightly better tomorrow, but get worse Tuesday. There is no rain in sight. Dan turned on all the sprinklers and the wind is dying down, but I'm almost afraid to go to sleep.

smile

Oh, Smile, I am so sorry you're having to go through this. I read in the paper this morning about a town that lost 90 homes and many lives. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Be safe, my friend.

I just heard about this on the news this morning. I didn't realize you lived in this area, Smile. I will pray for protection for all involved, for the fires and the floods. I believe Chickadee lives in OK. Has anyone heard from her?

I am here and thank you for your PM and concern Bluebird. Smile, My prayers for you and your town.
chick

Chick,
Have the fires come near where you live? Be sure to stay safe.
smile

My brother lives very near Ringgold, Tx and he said the town is gone. Some newscasts have shown the destruction from the massive fires. Our high winds,low humidity and no rain have made the situation very grave. We have never experienced such fire hazards as so many others have. Please remember in your prayers all regions of our country who are experiencing such tragic conditions. LL

Chick, it's good to know you're fine. I have a friend who lives in OK and have not heard from her. I pray she's alright.

I'm praying for our world. So much devastation and so many lives suffering for different reasons! May God bless and keep safe all His children.

[ January 03, 2006, 12:10 PM: Message edited by: Songbird ]

I just called my friends' parents, who live in MA, and learned that my friend and her family are out of danger, praise God!

smile and all, I am praying for moisture and protection for everyone.

How are things looking today?

You are always in my prayers anyway my dear friend but this time i'll be praying for the land all around you and the other states as well. Between the flooding and devistation in California and you with the draught and fires, there is much to pray about.

smilinize, I send my prayers to you and all others in the area. I wish I could send some of this rain as well.

BTW, we're OK. Most of the SoCali flooding is in coastal areas and I'm 20 miles inland.

Good to know you're Ok, Meredith!
Praying for all involved!

These "natural disasters" are happening too frequently..I am praying for all of you dear ladies in the affected areas...I wish I could do more to help you besides praying...Smile...it hurts my heart to hear you say that you are "terrified" I pray you stay safe and begin to feel safe very very soon...please keep us posted!!! ((HUG))

I guess there simply is no safety in this world. The fires continue to burn everywhere. They have a daily briefing from the coordination center and the numbers vary from ten to twenty and more every day. There is no rain in the forecast for the next two weeks. We are just a tinder box waiting for a spark. I have never seen it this dry.

I spent most of the morning trying to get someone to my Mom's house to cut down the cedars and the grass in a field near her house. There have been so many fires all around her and around me too.

The wind that was blowing electrical lines together has died down at least for today, but people continue to smoke and even the spark from a cigarette held outside a car can start a fire. A cigarette butt thrown out is almost certain to start a fire. Smokers are being arrested for that all over the state.

We're all just skating through the fires on prayer.

smile

Smile...
What a nightmare...I'm so worried about you all and your Mother too...I'm praying my heart out for rain to start there and stay..
Come to Pennsylvania and stay with me until it's over...I wish I could help!!!

Smile, I'm so worried about you. I'm keeping you close in my heart and praying for your safety, as well as your Mom and entire region.

How I wish I could send you just a few inches of the snow and ice that covers everything I see here...that would surely douse any firestorms! But since I can't, I'll pray for the miracle God knows you and your neighbours need today.

Will be keeping you and your family in prayers...be safe.

Thank you all for the prayers.

We need rain so badly or maybe some snow from Eagle. Just any kind of moisture that would slow down the blazes all around us. Many of the fires are in rural areas with volunteer fire departments and on Indian land. The firemen are exhausted, but everyone is pulling together to douse the flames as fast as possible and at least they are getting better at putting them out. Some still burn for days.

Hundreds of thousands of acres have burned and more than 200 structures. Many farms have been lost.

Please continue to pray for moisture in any form God deems right. They say no rain is in sight for two weeks. Each day the chance of fire becomes more likely.

smile

Sorry to bring this up again, but we need prayer. There is a huge fire less than a mile from our house.

They have advised us all to stay inside and watch the progress on TV. We have the sprinklers on and have removed all the leaves near the house. We were going to a party tonight, but now we're afraid to leave.

Hopefully we will be safe, but the fires rage. It frightens me to see the flames so close.

Thank you so much for your prayers.

smile

Oh smile, that's awful! I will pray for you and your family right now. Wish you were close enough to come stay with us.
God will take care of you, you are His.
Wishing you peace and safety.
(((HUGS)))

This is such a tragedy. Naure can be worse than all the terrorists put together as she just happens with no thought about when, where or how. I pray for you and your mom and for rain, lots of rain. We have these fires here in Nevada and have been suffering a draught for years now, our lake is down 60 feet, looks awful and the Marinas dried out and had to relocate further up stream. Lots of acres lost to fire too but for now its Oklahoma etc. Keep the sprinklers on and the roof wet thats what they told us to do when the fires were close. Praying hard for you all...

[ January 07, 2006, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

Oh, smile, that is so awful. I'm praying you will be safe. I wish I could do more to help.

Looks like the fire is almost out thanks to a lot of firemen and some volunteers who showed up with shovels and a backhoe while those of us who live here wet down our property. Dan went up and down the road to alert people.

We're still watching it on TV, but for now the nearest fire seems to be under control. It burned a playground and threatened a school, but no houses around here are in danger at this point. Around a hundred houses have been lost.

I'm tring to organize our precous documents so we can load them in the car in case we have to leave quickly.

I hope we can sleep tonight and there are no more fires.

smile

What a relief, smile!
We are in a drought again here, too. We need some snow!

Smile........you have no idea how I wish I could send you all the rain we are getting here in the Pacific Northwest!!! Last year we had a draught, and this year it won't stop raining.
God.....I do wish I could send you some of this stuff.
My prayers are with you and all the others that are suffering thru this time.
Lynne

Smile, I have been watching the news where you are. My prayers for you still. We are fine for now here in my neck of the woods. I'll be checking in for an update.
Stay Safe.
Chick

Chick,
I hope you are vigilant. The fires are everywhere. If you are in an urban area, there might not be as much risk, but if a fire starts, there's almost no stopping it.

Be careful.
smile

Dear Chick and Smile: I continue to pray that the Lord will shelter you and yours from danger.

Please, keep us posted as you can.

The fires are down from 35 in Oklahoma City alone on New Years Day to ten or less most days. They are also getting better at putting them out.

There is a slim possibility of rainfall today. Please pray for a dounpouring of blessed rain. We are atop a powder keg.

smile

You got it, Smile!

Mine too, Smile!

Blessed snow is falling in my backyard. It is not a lot and it is not snowing on my Mom's side of the state. But I just wanted you all to know. I hope you will continue to pray. We need a lot more moisture and it is needed all over the southwest.

Thank you so much for the prayers.

smile

Yay Smile...snow!!! We are all praying for you and your neighbors in my house ...we will continue.
Hoping and praying for lots more precipitation for you in the coming days...

Snow? It might have been but it's melted now at 4;15AM here in my town. The best news is it fell from the sky And it's WET. Thank You for all your prayers. I worried about you for a while Smile...your town made the news here.
chick

Snow?!!! What a wonderful blessing , Smile! I prayed and prayed and asked my study group to pray for you all. Thank God for such a blessing! May He continue to grant you the needs of your land!

Chick, glad to hear from you!
We'll continue praying!

Thank you songbird, chick, avalon, jackie and all the rest who prayed.

It snowed about 2 inches last night. And snow is exactly what we need. A lot of rain might have led to floods due to the lack of remaining vegetation.

The snow is so beautiful on all the trees outside my window. They were dry too and the snow will give them much needed moisture. It is melting and it's WET.

There were no big fires last night. We're all rejoicing.

smile

[ January 10, 2006, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

I'm rejoicing with you. Fire is one of my biggest fears so I've been praying for all of you.

I lost a friend to a house fire. She and her brother both died. They were the only ones home. It happened due to an electrical fir in the middle of the night. Before smoke alarms.

I know this is different than what you are experiencing because I doubt there wold be lost lives, but fires are about loss of all kinds.

I'm sorry to bring this up again, but the fires are back. Today we lost 7,000 acres and five houses. The fires are not near me at this point. The worst are about 100 miles south. At one point the wind was blowing embers a mile ahead of the flames and setting new fires. It is costing $100,000 per day to fight the fires even with volunteers.

The snow was a help, but it did not cover the state. We still need prayer for drenching rain. Of course we also have to be concerned about the floods that might result from the lack of vegetation.

Thank you to all who have prayed.

smile

Smile, I am still praying for the fire areas. Stay safe girlfriend. Thank you to all who hold us in prayer at this time.
chick

Still praying for the safety of all in harms way. May the Lord be your Shield.

Thank you all for the prayers.

So far Chick and I are safe, but the drought and fires continue. Every day hundreds and even thousands of acres burn and more homes are lost. No fires near me yet today and I hope none near Chick, but the danger is extreme.

Prayers are still needed for rain and for all of those who have lost homes, property and lives.

smile

Rain in Oklahoma this morning! Yipee! What a blessing! Hope you all enjoy it!

Thank you all for the prayers.

It's not raining where I am yet, but it's supposed to start soon. My husband and I said a prayer and washed the car.

Please continue to pray. There may be a floods if the rain comes quickly because so much of the vegetation is gone. (I'm also praying my trees don't die) But for right now we just need rain.

smile

I continue praying. Smile! Keep us posted!

Doing JJ's happy dance which I hope will double as a rain dance for you and those in the Southwest......

No rain yet, but the weatherman keeps saying it will be here soon.

Keep dancing chatty and praying too.

smile

Let me send you Kauai's rain...they get too much!

Did you get rain, Smile, Chick? We really hope so .

Smile, Chick, I hope some of the snow we got here yesterday came to you in the form of rain.

Still no rain. The weatherman says maybe Thursday.

smile

Keeping my fingers crossed that he's right, Smile.

Just wanted to bring this back to say it started raining last night and rained almost all night then most of today. I think most of the state got rain too.

We still need more, but this is a very good start. It's the most moisture we've had at one time since November.

No big fires today.

Thank you all for the prayers.

smile

[ January 29, 2006, 11:57 AM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

And thank you for the good news.

Thank you, dear God, for the blessing of rain in the southwest! You are so wonderful!

May it continue to rain, and keep everything green and beautiful.