Thoughts on the Tornado Disaster

For four days this week, I sat with only a small sports transistor radio listening to the voices of different radio hosts talk to those devastated by the tornadoes, or to those helping those same people try to get back part of their life. Here I sat with no electricity, but we had our home and cars and all our family was safe. All I could do was shed tears for those people who were in harms way.

Tornadoes hit all around us, but our property was spared. Only two dead trees fell. The church near us sustained damage from a falling tree and others that fell in their yard. This was one of the reasons our community was without power. But I have to stress again, the tornado did not touch our community. But so many people around us did sustain major damage.

I cannot even imagine what the people throughout our state who were hit by this storm feel today, especially those who have lost relatives or have someone missing. I just checked one of the pages on the Internet that lists missing people. There are so many still missing and some may add to the already high total of people killed by these deadly tornadoes here in Alabama.

We have listened to the devastation talked about and watched so much of it on TV since getting our power back Saturday evening. But my husband says, until you get out there and experience first hand, you have no idea how bad it is. He has been going by Pratt City almost every day this week. And he says it is hard to believe what Pratt City once was just looking at the devastation there.

My church is only about 3 miles from me, but it's in Cullman County. And Cullman County is still out of power and have no idea when they might get it back up again. So our church was naturally out of power. But our pastor's wife said she could not even think about us not having church since so many churches around were hit hard. And they were all having church on the outside. I just read about the Phil Campbell Church of God having church outside on the concrete pad where their church once stood.

The pastor Chris Burns of Phil Campbell Church of God has this to say:

"Last week, we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we celebrate the resurrection of Phil Campbell, Alabama."

Those of us who were unscathed by the deadly tornadoes on Wednesday should be praying for those who were and pray for the safety of those relatives yet to have been found. Also help in any way you can, whether it be through physical help, a donation, or visit to the Red Cross. Today our church is making a donation to Red Cross. We are a small congregation right now, but we know it's important to show the love of God at a time of need. You will be blessed. Remember we are untouched by the disaster, but our friends and neighbors throughout Alabama may have not been so fortunate.

Technorati Tags: Tornadoes, Disasters, Alabama

A look back at 9/11

The Day America Cried

Mornings are for waking up happy, going on with your business, and enjoying life. After all, the weekend is over; it's the beginning of a beautiful new day given to you by the Lord. But the morning of September 11, 2001 wasn't to be one of those mornings that were so simple. Nothing could have prepared us for the tragedy of the morning. If someone had said to me, the World Trade Center will be bombed today, I would have said you have to be kidding! And, I would have meant it. This is the land of freedoms - a family sometimes divided, but together in times of trials. Things like that just do not happen in our country. But, today would change my thought pattern - it does happen, and it did happen!

I was sleeping a little later that morning and my husband came in and told me that my daughter was on the phone. He also said, come in the computer room - the World Trade Center is on fire. I don't think that he actually knew it was a plane that had hit it at the time, or perhaps he did. My memory of that morning is like a haze. We sat there and looked in horror. Our fears were found to be true - it wasn't an accident. Another plane hit the south tower right before our eyes.

I look back now and realize, at the moment of the second plane hit on that tower, and the aftermath of the explosion, that we knew it was terrorism, but we didn't know who would have wanted to strike beautiful America, and right in the heart of downtown Manhattan. After all, these were buildings with multiple tenants from all over the world. Everyone was affected, not just America. Thousands of workers, and hundreds of rescue workers and policemen were lost, without a reason! The enemy came to our country, took our own planes, and unsuspecting people, and used them as bombs against us.

As we watched the men and women come out of that building, run down the streets, or being helped by others, we were horrified. Our hearts went out to them - tears stung our eyes. We didn't know any of them by person, but felt for them - the things that they had to undergo and the time it will take to heal. Our hearts went out to the many families that lost loved ones, and never will be able to put closure on that part of their lives, having no body to bury. The very thought made me angry. Like others, I suppose I would have gone after the person/persons responsible, if it were possible. Sure, the terrorists that did the acts were dead, but someone had set this act up, and someone will pay.

America's heartland has been scarred, and we cried tears. But, if the enemy thought that he would tear out our hearts, he has another thought coming. As someone said on television, we are family. Families bicker amongst themselves, but when attacked, families stick together. America is united more in Spirit and cause than I have ever seen in my lifetime. We will go after those responsible and AMERICA WILL RISE AGAIN!

©Barbara Sanders, September 16, 2001. All rights reserved.

Taken from Speak to My Heart Inspirational Stories

Tornados hit hard in Alabama

Weather in Alabama today has been devastating. Tornadoes have hit several places. And, we are not out of the woods yet, according to the weatherman.

Enterprise High School in South Alabama was hit by a tornado at 1:30 this afternoon. The gym is in completely destroyed. Looking at the steel structure, it looks like the wind treated it like lumber. The report is that the school itself has lots of damage. Also, the students parking lot looks like a demolition area, with cars on top of one another, with twisted metal everywhere, and windows blown out. And, the most tragic thing is the 8 deaths that have come out of that, and many more with injuries. And, they say the death toll may go higher.

Many houses were destroyed. Trees were splintered as though they were little toothpicks. It is a tragic sight to see.

Also, a tornado hit down in Wilcox County. The news has just reported that there are 5 deaths in Wilcox County, a very rural county, although this story says there was only one fatality. Hopefully, the one fatality is all there will be found, and it was at Miller's Ferry.

So many people are in need now of material things, but most of all, they need our prayers.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Don Surber
Pirate's Cove

Technorati Tags: Tornados, Enterprise, Enterprise High School, Wilcox County, Alabama, Death

More dead birds

Monday, 63 birds were found on a street in Austin, Texas, causing the street to be closed.

The dead birds were found overnight along Congress Avenue, a major downtown thoroughfare. Police closed the route through downtown and two side streets, and a staging area was set up near the Capitol, with dozens of fire trucks, police cars and ambulances.

The dead birds included grackles, sparrows, and pigeons. They will be tested for signs of poison or viral disease, but it's believed there is no threat to humans. Bird flu is not expected to be found.

Now, Australia is speaking out about the death of thousands of song birds. The residents of Esperance say they are missing their 'dawn chorus' of song birds.

The main casualties are wattle birds, yellow-throated miners, new holland honeyeaters and singing honeyeaters, although some dead crows, hawks and pigeons have also been found.

The first report of deaths of these birds found in yards came three weeks ago. There have been many autopsies performed on the birds, but the cause of this phenomenon has not been discovered. But, the Department of Agriculture and Food has almost ruled out infectious process.

Michelle Crisp said she usually saw dozens of birds in her yard daily. But, in one day, she and a neighbor counted 80 dead birds in their yards. They have not seen any more birds since. But, the chief executive of Birds Australia says that, once the cause is found and fixed, the birds will begin to return.

Add to that the dead body of a scaly-breasted Munia found in the streets of Hong Kong on December 31, 2006. The Munia was found to be the first case of H5N1 avian influenza strain ever reported in Hong Kong this year.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Is It Just Me?
Third World County

Technorati Tags: Birds, Dead Birds, Austin, Australia, Hong Kong

Hope dims as body of one mountain climber found

The body of one of the three missing Mount Hood climbers was found today in a cave near where the signal was sent from a cell phone. The identify of the man has not been released, but possibly is that of Kelly James, the man who made a phone call from a cave. His fellow climbers had left him in search for help.

There has been no communication from any of the three climbers since the phone call made on December 10th. And, the climber was found without a sleeping bag, suggesting he had gotten lost and had dug himself in to survive.

Linked at Is It Just Me?
Conservative Cat
Don Surber
Stuck on Stupid

Technorati Tags:Mount Hood, Mountain Climbers, Cave,

Deadly Earthquake in Indonesia

The earthquake in Central Java on Saturday killed more than 4,600 people. Thousands of troops and emergency workers clawed through the rubble with bear hands, trying to find victims of the quake. One neighborhood was totally leveled by the quake and a backhoe was being used to remove the debris, hunting for victims buried there.

Indonesia has asked for foreign aid, and said anyone that could help, they would be grateful for it. Aid workers said that the dwindling supply of food and water, and the lack of housing could pose long-term challenges.

Anton Susanto, a member of the UNICEF assessment team already in the quake zone, said 30 to 40 percent of those injured were children, with many suffering from head wounds and broken bones.

“People are just laid out everywhere,” he said. “People are still very, very traumatised. Frequent aftershocks are still going on.” More than 470 aftershocks shook parts of Java, further terrifying residents who were afraid to return to their homes.

An estimated 50,000 people have been misplaced by the disaster.

And, adding to this, the volcano north of the quake's epicenter is spewing lava, and 20,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. They are on an eruption alert.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Brunch at Basil's Blog
Stuck On Stupid
TMH's Bacon Break

Technorati Tags: Indonesia, Earthquake, Volcano, Emergency