Frankenstorm!!!

It's coming, and just in time for Halloween...Frankenstorm!!!! Yes we have added a new word to the already crowded landscape of weather hyperbole, and with it there are the growing rumblings of that unique weather phenomenon so familiar to all in this region...PANIC!!!!!! Having lived in a variety of places over the years, I believe I can say without fear of equivocation, that no region does weather panic better than the D.C. metroplex. Perhaps it`s our sense of self-importance that drives our weather hysteria, but for whatever reason, we seem to have mastered this frenzied approach to the ever-changing elements of nature.

Now, please understand, I in no way mean to diminish the severity of the potential storm that may hit our area. Flooding, high winds, power outages, even measurable snows in some parts of the region are possible. One would be ill-advised to ignore these warnings about the possible effects of this or any powerful storm. One would do well to make a BB&T deposit..(Bread, Batteries, and Toilet Paper) as well as to check gutters and other outside drains, window seals, and basements as well as making sure there is plenty of gas in the car in preparation for the storm. These are responsible precautions that help one be prepared along the way.

As people of faith, our greatest preparation in anticipation of the storms of life that come our way is the word of God. The Bible is nothing if not practical in its application. We read and study its truths not just for spiritual nurture and inspiration, but also for help in the midst of the changing, sometimes threatening challenges of life. Reading God's word doesn't necessarily bring change to the the situations and circumstance beyond our control, but it does empower our approach to those situations and circumstances, allowing us to face with hope and peace what we might not be able to face on our own.

I often return to the 46th Psalm in challenging times: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble, therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells....The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." Perhaps to some, this sounds too simplistic, and yet, in the midst of the storm, I would rather have peace in knowing that God is with me than to be momentarily energized by a sense of panic that only serves to make the possibilities of the moment seem more daunting. God is present with us in the storm, and yes, even in the threat of storm. Realizing that, and finding peace as a result, is perhaps the greatest "storm preparation" that can be done...even for a...Frankenstorm!!!

Well, I wonder what the latest computer models have to say about the storm? Sandy...Noreaster...Frankenstorm...no matter what one names it, there will be no shortage of coverage over the next few days of anticipation, then occurrence of the storm. Perhaps a good book, a cup of tea, a walk around the neighborhood are good alternatives to the wall-to-wall coverage that tends to breed the panic we seem so willing to embrace. Perhaps the admonition of the Lord offered through the Psalmist in Psalm 46:10 is the best way to bring this note to a close..."Be still, and know that I am God." Amen.

Jim Abernathy