Tag Archives: God

The Storm of the Century

by nebraskawheatie

Yes, that was the way they were describing the storms that were moving into Eastern Nebraska on Saturday night…”The Storm of the Century”.

This particular tornado watch was being referred to as a PDS watch. Meteorologists define a PDS watch as follows:

“When the threat for damage caused by severe convection is unusually high, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) enhances the wording of its convective watch product with the following statement: THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION  Such watches are known as “PDS” watches. PDS tornado (TOR) watches are issued when the forecaster has high confidence that multiple strong (F2-F3 on the Fujita Scale) or violent tornadoes (F4-F5 on the Fujita Scale) will occur in the watch area. PDS TOR watches are rare; of 3058 TOR watches issued during the period 1996-2005, only 7% (216) were PDS watches, When compared with regular TOR watches, PDS TOR watches should ideally be associated with a greater risk of strong or violent tornadoes.”

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Being a mom to many at #D2S2012

by nebraskawheatie

“Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.   They will hear about everything he has done.” (Psalm 22:30, 31 NLT)

This was the fifth year I’ve been to the Dare2Share event in Lincoln, NE.  The first year I went, Cindy and I took approximately ten kids. The year before, she only took three. This year…we took nearly 30 kids and 6 adult sponsors. OUTSTANDING! Especially if you knew how small our church is. However, the kids of the community are HUNGRY for what Greg Stier and the people of Dare2Share are offering them – the GOSPEL. It’s pretty straight forward and blunt but it’s the TRUTH spoken with a great amount of passion and love for the next generation.

I’ve seen it before in years past…the ones who have never participated in the event will hold back and take it all in with some hesitation and quite a bit of intimidation. By the time Saturday night rolls around, these same kids are on fire! They are on fire for the Lord and are ready to take Him into their world. Don’t you dare tell them they CAN’T do something! It does my heart good to see them pumped and ready to take THE cause (to multiply disciples globally) to their mission field – their schools. According to what I learned from Greg, Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakeable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of society. – Science Daily, July 26, 2011.  The auditorium held 5,000+ jr. and sr. high students ready to fight the good fight. These kids come from all parts of the midwest and from different churches to worship the ONE true God. They learned it’s not about a religion…it’s about a relationship. Know what’s interesting? The kids that went this year represents 10% of the number of kids in our jr./sr. high school. God is good!

Can I just say…these kids got it! Thank you, Greg Stier, and all the others that make this event work.  They teach and equip our children with the tools they need to fight as they head into a world waiting to gobble them up! My one prayer for all the kids who attended would be they could remain on that mountain top long enough to make the difference in their world.  “God will gain a maximum of armies by using NOBODYS.” Greg Stier

When the end came on Saturday night, I was the one who was blessed! It’s one thing to be a youth leader and talk and talk and talk. It’s another when you get to witness something so powerful and so good. I was able to see the fire that was lit in each of those kids in our group. I would be willing to bet they will take what they learned and will share it with SOMEONE in their school this week. They’ll surely suffer rejection and be made fun of, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12  My prayer for them is they do not quit…not now…not ever!

I feel like such a proud mamma!

Goodbye 40’s…HELLO 50’s!

by nebraskawheatie

Tomorrow, I will be 18,261 days old…or 50 years old…or half a century old. WHOA! How can this be? Life really does happen in the blink of an eye! Am I feeling a little crummy about it, YES! Will I get over it the very next day, YES! I know we never know how long we have on this crazy earth and how long we have with our loved ones but by being 50, I know I’m closer to death than I am to birth.  For the heck of it, I went searching for some fun “being fifty facts” and the following are the ones I found that I liked:

“Turning 50 heralds a decade of transition, many of them involving bodily changes. Menopause ends the childbearing years. Gray hairs supplant natural color, forcing one of three decisions: let nature take its course, cover the gray or try a completely different shade. (Unlike men, women haven’t embraced head shaving as midlife sexy.) Changes in vision require reading glasses. Gravity takes its toll as our necks sag, stomachs bulge, breasts droop, faces wrinkle, underarms swing like fish bellies. Waists thicken and knees and back ache. Skin loses its elasticity, causing some of us to try and turn the clocks back by means of all sorts of chemical and medical interventions — moisturizers, ointments to reduce age spots, wrinkle creams, Botox injections, plastic surgery, face and eye lifts.” (About.com Turning 50 – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Turning Fifty for Women)

” Women over 50 are president, CEO, and the star of their own lives. If you have the attitude that life is precious, that life is grandiose, that you don’t want to waste any time, you will make this quality time.” — S. Mitchell (WebMD 50 Great Things About Women Over 50)

“It is not unusual for someone to feel a lot of anxiety about  turning 50 years old, but once you reach your 50s and beyond, you are going to  wonder what exactly it was you were so worried about.”

Tonight, the sunset was spectacular! It was almost as though God was giving my 40’s a grand farewell and it made me smile! I look forward to what the      50’s have in store for me. I do know I’m not going to stop living life to the fullest, I will still view the word “impossible” as a bad word, and I will continue to look for God in every part of my day! Here’s to the next 50!