Somehow or other, I feel like I've come through a long dark swamp. I had a dream last night, that even though I don't remember all the details, seemed to put a whole bunch of stuff into perspective for me. I woke up very early (for me), somewhere close to 5:00 am and couldn't go back to sleep. That means I got less than 5 hours of sleep, so we'll see how I do through the rest of the day. :) But I feel more relaxed than I've felt in several weeks.
So, what have I been doing? Hmmm. Interesting question. Staying close to the flat, rarely leaving it, in fact. My eye is the same, my vision is not good, and I still fear tripping and falling. Whenever I do walk anywhere, I walk with someone, preferably Mel, so I can hold on to him in the rough patches. There are a lot of rough patches here. Poor man!
But I have to admit, I'm bored with this flat. Sick and tired of the heat and humidity. Tired of reading the same old stuff on the internet every day. Tired of weaving. Tired of embroidering. Can't find my new cross-stitch project (where in the world did I put it????). Do not want to step foot into the kitchen (due to heat mostly).
Actually, I'd love to go on vacation. Where? Hmmm. Another interesting question. A few years ago I would automatically have said, "Scotland!" Or maybe I'd have said, "Egypt again!" Or maybe I'd have even said, "Greenland!" Of all those destinations, Greenland is the only one that sounds even remotely interesting - and safe! Oh, I'd like to go visit New Zealand, too, but that's not exactly close, and it's not exactly safe right now either (depending on where you are at of course - the earthquakes are located mostly in one area).
The earth continues to rumble. Radiation continues to spew up into the air in Japan (did you know that? The main stream media does not report on it - you have to go digging to find out what's happening over there. Click on link to read the latest info from Arnie Gundersen of Fairwind Associates.)
In fact, it makes me wonder - when was the last time you thought about Chile? People died in a big earthquake there not so long ago and there are still after shocks happening. A large volcano, Cordon Caulle, has been continuously erupting for a couple months now on the Chile/Argentina border. Click on the link - absolutely stunning photos! Amazing amounts of snow have fallen in Chile this winter (yes, it's winter there!) - so much that the storms are being called "storms of the century!" which is ridiculous since it's only 2011 and the century has just begun and no one knows what the storms will be like in 24 years.
When was the last time you thought about Christchurch, New Zealand? The aftershocks continue to rumble there, more buildings fall down each time, the city center is a ghost town, whole subdivisions are falling to pieces due to landslides, etc. It's pretty amazing, really, what God is doing to a town that bears His Son's title! But when I've looked at photos on The Landslide Blog, mostly I'm amazed and awed at what God does. Check them out: Images of landslides from the Christchurch earthquake Part 1. Be sure to check out all five parts!!
I could write more, about the volcano in Hawaii and it's recent lava lake collapse (really cool video avaiable at YouTube - just do a search). Or about the volcano, Nabro, that erupted without warning in Eretria.
Or about Comet Elenin. Good grief! There is so much garbage out there on the web about this comet, it is amazing! NASA had to take down one of their sites on it due to all the End of the World conspiracy junk people were posting. I'm sure they did not want to be a forum for spreading false information and having their name associated with it. (just guessing)
And the guy who insists that there have been volcanic emissions of some sort coming out of Southern California, actually in an area that Mel and I traveled through and played tourists in about 18 months ago. He's also into HAARP conspiracies, weather modification and other stuff. I'd laugh, but it's too serious of a problem, what he's doing, to laugh about it.
Sometimes I just have to laugh, though. The world has gone crazy! (It's a sad kind of laughter, you see.)
Literally crazy.
Rioting in London and other parts of Great Britain. Riots in Syria, with the government there actually killing close to 2,000 of their own people (maybe more, info is hard to get out of the country right now) in attemps to quell the 'problem'. Flash mobs in the US. Riots in Greece, Spain. Sit-in in Israel.
And so much more. The world has gone crazy.
And I watch it from my little computer, in my little flat, in my little city which fortunately remains calm and somewhat normal. What IS normal??? :) :)
Today the sky is very gray and it's much cooler, altho still over 80 degrees here at my desk, according to my thermometer. It sprinkled earlier, was dripping just a bit when I got up. We have really needed the rain - hope we get some more.
So, in the mean time, the grapes are ripening on the balcony, my grandson is getting ready to go back to school this week, my granddaughter is growing like a little weed, and life continues. And I pray for them continually.
I'm glad I dreamed last night. I feel so much better about it all. :) :)
Really!
Showing posts with label earthquakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label earthquakes. Show all posts
Monday, August 15, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
I was reading about the violence and death going on in Mexico, especially along the border with the US, and could not help but think of these verses:
Revelation 6:3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
I cannot imagine living in a place that violent. We've seen things like that - a gun battle between rival gangs that killed at least 28 people - on television for years. But on tv it was always 'pretend'. This is for real. This is reality. It makes me feel a bit sick to my stomach. This is not far away Africa, where tribes fight against each other. This is America, North and Central.
Actually, when I think about it - the Indian tribes used to fight each other like that. And the pioneers used to have wars like that with the Indians. So, in reality, not much has changed after all. It's more like we lived through an unusual time of relative peace, and now are back at it.
Only more so with the weapons used today.
Sigh.
~*~*~*~*~*~
We read the news about the tornadoes all across the mid section of the United States. Wow. And these after all of the flooding that has gone on. And we read that more flooding, due to the snow melt in the Rockies, will soon begin. This is an amazing time in history. An amazing time to live. Again - wow.
I wonder when the New Madrid fault will go? Or the Cascade fault? Or the San Andreas? Or one of the many other faults, known and unknown, that criss-cross the United States? I really think it will happen 'soon'. No dates, no time tables, no guesses - just 'soon'.
And then there are the volcanoes. All across California, Oregon and Washington. Earthquake activity may indicate that something volcanic may be happening in Nevada. Wyoming has the huge Yellowstone caldera. Then there is the volcanic areas of Colorado and especially New Mexico, and there are always little tremors going on along the Colorado/New Mexico border. I think most people would be very surprised to learn how much the earth is moving under their feet!
I was surprised to learn a few days ago that the Rio Grande River flows along a rift valley. Rift valley - you know, like the Rift Valley in Africa! The earthquakes happening in Chihuahua, Mexico, are also in that rift valley. And the rift valley may be opening up just a little bit, spreading wider!?! And where does the rift start? Ha! In one of my favorite places in Colorado - the San Luis Valley, with the Sangre de Cristo mountains on the east and the San Juan mountains on the west, and to the far north, the Arkansas River canyon (on the other side of Poncha Pass - I don't know if it's actually connected to the rift, but the earth there has obviously been torn and tossed about by earthquakes in the past).
~*~*~*~*~*~
I wonder what other time in history compares? With the natural disasters and the wars and the fast changing government of freedom to government of oppression in the United States ... which part of history most closely resembles our current time period? I don't know. It is sobering to think of.
Revelation 6:3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
I cannot imagine living in a place that violent. We've seen things like that - a gun battle between rival gangs that killed at least 28 people - on television for years. But on tv it was always 'pretend'. This is for real. This is reality. It makes me feel a bit sick to my stomach. This is not far away Africa, where tribes fight against each other. This is America, North and Central.
Actually, when I think about it - the Indian tribes used to fight each other like that. And the pioneers used to have wars like that with the Indians. So, in reality, not much has changed after all. It's more like we lived through an unusual time of relative peace, and now are back at it.
Only more so with the weapons used today.
Sigh.
We read the news about the tornadoes all across the mid section of the United States. Wow. And these after all of the flooding that has gone on. And we read that more flooding, due to the snow melt in the Rockies, will soon begin. This is an amazing time in history. An amazing time to live. Again - wow.
I wonder when the New Madrid fault will go? Or the Cascade fault? Or the San Andreas? Or one of the many other faults, known and unknown, that criss-cross the United States? I really think it will happen 'soon'. No dates, no time tables, no guesses - just 'soon'.
And then there are the volcanoes. All across California, Oregon and Washington. Earthquake activity may indicate that something volcanic may be happening in Nevada. Wyoming has the huge Yellowstone caldera. Then there is the volcanic areas of Colorado and especially New Mexico, and there are always little tremors going on along the Colorado/New Mexico border. I think most people would be very surprised to learn how much the earth is moving under their feet!
I was surprised to learn a few days ago that the Rio Grande River flows along a rift valley. Rift valley - you know, like the Rift Valley in Africa! The earthquakes happening in Chihuahua, Mexico, are also in that rift valley. And the rift valley may be opening up just a little bit, spreading wider!?! And where does the rift start? Ha! In one of my favorite places in Colorado - the San Luis Valley, with the Sangre de Cristo mountains on the east and the San Juan mountains on the west, and to the far north, the Arkansas River canyon (on the other side of Poncha Pass - I don't know if it's actually connected to the rift, but the earth there has obviously been torn and tossed about by earthquakes in the past).
I wonder what other time in history compares? With the natural disasters and the wars and the fast changing government of freedom to government of oppression in the United States ... which part of history most closely resembles our current time period? I don't know. It is sobering to think of.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Keeping My Eye On These Since They Started:
(bold emphasis mine)
4.3 quake rattles Chihuahua, West Texas
by Diana Washington Valdez \ El Paso Times
Posted: 04/29/2011 12:59:31 AM MDT
A 4.3-magnitude earthquake shook part of West Texas and Northern Chihuahua, Mexico, late Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The temblor was centered in the state of Chihuahua about 40 miles south of Fort Hancock, Texas, said Aaron Velasco, a seismologist and chairman of the Geology Department at the University of Texas at El Paso.
UTEP has a seismograph that records seismic activity.
Velasco said the earthquake occurred in an area that includes a valley used for agriculture and some mountains.
The earthquake began just before 11 p.m. Wednesday and emanated from about 6.2 miles deep in the earth. The epicenter's region is about 84 miles southeast of El Paso.
Velasco said the shaking took place in a region that does not appear to have a history of significant earthquake activity.
"There was a whole sequence of events," he said. "There was a 4.3 and a 4.1 earthquake and six to seven smaller ones. We're going to study this further."
Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Recent Nevada Earthquake Swarm Mapped Apr 28, 2011 12:31 PM ET
By OurAmazingPlanet Staff
Credit: Robert Simmon/NASA
For the past several weeks, a swarm of earthquakes has shaken the ground near Hawthorne, Nevada, according to a NASA statement. The small- and medium-sized earthquakes are concentrated near Buller Mountain, in an area of about 10 square kilometers (4 square miles). Over 400 earthquakes above magnitude 1.0 have occurred in the area since April 10, up to a magnitude of 4.6.
This map shows earthquake locations (white circles) from March 5, 2011, through the early morning of April 27, superimposed on a natural-color satellite image from September 19, 2002. At low elevations the lightly vegetated land is tan, while the Wassuk Range is covered in dark green forest. Several abandoned mines in the area are visible as bright scars on the landscape, and the lava flows of Mud Springs Volcano are dark gray. The image was acquired by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) aboard Landsat 7.
Although the earthquake swarm is adjacent to the Aurora-Bodie Volcanic Field, the earthquakes are tectonic in origin, not volcanic, and do not signal an impending eruption. Geologists distinguish between tectonic and volcanic earthquakes by looking at the waveforms recorded by seismographs. High-frequency events with a sharp onset—like a drum beat—are tectonic. Earthquakes that are long lasting and low- or medium-frequency—like a sustained note—are likely to be volcanic.
The Hawthorne earthquake swarm is located in the Basin and Range geologic province. The Basin and Range is an area of flat, low elevation valleys situated between linear mountain ranges, that stretches from the Sierra Nevada in the west to central Utah in the east. This complex topography is caused by uplift, stretching, and thinning of the North American crust. The stretching crust results in the frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanism in the area.
4.3 quake rattles Chihuahua, West Texas
by Diana Washington Valdez \ El Paso Times
Posted: 04/29/2011 12:59:31 AM MDT
A 4.3-magnitude earthquake shook part of West Texas and Northern Chihuahua, Mexico, late Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The temblor was centered in the state of Chihuahua about 40 miles south of Fort Hancock, Texas, said Aaron Velasco, a seismologist and chairman of the Geology Department at the University of Texas at El Paso.
UTEP has a seismograph that records seismic activity.
Velasco said the earthquake occurred in an area that includes a valley used for agriculture and some mountains.
The earthquake began just before 11 p.m. Wednesday and emanated from about 6.2 miles deep in the earth. The epicenter's region is about 84 miles southeast of El Paso.
Velasco said the shaking took place in a region that does not appear to have a history of significant earthquake activity.
"There was a whole sequence of events," he said. "There was a 4.3 and a 4.1 earthquake and six to seven smaller ones. We're going to study this further."
Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140.
Recent Nevada Earthquake Swarm Mapped Apr 28, 2011 12:31 PM ET
By OurAmazingPlanet Staff
Credit: Robert Simmon/NASA
For the past several weeks, a swarm of earthquakes has shaken the ground near Hawthorne, Nevada, according to a NASA statement. The small- and medium-sized earthquakes are concentrated near Buller Mountain, in an area of about 10 square kilometers (4 square miles). Over 400 earthquakes above magnitude 1.0 have occurred in the area since April 10, up to a magnitude of 4.6.
This map shows earthquake locations (white circles) from March 5, 2011, through the early morning of April 27, superimposed on a natural-color satellite image from September 19, 2002. At low elevations the lightly vegetated land is tan, while the Wassuk Range is covered in dark green forest. Several abandoned mines in the area are visible as bright scars on the landscape, and the lava flows of Mud Springs Volcano are dark gray. The image was acquired by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) aboard Landsat 7.
Although the earthquake swarm is adjacent to the Aurora-Bodie Volcanic Field, the earthquakes are tectonic in origin, not volcanic, and do not signal an impending eruption. Geologists distinguish between tectonic and volcanic earthquakes by looking at the waveforms recorded by seismographs. High-frequency events with a sharp onset—like a drum beat—are tectonic. Earthquakes that are long lasting and low- or medium-frequency—like a sustained note—are likely to be volcanic.
The Hawthorne earthquake swarm is located in the Basin and Range geologic province. The Basin and Range is an area of flat, low elevation valleys situated between linear mountain ranges, that stretches from the Sierra Nevada in the west to central Utah in the east. This complex topography is caused by uplift, stretching, and thinning of the North American crust. The stretching crust results in the frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanism in the area.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Emotional Rollercoaster News
Wow. What a morning it has been! As usual, drinking my morning coffee and reading blogs, news and facebook. One of the blogs I read posted this video - well worth the time it takes to download and watch. I was struck by the words of one of the translator: "We have no idea. We have had the Word of God for so long. We have taken it for granted. We have resources, we have translations, we have all these different things, and we don't, we don't cherish it. We don't realize what a precious gift we have and hold in our hands, and these guys were realizing that."
I am convicted. Deep in my heart and soul - I am convicted of that truth.
~*~*~*~*~*~
From there, I went to the news and this article on FoxNews caught my eye immediately: Thousands of Christians Displaced in Ethiopia After Muslim Extremists Torch Churches, Homes. People are being killed and persecuted by Muslims in Ethiopia simply for being Christians. Martyrs for Jesus Christ.
Our time is coming. It won't be long.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Last night before I went to bed I saw on the USGS page that there had been a 6.8 earthquake in Myanmar (also known as Burma). So far the news is telling us that over 40 people are known to have died. The death count is expected to rise.
This area of the world is not a very siesmicly active area. Yes, there are earthquakes there occasionally, rarely. But over the past couple or 3 weeks there have been several.
I laugh to myself because I noted immediately the first time Myanmar came up on the list and commented about it to Mel. I picture myself as a little ant, or maybe a big grasshopper - the scent of something new comes my way, I pause in whatever I'm doing and my antenna just start wiggling all over the place, trying to work it out. If you never watch bugs, you have no idea what I'm writing about. hahahahahahahaha I needed a good mental laugh right now.
Oh, and this is not the "big one" I think is going to happen. ;-)
~*~*~*~*~*~
When I googled "missionaries to Burma", the first name that came up Adoniram Judson. I have a feeling that anyone who has been in a church for very long will at least have heard that name.
Actually, when I think about it, that is not true. Our modern churches are so weak and worldly that I doubt 1 out of 100, or even 1 out of 1000 in most church circles today would have any clue who Adoniram Judson was. Or Amy Carmichael. Or Jim Elliott. Or maybe even Hudson Taylor. Sad. Very sad.
Whenever I think of missionaries to Burma, the wrong names come to mind. Gladys Aylward (missionary to China) and Isabel Kuhn (missionary to the Burmese Lisu people of Thailand and China). Two women who have inspired me in my own walk with Christ and in missions.
I wonder - how many of the people in the earthquake area have ever heard the name of Christ? Is there a church there? The news article only mentioned Buddhist temples that had been destroyed.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Scientists' Research Warns Humanity May be Facing 'Vortex of Death' is a very interesting article for a couple of reasons. This article addresses the upcoming Solar Maximum that has already begun. We are in Solar Cycle 24 now. The Minimum that we just came out of was one of the longest ever recorded and scientist are very puzzled over the whys and hows of it all. I'm not going to go into details here because if someone is interested there is so much info on the internet now - why repeat it?
What makes this particular article interesting to me is the fact that a couple of Melinda's Ladies (women who attend her Bible study on Fridays) talked all about magnetism and the sun while they walked home with her last week after the study. It was a "we're going to die! we're going to die! we're all going to die!" Chicken Little kind of conversation. Melinda wasn't sure what they were exactly talking about. When she told us I did have an idea, but had not seen it all put together in an article kind of format. Apparently this info in this kind of format hit the news stands and/or channels here sometime last week. After all, a lot of the research was done by a Russian.
(I find it interesting that a Russian is the one who came up with this. Over and over again I've heard people say things here that we are taught the exact opposite about in the States - yet the Russian view is proven to be correct - i.e. fat is good for you and you should eat it, not do what Americans do and try to never ever eat it. Just one example. I pay attention more now.)
Scientists have been talking about the Solar Minimums and Maximums for several years now. I've mentioned them before, posting photos from www.spaceweather.com and other places of the totally blank sun and how many days it had been blank, and so forth and so on. I'm interested in this stuff, after all! Not just because of things like this particular article (I do recommend reading the article, by the way, it is interesting, if a bit scary and sensational), but because of the natural processes that are happening around us all the time and we are just beginning to catch glimpses of what is really happening.
There is no doubt about it - we live in unusual and interesting and without Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord, frightening times. I can't blame man's sinfulness on what is going on in and on the sun, but I am sure that the sun affects us in ways we have no clue about right now. The sun does, after all, rule the day! And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. Genesis 1:14-19
And one of my favorite Psalms which I set to my own music and can sing to you if you'd like, promises me that the sun will not harm me by day, nor the moon by night:
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121
(bold emphasis mine)
So, what do I think of this article? Hmmm - this is one of those that I need to really do some deep thinking over. Right off the top of my head I have some opinions (I always have opinions!) and I think it fits right in with the Times in which we live - the End Times.
God does do miracles, I have no doubt of that. But it seems to me that most often God uses means to accomplish His will. There are going to be miracles in the coming days, yes. But much of what is written about in the Revelation and other prophetic books may simply be natural means that God uses to accomplish His perfect will here on earth.
~*~*~*~*~*~
And now - time to do the dishes and get ready for my Russian lesson in a couple hours!!
I am convicted. Deep in my heart and soul - I am convicted of that truth.
From there, I went to the news and this article on FoxNews caught my eye immediately: Thousands of Christians Displaced in Ethiopia After Muslim Extremists Torch Churches, Homes. People are being killed and persecuted by Muslims in Ethiopia simply for being Christians. Martyrs for Jesus Christ.
Our time is coming. It won't be long.
Last night before I went to bed I saw on the USGS page that there had been a 6.8 earthquake in Myanmar (also known as Burma). So far the news is telling us that over 40 people are known to have died. The death count is expected to rise.
This area of the world is not a very siesmicly active area. Yes, there are earthquakes there occasionally, rarely. But over the past couple or 3 weeks there have been several.
I laugh to myself because I noted immediately the first time Myanmar came up on the list and commented about it to Mel. I picture myself as a little ant, or maybe a big grasshopper - the scent of something new comes my way, I pause in whatever I'm doing and my antenna just start wiggling all over the place, trying to work it out. If you never watch bugs, you have no idea what I'm writing about. hahahahahahahaha I needed a good mental laugh right now.
Oh, and this is not the "big one" I think is going to happen. ;-)
When I googled "missionaries to Burma", the first name that came up Adoniram Judson. I have a feeling that anyone who has been in a church for very long will at least have heard that name.
Actually, when I think about it, that is not true. Our modern churches are so weak and worldly that I doubt 1 out of 100, or even 1 out of 1000 in most church circles today would have any clue who Adoniram Judson was. Or Amy Carmichael. Or Jim Elliott. Or maybe even Hudson Taylor. Sad. Very sad.
Whenever I think of missionaries to Burma, the wrong names come to mind. Gladys Aylward (missionary to China) and Isabel Kuhn (missionary to the Burmese Lisu people of Thailand and China). Two women who have inspired me in my own walk with Christ and in missions.
I wonder - how many of the people in the earthquake area have ever heard the name of Christ? Is there a church there? The news article only mentioned Buddhist temples that had been destroyed.
Scientists' Research Warns Humanity May be Facing 'Vortex of Death' is a very interesting article for a couple of reasons. This article addresses the upcoming Solar Maximum that has already begun. We are in Solar Cycle 24 now. The Minimum that we just came out of was one of the longest ever recorded and scientist are very puzzled over the whys and hows of it all. I'm not going to go into details here because if someone is interested there is so much info on the internet now - why repeat it?
What makes this particular article interesting to me is the fact that a couple of Melinda's Ladies (women who attend her Bible study on Fridays) talked all about magnetism and the sun while they walked home with her last week after the study. It was a "we're going to die! we're going to die! we're all going to die!" Chicken Little kind of conversation. Melinda wasn't sure what they were exactly talking about. When she told us I did have an idea, but had not seen it all put together in an article kind of format. Apparently this info in this kind of format hit the news stands and/or channels here sometime last week. After all, a lot of the research was done by a Russian.
(I find it interesting that a Russian is the one who came up with this. Over and over again I've heard people say things here that we are taught the exact opposite about in the States - yet the Russian view is proven to be correct - i.e. fat is good for you and you should eat it, not do what Americans do and try to never ever eat it. Just one example. I pay attention more now.)
Scientists have been talking about the Solar Minimums and Maximums for several years now. I've mentioned them before, posting photos from www.spaceweather.com and other places of the totally blank sun and how many days it had been blank, and so forth and so on. I'm interested in this stuff, after all! Not just because of things like this particular article (I do recommend reading the article, by the way, it is interesting, if a bit scary and sensational), but because of the natural processes that are happening around us all the time and we are just beginning to catch glimpses of what is really happening.
There is no doubt about it - we live in unusual and interesting and without Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord, frightening times. I can't blame man's sinfulness on what is going on in and on the sun, but I am sure that the sun affects us in ways we have no clue about right now. The sun does, after all, rule the day! And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. Genesis 1:14-19
And one of my favorite Psalms which I set to my own music and can sing to you if you'd like, promises me that the sun will not harm me by day, nor the moon by night:
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121
(bold emphasis mine)
So, what do I think of this article? Hmmm - this is one of those that I need to really do some deep thinking over. Right off the top of my head I have some opinions (I always have opinions!) and I think it fits right in with the Times in which we live - the End Times.
God does do miracles, I have no doubt of that. But it seems to me that most often God uses means to accomplish His will. There are going to be miracles in the coming days, yes. But much of what is written about in the Revelation and other prophetic books may simply be natural means that God uses to accomplish His perfect will here on earth.
And now - time to do the dishes and get ready for my Russian lesson in a couple hours!!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
It is a bright, sunny, blue sky kind of day. Beautiful outside. The wind is blowing, a fairly stiff breeze right now. Mel went to the store and I am here alone at the moment, balcony door wide open, listening to Galena Downstairs talk from her balcony to someone on the street. Dogs are barking, I can hear the heavy traffic from on the other side of our building and the washer in working away in the kitchen. Everything is "normal".
So, tell me - why do I have this overwhelming, at times, feeling of dread?
I am waiting.
Expectant.
Wondering.
What is going to happen next?
This feeling actually started 3 or 4 days ago. I went to bed the other night expecting to see in the morning that there had been another big earthquake somewhere in the world. In fact, over the next day, there were several 6.0 and above quakes in various parts of the world, but mostly, of course, in Japan. I'm still waiting for another big one. I really do think it's going to happen. I even dreamed about it.
Last night, just before we went to bed, FoxNews posted an article on George Soros and what he is doing right now. Why Are the Media Ignoring Plans By George Soros to Remake the Entire Global Economy? Not something you want to read just before you go to sleep. I had nightmares off and on all night, and I usually do not have bad dreams. These dreams actually had to do with the Union Printers' Home in Colorado Springs - a place I grew up near. Unsettling dreams, uncomfortable dreams, scary dreams of a place I have never been inside and have really paid no attention to since I was, what? 15 years old?? Somehow it was all tied to Soros. But back to Soros himself, I told Mel this morning as we were discussing what is going on, that I believe this man is controlled by something outside of this world, and I'm NOT talking about space aliens! God is controlling him, but in that, it is very possible that God has given him over to Satan for Satan to use during these last days.
In writing all of that above, with his power today, I wonder if these words will come to him or to someone high in his organization? It is probable - the internet is wide-open for any one to read. Therefore, George Soros, you need to confess your sin, repent and ask Jesus Christ to forgive you and save you. Now. Before it is too late. That time is coming very soon. Christ is returning very soon to judge the inhabitants of the earth, both the living and those who have already died!
It has been a while since I've read in the main stream media about mass animal deaths. That is part of the reason I read that other website I wrote about a day or two ago. The mass animal deaths have not stopped. Just this morning there are two more reports about fish kills. They are labeled as being "natural" due to fish not getting enough oxygen due to ... fill in the blank. Birds are dying, fish are dying, porposes and dolphins are dying. The sea and the sky creatures are dying in unusual numbers. And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. Genesis 1:20-23
The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Revelation 8:8,9
Sometimes I feel like we are experiencing a mini-tribulation period, like God is giving us a taste of what is to come. But is anyone listening? Is anyone paying attention?
Actually, I have wondered recently if we are actually in the Tribulation period and it only seems to us that things are not all that bad. Maybe things really are that bad and we just are not aware of it yet? With the tsunami destroying boats and ships, as well as houses and other buildings on land, with the reactor in Japan spewing out radiation in the air, on land and sea, with Chernobyl still hot and a very real and present danger to the world ... The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water — the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.Revelation 8:10,11
Last summer huge swathes of the world burned - Alaska, Russia, the US. Actually, over the past few years even more has burned - Australia, Greece, other parts of Europe. Add it all together and a large percent of the earth's surface has burned in the past 10 years or less. The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. Revelation 8:7
I no longer believe in a literal seven year tribulation, but rather in a perfect time period of tribulation.
What is happening in the Middle East? Every day we hear of more unrest, more people killed, more violence. Some of it is unimaginable. And what of the violence and horror that has happened in the past 100 years? Nazi Germany killing people and doing experiements on humans that are unbelievable in their horror. People doing that to other people. And recently I listened to a sermon by a young man who talked about what the Japanese did to his Korean people, as well as Chinese and other nationalities in that part of the world, before and during World War II. The reports are that their experiments on living human beings of ALL ages, including newborn babies - those experiments made Nazi German experiments throw-up when they toured the facilities. I was totally sickened myself, and I have no idea what those experiments were, nor do I want to know. I know enough of what the Nazi's did from all the reading I did when I was in high school (including QB VII, by Leon Uris - I've never forgotten that book).
I know that God is not finished with the country of Israel yet. I do not believe the Dispensational point of view exactly, nor do I believe that there is any way for Israel to be saved other than belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. But God is still working in that country, in those people. I have a feeling that things are literally going to explode there very soon. And it is going to be horrible and amazing at the same time.
So, today I write out some of these things, trying to get a mental handle on it all. I wonder, too, about all of the UFO stuff going on all over the world still. People are still seeing strange lights and crafts in the air, both during the day and at night. Some is faked, much is real. Unexplained. Unknown. But we live not just in this physical world that we can see, touch, taste, hear - but we also live in a spiritual world and there is a spiritual battle raging all around us. As the time draws near for Christ to return, and all that accompanies that time, I believe that unseen spiritual battle is going to become more and more seen. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. II Kings 6:15-17 How thankful I am that God has assured us "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them". We can rest in that.
So, the feeling of dread is still there. The feeling of waiting. Of anticipation. Expectation. Waiting.
And while I wait
and watch
and listen
and think
I must do.
Do what God has called me to do. Read His word, pray, listen for His voice, do the things my hands find to do, and do them with all my might.
Therefore, I really need to go check the washer and give the dial a bump (cold wash) and finish cleaning the flat and getting it ready for company tonight. Valentina and Lyena are coming over simple so Lyena can ask Mel questions. Questions she has from her Bible reading, from what is happening in the world around us, from her thinking deep, deep thoughts. Maybe I'll also have time to go over and see Ira, maybe not - the day is flying by.
So, tell me - why do I have this overwhelming, at times, feeling of dread?
I am waiting.
Expectant.
Wondering.
What is going to happen next?
This feeling actually started 3 or 4 days ago. I went to bed the other night expecting to see in the morning that there had been another big earthquake somewhere in the world. In fact, over the next day, there were several 6.0 and above quakes in various parts of the world, but mostly, of course, in Japan. I'm still waiting for another big one. I really do think it's going to happen. I even dreamed about it.
Last night, just before we went to bed, FoxNews posted an article on George Soros and what he is doing right now. Why Are the Media Ignoring Plans By George Soros to Remake the Entire Global Economy? Not something you want to read just before you go to sleep. I had nightmares off and on all night, and I usually do not have bad dreams. These dreams actually had to do with the Union Printers' Home in Colorado Springs - a place I grew up near. Unsettling dreams, uncomfortable dreams, scary dreams of a place I have never been inside and have really paid no attention to since I was, what? 15 years old?? Somehow it was all tied to Soros. But back to Soros himself, I told Mel this morning as we were discussing what is going on, that I believe this man is controlled by something outside of this world, and I'm NOT talking about space aliens! God is controlling him, but in that, it is very possible that God has given him over to Satan for Satan to use during these last days.
In writing all of that above, with his power today, I wonder if these words will come to him or to someone high in his organization? It is probable - the internet is wide-open for any one to read. Therefore, George Soros, you need to confess your sin, repent and ask Jesus Christ to forgive you and save you. Now. Before it is too late. That time is coming very soon. Christ is returning very soon to judge the inhabitants of the earth, both the living and those who have already died!
It has been a while since I've read in the main stream media about mass animal deaths. That is part of the reason I read that other website I wrote about a day or two ago. The mass animal deaths have not stopped. Just this morning there are two more reports about fish kills. They are labeled as being "natural" due to fish not getting enough oxygen due to ... fill in the blank. Birds are dying, fish are dying, porposes and dolphins are dying. The sea and the sky creatures are dying in unusual numbers. And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. Genesis 1:20-23
The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Revelation 8:8,9
Sometimes I feel like we are experiencing a mini-tribulation period, like God is giving us a taste of what is to come. But is anyone listening? Is anyone paying attention?
Actually, I have wondered recently if we are actually in the Tribulation period and it only seems to us that things are not all that bad. Maybe things really are that bad and we just are not aware of it yet? With the tsunami destroying boats and ships, as well as houses and other buildings on land, with the reactor in Japan spewing out radiation in the air, on land and sea, with Chernobyl still hot and a very real and present danger to the world ... The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water — the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.Revelation 8:10,11
Last summer huge swathes of the world burned - Alaska, Russia, the US. Actually, over the past few years even more has burned - Australia, Greece, other parts of Europe. Add it all together and a large percent of the earth's surface has burned in the past 10 years or less. The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. Revelation 8:7
I no longer believe in a literal seven year tribulation, but rather in a perfect time period of tribulation.
What is happening in the Middle East? Every day we hear of more unrest, more people killed, more violence. Some of it is unimaginable. And what of the violence and horror that has happened in the past 100 years? Nazi Germany killing people and doing experiements on humans that are unbelievable in their horror. People doing that to other people. And recently I listened to a sermon by a young man who talked about what the Japanese did to his Korean people, as well as Chinese and other nationalities in that part of the world, before and during World War II. The reports are that their experiments on living human beings of ALL ages, including newborn babies - those experiments made Nazi German experiments throw-up when they toured the facilities. I was totally sickened myself, and I have no idea what those experiments were, nor do I want to know. I know enough of what the Nazi's did from all the reading I did when I was in high school (including QB VII, by Leon Uris - I've never forgotten that book).
I know that God is not finished with the country of Israel yet. I do not believe the Dispensational point of view exactly, nor do I believe that there is any way for Israel to be saved other than belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. But God is still working in that country, in those people. I have a feeling that things are literally going to explode there very soon. And it is going to be horrible and amazing at the same time.
So, today I write out some of these things, trying to get a mental handle on it all. I wonder, too, about all of the UFO stuff going on all over the world still. People are still seeing strange lights and crafts in the air, both during the day and at night. Some is faked, much is real. Unexplained. Unknown. But we live not just in this physical world that we can see, touch, taste, hear - but we also live in a spiritual world and there is a spiritual battle raging all around us. As the time draws near for Christ to return, and all that accompanies that time, I believe that unseen spiritual battle is going to become more and more seen. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. II Kings 6:15-17 How thankful I am that God has assured us "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them". We can rest in that.
So, the feeling of dread is still there. The feeling of waiting. Of anticipation. Expectation. Waiting.
And while I wait
and watch
and listen
and think
I must do.
Do what God has called me to do. Read His word, pray, listen for His voice, do the things my hands find to do, and do them with all my might.
Therefore, I really need to go check the washer and give the dial a bump (cold wash) and finish cleaning the flat and getting it ready for company tonight. Valentina and Lyena are coming over simple so Lyena can ask Mel questions. Questions she has from her Bible reading, from what is happening in the world around us, from her thinking deep, deep thoughts. Maybe I'll also have time to go over and see Ira, maybe not - the day is flying by.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
41 and Counting
In the past 7 days there have been 41 earthquakes listed on the USGS site, 6.0 and above.
6.0 - 5
6.1 - 8
6.2 - 8
6.3 - 5
6.4 - 3
6.5 - 5
6.6 - 2
6.7 -
6.8 - 2
6.9 -
7.0 -
7.1 - 1
7.2 - 1
8.9 (upgraded to 9.1) - 1
These big quakes have happened not only in Japan or in the sea near Japan, but also in:
CHILE
SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS
SOLOMON ISLANDS
NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
BALI SEA
TONGA
JAPAN
On today's USGS map, there are 535 quakes shown:
Mel asked me a couple nights ago what I think is going to happen next. I pondered that question for a few moments and then responded. The West Coast of America has been very quiet and is due or even overdue for a "big one". But it could be Alaska again, or maybe even more probable - Istanbul. So, there you have it. I think the next really big one is going to hit either the West Coast or Alaska or Istanbul. Of course, the way things have been moving around in other parts of Europe, China and the Middle East - who knows? Remember - I am not a prophet, neither am I the son of a prophet. :-)
Only God knows. And I'm so thankful He is the one in control of it all.
6.0 - 5
6.1 - 8
6.2 - 8
6.3 - 5
6.4 - 3
6.5 - 5
6.6 - 2
6.7 -
6.8 - 2
6.9 -
7.0 -
7.1 - 1
7.2 - 1
8.9 (upgraded to 9.1) - 1
These big quakes have happened not only in Japan or in the sea near Japan, but also in:
CHILE
SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS
SOLOMON ISLANDS
NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
BALI SEA
TONGA
JAPAN
On today's USGS map, there are 535 quakes shown:
Mel asked me a couple nights ago what I think is going to happen next. I pondered that question for a few moments and then responded. The West Coast of America has been very quiet and is due or even overdue for a "big one". But it could be Alaska again, or maybe even more probable - Istanbul. So, there you have it. I think the next really big one is going to hit either the West Coast or Alaska or Istanbul. Of course, the way things have been moving around in other parts of Europe, China and the Middle East - who knows? Remember - I am not a prophet, neither am I the son of a prophet. :-)
Only God knows. And I'm so thankful He is the one in control of it all.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Earthquake Fallout
This morning, after I eventually wandered my way over to the computer and got it up and running and the internet working, I started checking news and blogs. I was glad to see that overnight, our time, there had been no 6.0's and above. There have been since, though, in the Japan area. I then turned my attention to a specific blog I now read.
I found this blog while searching the internet a few weeks ago for Christian blogs on End Time. I like the way the woman writes. Even though we are obviously from different denominations, we see the same thing happening in the world around us.
This morning (evening for her), though, I was deeply offended by one sentence that she wrote. That sentence, and the offence it produced, has stuck with me all day and influenced everything I've been reading and doing. Here is her paragraph:
I've often wondered about how bad things will get before we are called to meet Him in the air. (1 Thess 4:16-18). How bad will the birth pangs get and what will that look like? The church is not destined to be on earth for the Tribulation, that is a fact. The angel told Daniel in Daniel 9:24 the 6 reasons God will make a Tribulation, and one of them is to punish, and end the iniquity on earth. Church age believers are not destined for punishment, our sins are pardoned and we are free from accusation. (Col 1:22). But for the Christians in Japan, if there are any, it must certainly feel like punishment. So this is how I decided to think about it. And she goes on from there.
I don't agree with her eschatology completely, but that is neither here nor there (sometimes I do wish I still believed in a pre-trib rapture....) Can you guess what sentence so offended me?
But for the Christians in Japan, if there are any, it must certainly feel like punishment.
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
I'm not sure where to start with this one! So, I'll start with the bolded part first (that was my emphasis added, by the way). "If there are any" I'm still kind of reeling over that one. How arrogant is that? It speaks volumes to me on her view of world missions, on her view of Gods' promise that there will be people from EVERY tribe and tongue and nation in heaven, on her general view of the Japanese people who live there. Yes, Japan is the 2nd most unevangelized country in the world, so I recently learned. Yes, there are millions of heathen there. But YES, God has HIS people in Japan, right now, a Church made up of several different denominations, people He has chosen and called as His own. Some of those Believers in Japan are Americans, some are British, for all I know some may be Chinese or Australian or whatever nationality you can think of. Some are businessmen, some are missionaries. Some are Japanese people who have heard the Word of God and responded because GOD CHOSE THEM, CALLED THEM, and REDEEMED THEM. There is a Church in Japan, small as it may be, but it IS there. (I often - OFTEN - wonder just how small the true Chruch is in the US. So many say they are Christians, but there is no fruit of the Spirit in their lives, and so many of the 'churches' are heretical now...)
I remember when we first came to Ukraine. No power 5 times a day. A water schedule (which we still have) - water only 3 times a day. Buildings in great disrepair. People living hand to mouth, getting food out of the dumpsters, dogs and cats starving on the streets because people couldn't feed them. And we got here when things were starting to get better! Did we think God was punishing us for sending us here?!!? Did the people we met - both Believers and non-Believers - think God was punishing them through what had happened to their country, the old USSR? No, in fact, many people saw it as God was liberating them, giving them a blessing. People here just have a different way of looking at things because they have suffered so much, for so long.
Maybe that has influenced my own thinking. Maybe that is part of why I was so offended. When "bad" things happen, it does not mean that God is punishing people. Ok, I am well aware that this can get sticky very quickly. God does punish sin - but He is very long suffering. Sometimes what we think or assume is punishment (on us or on others around us) is actually God's blessing. And what is happening in Japan right now may very well be a prime example of that.
It can be a blessing - by shaking people out of their dependence on their own abilities and forcing them to acknowledge that they are sinners and need a Savior. That is the main way. This - no matter how painful it may be, is a BLESSING. So, Christians living there in Japan, I pray, are not looking at this as a punishment on them from God, but rather as God splitting open a very hard shell around the society so that many will be open to actually hearing and understanding the Word of God, the Gospel preached or spoken to them.
Oh, I am very well aware that many more will actually harden their hearts against God instead! I know that many will acknowledge that this came from God and shake their fists at Him instead of repent.
I guess it all depends on how we chose to look at what is happening around us.
For me, believing now that we Christians, we Believers in Christ Jesus as Savior, we will go through the Tribulation just as all other humans alive on earth, this gives me great joy. What a priviledge to suffer as our Savior did, not because we are being punished by God while the world is being punished, but because we have been given the great honor of witnessing for Him during this time. What great honor it will be for those who are martyred for the sake of Jesus Christ!! Not punishment! Honor! God will protect His children during that time, and if we die, we die - just like we do every single day of the year, every hour of the day. Some right now as I write - Christians dying because of their faith in Christ, Christians dying because they live in an area prone to earthquakes, floods, volcanoes or whatever it may be. Christians dying because man built nuclear reactors, or planes and cars that crash.
I'm not even sure this all makes sense this afternoon. I'm going to post it and then I may revise it. But for now - I'm praying for my brothers and sisters in Christ in Japan, that God will open many hearts to hear their witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
I found this blog while searching the internet a few weeks ago for Christian blogs on End Time. I like the way the woman writes. Even though we are obviously from different denominations, we see the same thing happening in the world around us.
This morning (evening for her), though, I was deeply offended by one sentence that she wrote. That sentence, and the offence it produced, has stuck with me all day and influenced everything I've been reading and doing. Here is her paragraph:
I've often wondered about how bad things will get before we are called to meet Him in the air. (1 Thess 4:16-18). How bad will the birth pangs get and what will that look like? The church is not destined to be on earth for the Tribulation, that is a fact. The angel told Daniel in Daniel 9:24 the 6 reasons God will make a Tribulation, and one of them is to punish, and end the iniquity on earth. Church age believers are not destined for punishment, our sins are pardoned and we are free from accusation. (Col 1:22). But for the Christians in Japan, if there are any, it must certainly feel like punishment. So this is how I decided to think about it. And she goes on from there.
I don't agree with her eschatology completely, but that is neither here nor there (sometimes I do wish I still believed in a pre-trib rapture....) Can you guess what sentence so offended me?
But for the Christians in Japan, if there are any, it must certainly feel like punishment.
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
I'm not sure where to start with this one! So, I'll start with the bolded part first (that was my emphasis added, by the way). "If there are any" I'm still kind of reeling over that one. How arrogant is that? It speaks volumes to me on her view of world missions, on her view of Gods' promise that there will be people from EVERY tribe and tongue and nation in heaven, on her general view of the Japanese people who live there. Yes, Japan is the 2nd most unevangelized country in the world, so I recently learned. Yes, there are millions of heathen there. But YES, God has HIS people in Japan, right now, a Church made up of several different denominations, people He has chosen and called as His own. Some of those Believers in Japan are Americans, some are British, for all I know some may be Chinese or Australian or whatever nationality you can think of. Some are businessmen, some are missionaries. Some are Japanese people who have heard the Word of God and responded because GOD CHOSE THEM, CALLED THEM, and REDEEMED THEM. There is a Church in Japan, small as it may be, but it IS there. (I often - OFTEN - wonder just how small the true Chruch is in the US. So many say they are Christians, but there is no fruit of the Spirit in their lives, and so many of the 'churches' are heretical now...)
I remember when we first came to Ukraine. No power 5 times a day. A water schedule (which we still have) - water only 3 times a day. Buildings in great disrepair. People living hand to mouth, getting food out of the dumpsters, dogs and cats starving on the streets because people couldn't feed them. And we got here when things were starting to get better! Did we think God was punishing us for sending us here?!!? Did the people we met - both Believers and non-Believers - think God was punishing them through what had happened to their country, the old USSR? No, in fact, many people saw it as God was liberating them, giving them a blessing. People here just have a different way of looking at things because they have suffered so much, for so long.
Maybe that has influenced my own thinking. Maybe that is part of why I was so offended. When "bad" things happen, it does not mean that God is punishing people. Ok, I am well aware that this can get sticky very quickly. God does punish sin - but He is very long suffering. Sometimes what we think or assume is punishment (on us or on others around us) is actually God's blessing. And what is happening in Japan right now may very well be a prime example of that.
It can be a blessing - by shaking people out of their dependence on their own abilities and forcing them to acknowledge that they are sinners and need a Savior. That is the main way. This - no matter how painful it may be, is a BLESSING. So, Christians living there in Japan, I pray, are not looking at this as a punishment on them from God, but rather as God splitting open a very hard shell around the society so that many will be open to actually hearing and understanding the Word of God, the Gospel preached or spoken to them.
Oh, I am very well aware that many more will actually harden their hearts against God instead! I know that many will acknowledge that this came from God and shake their fists at Him instead of repent.
I guess it all depends on how we chose to look at what is happening around us.
For me, believing now that we Christians, we Believers in Christ Jesus as Savior, we will go through the Tribulation just as all other humans alive on earth, this gives me great joy. What a priviledge to suffer as our Savior did, not because we are being punished by God while the world is being punished, but because we have been given the great honor of witnessing for Him during this time. What great honor it will be for those who are martyred for the sake of Jesus Christ!! Not punishment! Honor! God will protect His children during that time, and if we die, we die - just like we do every single day of the year, every hour of the day. Some right now as I write - Christians dying because of their faith in Christ, Christians dying because they live in an area prone to earthquakes, floods, volcanoes or whatever it may be. Christians dying because man built nuclear reactors, or planes and cars that crash.
I'm not even sure this all makes sense this afternoon. I'm going to post it and then I may revise it. But for now - I'm praying for my brothers and sisters in Christ in Japan, that God will open many hearts to hear their witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Another Way of Looking
Here's another way of looking at what happened today in Japan:
I think this may be the most earthquakes I've ever seen listed on the world map at one time.
And this one - wow. Not just the east side of Japan, but the west side as well. The ones on the west are not after shocks, but independent earthquakes. Amazing.
I'm still praying. All of our mission agency people have reported in, safe and sound so far. That was good news. I don't know about my friends' family and friends - will keep praying for them and others.
For now, tho, it's time for bed. My head is all foggy, my nose is still dripping and I feel rotten. Had a nice talk with Peter via facebook instant messaging tonight, and a skype talk with Kara and Eithnee. That was really nice. But, I'm wiped out. It's time for bed.
I wonder what will happen tonight..... The birth pangs are getting stronger. The Lord Jesus Christ's return is drawing nearer.
I think this may be the most earthquakes I've ever seen listed on the world map at one time.
And this one - wow. Not just the east side of Japan, but the west side as well. The ones on the west are not after shocks, but independent earthquakes. Amazing.I'm still praying. All of our mission agency people have reported in, safe and sound so far. That was good news. I don't know about my friends' family and friends - will keep praying for them and others.
For now, tho, it's time for bed. My head is all foggy, my nose is still dripping and I feel rotten. Had a nice talk with Peter via facebook instant messaging tonight, and a skype talk with Kara and Eithnee. That was really nice. But, I'm wiped out. It's time for bed.
I wonder what will happen tonight..... The birth pangs are getting stronger. The Lord Jesus Christ's return is drawing nearer.
End Times Cursing and Disbelief
Kegga Fin on March 11, 2011, 10:23 AM
I see a lot of prayers on the net.
Isn’t that a paradox when someone pray for peoples safety even though god is the cause for the earthquake?
1. God cause trouble
2. God receive prayers
3. God will help those he caused trouble for?
I know it’s a good thought but I can’t help but wonder how some people could end up beeing this clouded by god 2011.
The above quote is a post on the volcano blog I read. I find it extremely sad. Not only is it evidence that this young man (he has a photo posted, too) is not a Christian, but he has no concept of what prayer is and why a Believer prays. It reminds me of:
Revelation 9:20,21 "The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts." and Revelation 16:8-11,21 "The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. ... From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible."
I see a lot of prayers on the net.
Isn’t that a paradox when someone pray for peoples safety even though god is the cause for the earthquake?
1. God cause trouble
2. God receive prayers
3. God will help those he caused trouble for?
I know it’s a good thought but I can’t help but wonder how some people could end up beeing this clouded by god 2011.
The above quote is a post on the volcano blog I read. I find it extremely sad. Not only is it evidence that this young man (he has a photo posted, too) is not a Christian, but he has no concept of what prayer is and why a Believer prays. It reminds me of:
Revelation 9:20,21 "The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts." and Revelation 16:8-11,21 "The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. ... From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible."
Earthquakes
I told Mel a few weeks ago, after looking at the then current activity on the USGS earthquake webpage, that I expected a "big one" to hit Japan sometime soon. Well, today 'it' hit. Wow! Did it ever!
I got up this morning and one of my first thoughts was, I bet we had a 7 pointer somehwere in the world overnight. I almost asked Mel as I walked through the room in my typical morning state of mental fogginess. But I thought, I ask him about things like that so often, I'm sure he's just plain tired of me asking "any big earthquakes overnight?". So, instead, I came out of the Little Room and he said, "There was a 7.9 quake in Japan." without any prompting from me. :-)
Quite suddenly my mind was no longer foggy. Instead, it was cleared and focused and it sure did take a very, very long time for my computer to boot up so I could get on internet and check out all the pages I check out when earthquakes happen.
We don't have an English speaking channel on television, nor do we have a 24 hours news channel in Russian or Ukrainian. Mel turned on the tv for me, just in case, tho, because when 9/11 happened, several of the regular channels went to only newscasts (the music channels all continued their "music" videos). Nope - nothing on tv.
So, I turned to the volcano blog that I read daily. I knew that the people who post in the comments section would have posted links to various places not only about the current volcano situation on Kilauea (which, by the way, is rather strange right now and VERY interesting to me), but also to what is happening in Japan. Sure enough, there were several links and I got busy clicking.
Was able to watch live English language television in Japan of video taken from helicopters, plus translation while the PM spoke, etc. Was notified by one of the commenters that the tsunami watch for the West Coast was changed to a tsunami warning. And 'listened in' on the discussion about what happened and what effects it may or may not have on Hawaii and other volcanic and seismic areas around the Ring of Fire.
Oh so much more interesting than television!!!
On facebook, I had a comment from a friend in California who has relatives in Japan and Hawaii, and owns a house not far from Kilaeua. Lots of prayers going up for her and her extended family. Lots of prayers going up for someone we know who lives in Chiba, Japan, as well as others from our mission organization in other areas of Japan.
And now - the West Coast of the United States. As someone commented on the volcano blog - the fault along the coast of California and the Cascade fault along the coast of Oregon and Washington are the only ones that haven't had major movement recently. I'd been thinking the same thing - have been thinking it for awhile.
So, we will see.
For now, I pray - pray that many people in Japan (and countries that may be affected by tsunami) may come to Christ through what is happening. And I pray - come quickly, Lord Jesus! The "birth pangs" are getting stronger!
I got up this morning and one of my first thoughts was, I bet we had a 7 pointer somehwere in the world overnight. I almost asked Mel as I walked through the room in my typical morning state of mental fogginess. But I thought, I ask him about things like that so often, I'm sure he's just plain tired of me asking "any big earthquakes overnight?". So, instead, I came out of the Little Room and he said, "There was a 7.9 quake in Japan." without any prompting from me. :-)
Quite suddenly my mind was no longer foggy. Instead, it was cleared and focused and it sure did take a very, very long time for my computer to boot up so I could get on internet and check out all the pages I check out when earthquakes happen.
We don't have an English speaking channel on television, nor do we have a 24 hours news channel in Russian or Ukrainian. Mel turned on the tv for me, just in case, tho, because when 9/11 happened, several of the regular channels went to only newscasts (the music channels all continued their "music" videos). Nope - nothing on tv.
So, I turned to the volcano blog that I read daily. I knew that the people who post in the comments section would have posted links to various places not only about the current volcano situation on Kilauea (which, by the way, is rather strange right now and VERY interesting to me), but also to what is happening in Japan. Sure enough, there were several links and I got busy clicking.
Was able to watch live English language television in Japan of video taken from helicopters, plus translation while the PM spoke, etc. Was notified by one of the commenters that the tsunami watch for the West Coast was changed to a tsunami warning. And 'listened in' on the discussion about what happened and what effects it may or may not have on Hawaii and other volcanic and seismic areas around the Ring of Fire.
Oh so much more interesting than television!!!
On facebook, I had a comment from a friend in California who has relatives in Japan and Hawaii, and owns a house not far from Kilaeua. Lots of prayers going up for her and her extended family. Lots of prayers going up for someone we know who lives in Chiba, Japan, as well as others from our mission organization in other areas of Japan.
And now - the West Coast of the United States. As someone commented on the volcano blog - the fault along the coast of California and the Cascade fault along the coast of Oregon and Washington are the only ones that haven't had major movement recently. I'd been thinking the same thing - have been thinking it for awhile.
So, we will see.
For now, I pray - pray that many people in Japan (and countries that may be affected by tsunami) may come to Christ through what is happening. And I pray - come quickly, Lord Jesus! The "birth pangs" are getting stronger!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Bit's n Pieces
The photo in my current blog title is of Iridescent Clouds and was taken while we visited Mel's dad and step-mother in November, down south of Pueblo. Mel's dad noticed the clouds while he was doing something at the kitchen sink and looked out. He is a sky watcher, too. In fact, I had a blast with him, sitting out on the back deck one night, watching a thunderstorm out east along the Kansas border. Absolutely beautiful lightning display. The iridescent clouds were beautiful and more than a little bit freaky. I'd never seen them like that before. Then, a week or so later, we had another display, only this time up in Woodland Park. Wow.
Ei yi yi. I MISS sky watching here in Ukraine. I cannot express how much I miss it. And because of that, I'd better get off that subject right now before I fall into a (what word am I looking for? I had it there in my mind 10 second ago!! I know "lump" is not the word I am desperately searching for! hahahahaha!) slump? Is that it? Add another ei yi yi to this paragraph, but also a lot of internal laughing, cuz I think it's funny that my brain does this now. Ah - menopause, ya gotta love it, or you'll go insane.
Mel put on Rocky Mountain Solitude
I could listen to this music all day long. My heart sings with it. I want to close my eyes and lose myself for awhile in the music - therefore, I'll be back in a little while.
~*~*~*~*~
Ah, that was nice, really, really nice. I needed that.
While we were at the Georgian National Dance Company performance the other night, I watched and listened and thought about what marvelous bodies God has given us. And I thought about how wonderful it will be when we get to heaven and dancing like that will be done totally and completely to the glory of God, and God alone. I thought about how it will sound with all of the different kinds of music that each culture will bring. And how instruments and voices will be played and lifted up in song completely to the glory of God. It's difficult to imagine that because so much of what we do now is filled with pride in ourselves and comparrisons to others - did I do better than so-n-so, are they better than I am and so forth and so on. In heaven it all will be for God, gifts to Him, and I am sure we will rejoice in what we can give and what others give as well - no envy or jealousy at all. How wonderful!
~*~*~*~*~
Once again my mind is turned to nature and what is happening in our world. The earthquake in New Zealand, all of the damage and destruction and death. Oh my. Yet, it is just one more. One more quake. And more will come, are coming, all over the world. There have been many earthquakes in Turkey over the past 36 hours, ranging from 1's to 4.8. Nothing is heard about these on the news, and so far I have not seen any of them reported on the USGS earthquake page. I wonder why? They are reported here on theEuropean-Mediterranian Seismological Centre page. I wonder, if a big one hits Istanbul, will we feel it? Turkey is not that far away, and we did feel the 6. pointer that happened in Romania, but then, there is a Sea inbetween us and Turkey. And thinking of that - Kherson is located just a few km in from the Black Sea, right on the Dnipro - so if there is a quake, would it, could it cause a tsunami in the Black Sea that could actually make it's way up to us? Due to the geography of the area, I'm not sure it would round the corner and come up the delta to us or not. But it's on my mind - as are the HUGE dams to the north of us on the river. Good thing our lives are in God's hands and not mother nature's!!
~*~*~*~*~
There was a report of mass bird deaths down in the Crimea. Many blackbirds found dead in Ukraine
I wonder what that is all about. We sure have a large amount of birds flying around here, now, way more than we used to have. Ravens and other black birds, and then there are the pigeons that are new to our part of town. Saw a woman the other day, out in the area across from our building, feeding the pigeons. Couldn't help but think of Mary Poppins and Feed the Birds. Also couldn't help but think what a nuisance they all are, pooping everywhere. Ah well, I love feeding wild birds in Colorado, and I used to feed them here (sparrows and chickadee type birds), too, until Galena Downstairs complained about all the bird poo on her balcony from them.
~*~*~*~*~
Well, I started this post several hours ago and it's just not getting done. Therefore, I will post what I've got written now, and maybe later, if I want to, I'll write some more. We'll see.
Ei yi yi. I MISS sky watching here in Ukraine. I cannot express how much I miss it. And because of that, I'd better get off that subject right now before I fall into a (what word am I looking for? I had it there in my mind 10 second ago!! I know "lump" is not the word I am desperately searching for! hahahahaha!) slump? Is that it? Add another ei yi yi to this paragraph, but also a lot of internal laughing, cuz I think it's funny that my brain does this now. Ah - menopause, ya gotta love it, or you'll go insane.
Mel put on Rocky Mountain Solitude
I could listen to this music all day long. My heart sings with it. I want to close my eyes and lose myself for awhile in the music - therefore, I'll be back in a little while.Ah, that was nice, really, really nice. I needed that.
While we were at the Georgian National Dance Company performance the other night, I watched and listened and thought about what marvelous bodies God has given us. And I thought about how wonderful it will be when we get to heaven and dancing like that will be done totally and completely to the glory of God, and God alone. I thought about how it will sound with all of the different kinds of music that each culture will bring. And how instruments and voices will be played and lifted up in song completely to the glory of God. It's difficult to imagine that because so much of what we do now is filled with pride in ourselves and comparrisons to others - did I do better than so-n-so, are they better than I am and so forth and so on. In heaven it all will be for God, gifts to Him, and I am sure we will rejoice in what we can give and what others give as well - no envy or jealousy at all. How wonderful!
Once again my mind is turned to nature and what is happening in our world. The earthquake in New Zealand, all of the damage and destruction and death. Oh my. Yet, it is just one more. One more quake. And more will come, are coming, all over the world. There have been many earthquakes in Turkey over the past 36 hours, ranging from 1's to 4.8. Nothing is heard about these on the news, and so far I have not seen any of them reported on the USGS earthquake page. I wonder why? They are reported here on theEuropean-Mediterranian Seismological Centre page. I wonder, if a big one hits Istanbul, will we feel it? Turkey is not that far away, and we did feel the 6. pointer that happened in Romania, but then, there is a Sea inbetween us and Turkey. And thinking of that - Kherson is located just a few km in from the Black Sea, right on the Dnipro - so if there is a quake, would it, could it cause a tsunami in the Black Sea that could actually make it's way up to us? Due to the geography of the area, I'm not sure it would round the corner and come up the delta to us or not. But it's on my mind - as are the HUGE dams to the north of us on the river. Good thing our lives are in God's hands and not mother nature's!!
There was a report of mass bird deaths down in the Crimea. Many blackbirds found dead in Ukraine
I wonder what that is all about. We sure have a large amount of birds flying around here, now, way more than we used to have. Ravens and other black birds, and then there are the pigeons that are new to our part of town. Saw a woman the other day, out in the area across from our building, feeding the pigeons. Couldn't help but think of Mary Poppins and Feed the Birds. Also couldn't help but think what a nuisance they all are, pooping everywhere. Ah well, I love feeding wild birds in Colorado, and I used to feed them here (sparrows and chickadee type birds), too, until Galena Downstairs complained about all the bird poo on her balcony from them.
Well, I started this post several hours ago and it's just not getting done. Therefore, I will post what I've got written now, and maybe later, if I want to, I'll write some more. We'll see.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Arkansas Earthquakes
For the past several days I've been reading blogs and the USGS earthquake site, all about the earthquake swarm in Arkansas. Finally things are beginning to show up in the actual news pages about it. Places like MSNBC, FoxNews and Yahoo!News. I'm not going to link any of them here.
These earthquakes are on the New Madrid fault line, or very close to it. I wonder what's going to happen. They could be caused by fracking (used in gas exploration), or they could be precursors to a "big one". No one at this time knows for sure.
I told Mel yesterday sometime that I think something major is going to happen. We'll see. I am not a prophet, that is for certain! :-)
As you can see, there are 21 earthquakes shown on this page, for the past week, here in Arkansas alone. And this is not a complete list. There are dozens of smaller ones than they show on the USGS lists and maps.
Of course there are conspiracy theories abounding about why not all of the quakes are shown and why sometimes they are listed as much larger, then a couple hours later they show up much smaller. And why FEMA has decided to do a huge disaster training exercise in the general area of the fault in May of this year. Oh - the conspiracies abound. But so do thoughtful ideas and statements.
Even the USGS says that eventually the "big one" is going to hit the area, just as it did back in 1811-1812. Two hundred years ago, to the year. Interesting.
Watch and see. And pray.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!!
These earthquakes are on the New Madrid fault line, or very close to it. I wonder what's going to happen. They could be caused by fracking (used in gas exploration), or they could be precursors to a "big one". No one at this time knows for sure.
I told Mel yesterday sometime that I think something major is going to happen. We'll see. I am not a prophet, that is for certain! :-)
As you can see, there are 21 earthquakes shown on this page, for the past week, here in Arkansas alone. And this is not a complete list. There are dozens of smaller ones than they show on the USGS lists and maps.Of course there are conspiracy theories abounding about why not all of the quakes are shown and why sometimes they are listed as much larger, then a couple hours later they show up much smaller. And why FEMA has decided to do a huge disaster training exercise in the general area of the fault in May of this year. Oh - the conspiracies abound. But so do thoughtful ideas and statements.
Even the USGS says that eventually the "big one" is going to hit the area, just as it did back in 1811-1812. Two hundred years ago, to the year. Interesting.
Watch and see. And pray.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Biggest quake in 50 years hits Australia's Goldfields
HindustanTimes
Agence France-Presse
Perth, April 20, 2010
First Published: 07:31 IST(20/4/2010)
Last Updated: 07:40 IST(20/4/2010)
The biggest earthquake in 50 years rattled Western Australia's Goldfields region on Tuesday, damaging buildings but not causing any injuries, officials said.
The 5.2-magnitude quake, at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres (six miles), struck just outside the Kalgoorlie-Boulder mining towns at about 8:17 am (0017 GMT), geologists said.
"The earthquake has impacted mainly the Boulder area damaging around five or six older hotels on Burt Street including the Roc Hotel and Golden Eagle," Geoscience Australia said in a statement.
"Burt and Lane Streets in Boulder have been closed and people are asked to avoid the area. There have been no reports of people trapped or injured."
A spokesman for the geoscientific agency said the remote mining centre, about 600 kilometres (370 miles) east of Perth, had not seen an earthquake bigger than 4.2 in the previous half-century.
"This is quite a large earthquake for Australia and a shallow, potentially damaging, earthquake," he said. "It's the largest event in this area in the last 50 years."
Officials at nearby mines were not immediately available for comment.
Agence France-Presse
Perth, April 20, 2010
First Published: 07:31 IST(20/4/2010)
Last Updated: 07:40 IST(20/4/2010)
The biggest earthquake in 50 years rattled Western Australia's Goldfields region on Tuesday, damaging buildings but not causing any injuries, officials said.
The 5.2-magnitude quake, at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres (six miles), struck just outside the Kalgoorlie-Boulder mining towns at about 8:17 am (0017 GMT), geologists said.
"The earthquake has impacted mainly the Boulder area damaging around five or six older hotels on Burt Street including the Roc Hotel and Golden Eagle," Geoscience Australia said in a statement.
"Burt and Lane Streets in Boulder have been closed and people are asked to avoid the area. There have been no reports of people trapped or injured."
A spokesman for the geoscientific agency said the remote mining centre, about 600 kilometres (370 miles) east of Perth, had not seen an earthquake bigger than 4.2 in the previous half-century.
"This is quite a large earthquake for Australia and a shallow, potentially damaging, earthquake," he said. "It's the largest event in this area in the last 50 years."
Officials at nearby mines were not immediately available for comment.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Earthquake! Wow - What a Week!
2/26 - 7.0 - 20:31:27 - RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
2/27 - 6.2 - 06:52:35 - OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
2/27 - 8.8 - 06:34:15 - OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
2/27 - 6.1 - 08:25:30 - OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
2/27 - 6.9 - 08:01:24 - OFF THE COAST OF BIO-BIO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.0 - 07:37:18 - BIO-BIO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.0 - 07:12:29 - OFFSHORE VALPARAISO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.0 - 10:30:33 - OFFSHORE LIBERTADOR O'HIGGINS, CHILE
2/27 - 6.3 - 15:45:36 - SALTA, ARGENTINA
2/27 - 6.0 - 17:24:31 - OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.3 - 19:00:08 - OFFSHORE VALPARAISO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.2 - 11:25:36 - LIBERTADOR O'HIGGINS, CHILE
3/3 - 6.0 - 17:44:25 - OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE
3/4 - 6.1 - 01:59:51 - OFFSHORE VALPARAISO, CHILE
3/4 - 6.4 - 00:18:52 - TAIWAN
Dozens of aftershocks in Chile and actually all up and down the west coast of South America.
Lots in California and Alaska, plus these:
2 - BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
1 - OAXACA, MEXICO
3 - OKLAHOMA
1 - HAWAII REGION, HAWAII
1 - WESTERN MONTANA
1 - ONTARIO-QUEBEC BORDER REGION, CANADA
1 - SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI
The whole earth was ringing like a bell after that 8.8 in Chile.
2/27 - 6.2 - 06:52:35 - OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
2/27 - 8.8 - 06:34:15 - OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
2/27 - 6.1 - 08:25:30 - OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
2/27 - 6.9 - 08:01:24 - OFF THE COAST OF BIO-BIO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.0 - 07:37:18 - BIO-BIO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.0 - 07:12:29 - OFFSHORE VALPARAISO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.0 - 10:30:33 - OFFSHORE LIBERTADOR O'HIGGINS, CHILE
2/27 - 6.3 - 15:45:36 - SALTA, ARGENTINA
2/27 - 6.0 - 17:24:31 - OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.3 - 19:00:08 - OFFSHORE VALPARAISO, CHILE
2/27 - 6.2 - 11:25:36 - LIBERTADOR O'HIGGINS, CHILE
3/3 - 6.0 - 17:44:25 - OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE
3/4 - 6.1 - 01:59:51 - OFFSHORE VALPARAISO, CHILE
3/4 - 6.4 - 00:18:52 - TAIWAN
Dozens of aftershocks in Chile and actually all up and down the west coast of South America.
Lots in California and Alaska, plus these:
2 - BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
1 - OAXACA, MEXICO
3 - OKLAHOMA
1 - HAWAII REGION, HAWAII
1 - WESTERN MONTANA
1 - ONTARIO-QUEBEC BORDER REGION, CANADA
1 - SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI
The whole earth was ringing like a bell after that 8.8 in Chile.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Earthquakes and Large Cats
2/15 - 6.2 - 21:51:48 - KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA
2/18 - 6.9 - 01:13:19 - CHINA-RUSSIA-NORTH KOREA BORDER REGION
2/22 - 6.0 - 07:00:55 - TONGA REGION
18 - GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA (from 2.5 to 3.6)
4 - HAWAII
1 - ARKANSAS
1 - NEW YORK
3 - OKLAHOMA
1 - NEW MEXICO
1 - NEW JERSEY
1 - NEVADA
2 - BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
1 - NORTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA
Plus a whole bunch in the rest of California and Alaska, and a few in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The rest of the Ring of Fire was pretty busy, too.
~*~*~*~*~
(note: Green Mountain Falls and Crystola are both 'just over the mountain' from my parents home, maybe 10 miles away, as the crow flies. As I've written before, mountain lions have been sighted here over the years, as well.)
From The Mountain JP, Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Killer Mountain Lions Still On The Loose In GMF
By Rick Langenberg
Wildlife authorities are still searching for two mountain lions - a mother and cub - who leaped into a residential yard just off the main street of Green Mountain Falls, dragged away and killed a 15-pound dog.
The incident, which has left many residents on the edge, occurred when the mother lion was apparently teaching her cub how to hunt.
The death of a small Cavashon mix happened in less than a minute.
A humane trap, baited with deer meat, was installed in the area in an effert to capture the killer lions. In addition, town officials have distributed cougar safety tips at the local post office. However, no traces of the culprit lions have been evident, with some speculating that the big cats may have left the area.
In fact, authorities have reported little sign of mountain lion activity since the latest attack. Though authorities have cited the possibility that a mountain lion devoured a goat in the Crystola area recently, that animal death hasn't definitively been attributed to a cougar assult.
Even with the lack of sightings, the recent big cat attacks have prompted many concerns amoung local residents, who are wondering how they can protect their kids and pets in mountain lion country.
Green Mountain Falls Marshal Randy Ford notes that contrary to certain Colorado Division of Wildlife guidelines, residents are allowed to protect themselves, their families and their pets from attacks by lions or any other wildlife within the city limits of Green Mountain Falls. "They can certainly protect themselves and their animals. We just don't want people to shoot them (mountain lions) on sight," said Ford. The use of deadly force to fend off attacks should be done as a last resort, explained the marshal.
That said, he maintains that residents certainly have the right to defend themselves, their family members and pets from dangerous assaults and doesn't discourage people from carrying licensed weapons during outings in the wild, such as in the National Forest.
According to DOW guidelines, people can shoot a lion, if they or members of their families are under attack. But the DOW rules are ambiguous when it comes to a pet getting assaulted, with the DOW not giving pets any more rights than mountain lions. The DOW, through its web site postings and brochures, has stressed that the Pikes Peak region is mountain lion country.
As for other protection measures, the Green Mountain Falls Marshal's Office plans to continue to monitor the playground of the Ute Pass Elememtary School during recess and lunch periods when many kids are outdoors. Authorities are advising parents to keep close tabs on their kids while they play outdoors. In addition, local officials are doing their part in educating residents about cougar safety tips.
In the last few months, locals have occasionally seen cougars right in the middle of town. Ford believes there are about a dozen mountain lions who roam the region, consisting of a 70-square-mile area. There have been more than a dozen sightings in the last few months in the GMF area, with the big cats in some cases basking in the sun in a residential yard, or even strolling down the mian street. "They are pretty lazy," quipped Ford, who says the lions won't try to conceal themselves unless they feel threatened.
In addition, Ford says bobcat sightings have also been prevalent in the last few months. "That is something we have never seen before," said the marshal.
Speculations persisits that big cats have moved in closer to town due to more challenging hunting conditions on Pikes Peak or the increased number of deer in town.
Still, mountain lion encounters are extrememly rare, with only about 50 recorded human/mountain lion encounters in the last 50 years throughout the country, according to Backwood Home magazine.
"You mainly don't want to make yourself a target of opportunity," warns Ford.
For more information, call 227-5200
2/18 - 6.9 - 01:13:19 - CHINA-RUSSIA-NORTH KOREA BORDER REGION
2/22 - 6.0 - 07:00:55 - TONGA REGION
18 - GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA (from 2.5 to 3.6)
4 - HAWAII
1 - ARKANSAS
1 - NEW YORK
3 - OKLAHOMA
1 - NEW MEXICO
1 - NEW JERSEY
1 - NEVADA
2 - BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
1 - NORTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA
Plus a whole bunch in the rest of California and Alaska, and a few in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The rest of the Ring of Fire was pretty busy, too.
(note: Green Mountain Falls and Crystola are both 'just over the mountain' from my parents home, maybe 10 miles away, as the crow flies. As I've written before, mountain lions have been sighted here over the years, as well.)
From The Mountain JP, Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Killer Mountain Lions Still On The Loose In GMF
By Rick Langenberg
Wildlife authorities are still searching for two mountain lions - a mother and cub - who leaped into a residential yard just off the main street of Green Mountain Falls, dragged away and killed a 15-pound dog.
The incident, which has left many residents on the edge, occurred when the mother lion was apparently teaching her cub how to hunt.
The death of a small Cavashon mix happened in less than a minute.
A humane trap, baited with deer meat, was installed in the area in an effert to capture the killer lions. In addition, town officials have distributed cougar safety tips at the local post office. However, no traces of the culprit lions have been evident, with some speculating that the big cats may have left the area.
In fact, authorities have reported little sign of mountain lion activity since the latest attack. Though authorities have cited the possibility that a mountain lion devoured a goat in the Crystola area recently, that animal death hasn't definitively been attributed to a cougar assult.
Even with the lack of sightings, the recent big cat attacks have prompted many concerns amoung local residents, who are wondering how they can protect their kids and pets in mountain lion country.
Green Mountain Falls Marshal Randy Ford notes that contrary to certain Colorado Division of Wildlife guidelines, residents are allowed to protect themselves, their families and their pets from attacks by lions or any other wildlife within the city limits of Green Mountain Falls. "They can certainly protect themselves and their animals. We just don't want people to shoot them (mountain lions) on sight," said Ford. The use of deadly force to fend off attacks should be done as a last resort, explained the marshal.
That said, he maintains that residents certainly have the right to defend themselves, their family members and pets from dangerous assaults and doesn't discourage people from carrying licensed weapons during outings in the wild, such as in the National Forest.
According to DOW guidelines, people can shoot a lion, if they or members of their families are under attack. But the DOW rules are ambiguous when it comes to a pet getting assaulted, with the DOW not giving pets any more rights than mountain lions. The DOW, through its web site postings and brochures, has stressed that the Pikes Peak region is mountain lion country.
As for other protection measures, the Green Mountain Falls Marshal's Office plans to continue to monitor the playground of the Ute Pass Elememtary School during recess and lunch periods when many kids are outdoors. Authorities are advising parents to keep close tabs on their kids while they play outdoors. In addition, local officials are doing their part in educating residents about cougar safety tips.
In the last few months, locals have occasionally seen cougars right in the middle of town. Ford believes there are about a dozen mountain lions who roam the region, consisting of a 70-square-mile area. There have been more than a dozen sightings in the last few months in the GMF area, with the big cats in some cases basking in the sun in a residential yard, or even strolling down the mian street. "They are pretty lazy," quipped Ford, who says the lions won't try to conceal themselves unless they feel threatened.
In addition, Ford says bobcat sightings have also been prevalent in the last few months. "That is something we have never seen before," said the marshal.
Speculations persisits that big cats have moved in closer to town due to more challenging hunting conditions on Pikes Peak or the increased number of deer in town.
Still, mountain lion encounters are extrememly rare, with only about 50 recorded human/mountain lion encounters in the last 50 years throughout the country, according to Backwood Home magazine.
"You mainly don't want to make yourself a target of opportunity," warns Ford.
For more information, call 227-5200
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Moving Earth
2/5 - 6.2 - 06:59:07 SOUTHEAST INDIAN RIDGE
2/6 - 6.0 - 04:44:59 KURIL ISLANDS
2/7 - 6.3 - 06:10:01 SOUTHWESTERN RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
1 - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
3 - MEXICO
3 - BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
1 - WASHINGTON
1 - TEXAS PANHANDLE REGION
1 - NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA
3 - ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
and oodles in California and even more in Alaska. Plus some in Puerto Rico, as usual.
I missed two days, tho, and I think there was one more 6 pointer, and probably more in the assorted ones I list. :-) But I've had other things on my mind recently. heh heh heh
2/6 - 6.0 - 04:44:59 KURIL ISLANDS
2/7 - 6.3 - 06:10:01 SOUTHWESTERN RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
1 - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
3 - MEXICO
3 - BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
1 - WASHINGTON
1 - TEXAS PANHANDLE REGION
1 - NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA
3 - ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
and oodles in California and even more in Alaska. Plus some in Puerto Rico, as usual.
I missed two days, tho, and I think there was one more 6 pointer, and probably more in the assorted ones I list. :-) But I've had other things on my mind recently. heh heh heh
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Our Moving Earth
Missed another 6.0 somewhere by not posting this on Monday.
2/1 - 6.2 - 22:28:18 BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
14 - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
1 - WESTERN TEXAS
4 - ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
3 - BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
1 - OKLAHOMA
Lots in Alaska and California as usual, lots in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, too this past week. I wonder what's going on with Hawaii - more this past week than usual, not big, just more. Been busy in Japan - maybe that's why? :-)
2/1 - 6.2 - 22:28:18 BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
14 - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
1 - WESTERN TEXAS
4 - ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
3 - BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
1 - OKLAHOMA
Lots in Alaska and California as usual, lots in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, too this past week. I wonder what's going on with Hawaii - more this past week than usual, not big, just more. Been busy in Japan - maybe that's why? :-)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Catching Up A Teeny Bit
I'm still here. In fact, I have about a zillion things I'd like to write about, but it's just not possible for me to write in the car, on the interstates, going 60-75 mph in traffic, rain and wind. Nope - just can't do it.
By the time we get to a room at night, I'm so tired that I end up checking email, facebook, watching a bit of tv and going to sleep. Not my normal life pattern at all, that's for sure! :-) I hardly ever watch tv. ha ha We won't talk about the email and facebook in 'normal' life.
Today, however, may possibly be an 'off' day, or a 'free' day unexpectedly. Mel is going to make some calls later on and see if we can meet up or make plans to meet up later in the week with some other churches here in southern California.
For now, it's almost coffee time and I'm going to try and catch up on some blogs I haven't been able to read in what seems like a very long time. Then maybe I'll start writing some of My (recent) Thoughts. :-)
~*~*~*~*~
No 6.0 and above earthquakes last week (unless there was one on Monday - I forgot to do this yesterday). I am always surprised that there are so few earthquakes in Hawaii, seeing as how they are volcanic and have an active volcano. The swarm in Yellowstone calmed down a bit, but has started up again over the past couple of days. I keep hoping we'll have a little tremblor wherever we are here in California, but we just seem to be following them around instead. Maybe we'll get a little one while we're here. Who knows? (Both my son Andrew and my loving husband think I'm a little nuts to want to have a tremblor, even a little one. heh heh)
29 - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
1 - ARKANSAS
2 - NEVADA
1 - UTAH
1 - WYOMING
1 - OKLAHOMA
2 - ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
plus lots in California, Puerto Rico and Alaska
By the time we get to a room at night, I'm so tired that I end up checking email, facebook, watching a bit of tv and going to sleep. Not my normal life pattern at all, that's for sure! :-) I hardly ever watch tv. ha ha We won't talk about the email and facebook in 'normal' life.
Today, however, may possibly be an 'off' day, or a 'free' day unexpectedly. Mel is going to make some calls later on and see if we can meet up or make plans to meet up later in the week with some other churches here in southern California.
For now, it's almost coffee time and I'm going to try and catch up on some blogs I haven't been able to read in what seems like a very long time. Then maybe I'll start writing some of My (recent) Thoughts. :-)
No 6.0 and above earthquakes last week (unless there was one on Monday - I forgot to do this yesterday). I am always surprised that there are so few earthquakes in Hawaii, seeing as how they are volcanic and have an active volcano. The swarm in Yellowstone calmed down a bit, but has started up again over the past couple of days. I keep hoping we'll have a little tremblor wherever we are here in California, but we just seem to be following them around instead. Maybe we'll get a little one while we're here. Who knows? (Both my son Andrew and my loving husband think I'm a little nuts to want to have a tremblor, even a little one. heh heh)
29 - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
1 - ARKANSAS
2 - NEVADA
1 - UTAH
1 - WYOMING
1 - OKLAHOMA
2 - ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
plus lots in California, Puerto Rico and Alaska
Monday, January 18, 2010
Our Restless Earth
I'm trying to get back into a schedule that starts on Monday mornings, wherever I am! So, I'll have a couple days of repeats on this one.
Last week there were a lot of earthquakes on the page. This is the illustration from one day: 298 earthquakes
Usually there are fewer than this, but there were 2 good sized earthquakes that had a lot of aftershocks (California and Haiti).
There are 283 earthquakes on todays' page (Latest Earthquakes Magnitude 2.5 or Greater in the United States and Adjacent Areas and Magnitude 4.5 or Greater in the Rest of the World - Last 7 days)
1/12 - 7.0 - 21:53:10 - HAITI REGION
1/14 - 6.0 - 14:03:41 - SOUTH OF THE MARIANA ISLANDS
1/17 - 6.3 - 12:00:02 - DRAKE PASSAGE
1/18 - 6.0 - 15:40:33 - GUATEMALA
Plus:
9 - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING as of this morning (another swarm going in Yellowstone - I wonder if there will be a much larger one soon??)
2 - WESTERN MONTANA
1 - SOUTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA
1 - UTAH
1 - ONTARIO-QUEBEC BORDER REGION, CANADA
3 - HAWAII, MAUI REGION and ISLAND OF HAWAII
3 - OKLAHOMA
1 - NORTHERN IDAHO
1 - OFF THE COAST OF OREGON
1 - NEW MEXICO
1 - NEVADA
Plus many in California and Alaska, plus Puerto Rico.
Last week there were a lot of earthquakes on the page. This is the illustration from one day: 298 earthquakes
Usually there are fewer than this, but there were 2 good sized earthquakes that had a lot of aftershocks (California and Haiti).There are 283 earthquakes on todays' page (Latest Earthquakes Magnitude 2.5 or Greater in the United States and Adjacent Areas and Magnitude 4.5 or Greater in the Rest of the World - Last 7 days)
1/12 - 7.0 - 21:53:10 - HAITI REGION
1/14 - 6.0 - 14:03:41 - SOUTH OF THE MARIANA ISLANDS
1/17 - 6.3 - 12:00:02 - DRAKE PASSAGE
1/18 - 6.0 - 15:40:33 - GUATEMALA
Plus:
9 - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING as of this morning (another swarm going in Yellowstone - I wonder if there will be a much larger one soon??)
2 - WESTERN MONTANA
1 - SOUTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA
1 - UTAH
1 - ONTARIO-QUEBEC BORDER REGION, CANADA
3 - HAWAII, MAUI REGION and ISLAND OF HAWAII
3 - OKLAHOMA
1 - NORTHERN IDAHO
1 - OFF THE COAST OF OREGON
1 - NEW MEXICO
1 - NEVADA
Plus many in California and Alaska, plus Puerto Rico.
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