BEACH MUSINGS

It seems that our TV has been tuned to the Weather Channel more the past few months that ever before.  We were glued to it when Hurricane Harvey was bearing down on Houston and again as Irma threatened Florida as we had friends in both places.  This past week we once more had it on almost continually as another storm was brewing in the Gulf.  This time it was personal...it was messing with our vacation!

With each storm, one thing remained the same.  The weather forecasters with all of their technology and all their knowledge could only give an educated guess as to the direction and strength of each storm .  Why?  Because the Lord alone directs the winds and the waves!

Forecasters use many models to give us their best guess of which way the storm will go and granted, they do get close.  Nate started out as just a numbered storm, then gained the name NATE.  Then it was a tropical storm and finally it gained Cat 1 status.  Friday they were saying it was losing strength and would "most likely" not become a hurricane. But as it moved through the gulf, it began to gain strength and it was deemed a Category 1.  By Saturday it was feared that it would strengthen to a Cat 2 by landfall and that was predicted first to be closer to New Orleans.  People in low lying areas of New Orleans were told to evacuate.  Emergency preparations were made with visions of Katrina playing in everyone's minds. But Saturday came, and Nate veered towards the Florida panhandle causing Gulf residents to begin to scramble to prepare.  Storm shutters were put in place, gas tanks were filled, grocery stores were filled with those coming into town for fall break trying to get groceries before the store closed.  Sidewalks were bare.  Few cars were seen and residents of the gulf coast were asked to be off the streets by 8:00 pm.  Would it be a Cat 1 or Cat 2?

The Weather Channel folks positioned themselves in Biloxi, Pensacola and Orange Beach, not sure exactly where old Nate would go.  He ended up breaking apart and coming ashore as a weak Cat 1 right at the mouth of the Mississippi River.  The winds howled and surf surged but not nearly as bad as was feared.

Once again God ruled.  Only He directs the winds and waves.  They know His name and they go where He bids.

It reminds us that we can make our plans but God is sovereign and HE ultimately will bring His plans to pass.  And it is comforting to me to know that.  God continues to show man that man is not in control that HE is.