PRAYER REQUEST FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

I'm posting this so we get the word out thru J-Land.  It is fire season once again in Southern California, those Santa Ana winds come every year and unfortunately all it takes is one weirdo with one match to cause a nightmare for hundreds & hundreds of people.  Here's a request from Kathy at; http://journals.aol.com/kaydeejay5449/Yadayadayada/entries/2006/10/27/another-request-for-prayer/600

"If any of you read Jackie's journal, HOPE FLOATS, you know she is asking for prayer because there is a huge fire burning close to her home.  I want to add that prayer request to my journal, too, just in case some of you might not read her journal.  The news reports say the fire line is 15 miles long and has destroyed 40 structures.  It has killed four firefighters and left one fighting for his life.

I live about 40 - 50 miles west of the fire and the smoke is laying heavily over Lake Mathews which is about 1-1/2 miles south of here.  If the wind changes just a little we will have that cloud raining ash and smoke down on us.

It seems that every time the Santa Ana winds blow it brings crazy firebugs out of hiding.  We have at least one and usually more arson fires set in the hills where the brush is thick and very dry.  The force of the winds and the fact that they are warm winds pushes the fire out of control in just minutes. 

We live in a fire hazard area.  We have hills all around us and this time of year the thought of fire haunts me all the time. 

If you don't live in an area like this, you can't imagine how vulnerable you feel.  There is nothing anyone can do to prevent these nut cases from setting these fires.  This one started around 1:00 in the morning so it is very doubtful there were any witnesses.  We can only hope the person responsible has a big mouth and tells someone and that person turns them in.

I'm praying for Jackie and the rest of the people in that area and for all the firefighters and other people working so hard to put the fire out.

From Jackie; This morning I drove from Riverside to Murrieta to my son and daughter-in-law's home.  As I got into Lake Elsinore which is about 15 miles north of their home, the smoke from the fire was so thick that I thought the fire must be in the hills of Murrieta.  When I turned on the radio I was shocked to hear that it was so far away.

Shannon and I were going to take the kids to lunch and then to visit a pumpkin patch but the smoke was so bad we felt it wasn't good for them to be outside breathing it.  My son and his helper quit work early because the smoke was so bad they couldn't breath and keep the ash out of their eyes.  Keep in mind, this is at least 50 miles from where Jackie lives.  I can't imagine how horrible it is there.

Our prayers are with you!"

Yes.....to Jackie and Kathy and the fire fighters and other residents of this area, our prayers are indeed with you !   Linda