Good Morning, Family and Friends,
Reporting from NTM Homes, Sanford, FL. Irma has landed. The category 4 hurricane is bringing winds of sustained 130 mph and they have hit the Florida Keys. As it hits the mainland later on, it will still be a Cat 4. It will make a bee line along the west coast to Tampa/St. Pete. Praise the Lord, the eye of the storm seems to be off shore, but the winds will reach out for miles, and of course that includes us in Central Florida and even counties on the east coast. Already they have rain and wind and warnings of tornadoes there.
By tonight, starting around 2 PM today, we are expected to have sustained tropical storm force winds, then during the night there will be stronger winds at 70-80 mph with gusts to hurricane force winds. So, we have been spared the main thrust, the eye of the storm. However, the whole state is on the “dirty side of the storm, the front, right hand side”, which means the circular motion is at its strongest as it goes counter clock-wise from “6 o’clock position to 12.” There will be plenty of storm surge on the coast, and as the winds leave there will be the danger of tornadoes. Counties on the east coast are now on tornado warning already. The same here, so we’ll be on tornado watch all day Monday. And all day we’ll expect rain, flooding, and, quoting Corinne, “What I dread the most is power outage.” They say it could be out up to a week. We realized this morning that we are out of AA batteries for our battery radio. It would be good to have some news during that time. But I can rob something else, like the TV remote, which will be useless for TV. We have three lantern-like battery lights ready, with some spare “D” batteries and plenty of food.
So today, we will have our own worship time and listen to Turning Point and others, play a game and watch the NFL, first Tampa Bay Bucks’ game, then later the Seattle Seahawks and Packers, before we lose power. I don’t think the 49ers will be available here.
Just a little bit on the lighter side. In Texas, we the US have had Harvey, then in Florida we have Irma. Now, low and behold, in Oregon somewhere, a couple is celebrating their anniversary at 60+ years and their names are Harvey and Irma. God bless them, and God bless us as we know we were spared the worst here. But the west coast is in for it. We do thank you for your prayers. We know some of you are wondering how we are faring. We’ll report again after we endure it all, all the while praying and singing, “…Keep me safe ‘til the storm passes by.” We’ll be Okay, but the state will suffer. We have a good governor and he and President Trump have taken charge and are doing all they can.
Must get this off. Please keep praying, for Jose is on the way. We’re not sure how soon, and where, but it also is a big one.
Some of you may get this in time for church. God bless your worship and teaching time, all praise to the only One worthy of our time, our worship, our very lives,
In His Love and Grace, Tom and Corinne