Fires in Texas

I know I reported about the fires around Austin yesterday, but it has only grown worse today. There are hundreds of fires across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Hundreds of homes destroyed. Thousands are displaced. To get a feel for the scale of the largest set of fires, go here.

It is strange to be surrounded by so many out of control fires. Every year we hear about the wildfires gobbling up vast tracts of land out west in California, Wyoming and so on, and you feel bad for them, but you have your own life to live.

Fasting and "The Response"

Governor Perry has caught a lot of heat over his proclamation calling people to fast and pray this Saturday at Reliant Stadium in Houston. It is unfortunate, but it seems because he is the governor, he can’t encourage people to pray. Others have commented more fully on this in various blogs and op-eds. I guess my thoughts are summed up by the cliché, “It’s a free country. If you don’t want to do it, then don’t.” However, I might add for the practical agnostic that we are in such desperate need of rain, that it certainly can’t hurt to pray about it, unless you are afraid He might answer.

The truly disappointing thing is that the 71,000 seat Reliant Stadium apparently will only be hosting about 8000. So, either, 1) there are a whole lot of Christians doing things at home or with their home church, 2) there are a bunch of last minute attendees, or 3) it seems that most of the Christians in this part of the Bible belt are too busy or too apathetic to come together to worship and ask God for rain, or 4) they like drought. There may be other options, but those are what come to mind as I try to think of others. If you do not currently plan to recognize the proclamation in some way, I encourage you to reconsider.