Daniel Amos Message Board | Print: WEWH in northern az

Posted by iota on 06-21-2002 at20:05:

WEWH in northern az

Just recieved WEWH today and I just want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in putting this project together. I'm living about 15 miles or so away from the raging "Rodeo Fire" that's ravaging the White Mountains of AZ right now. I've just had such a heart-wrenching few days watching friends, aquaintances and co-workers lose homes and have to evacuate their areas with very little notice. It's a very emotional time up here and getting this bookset in the mail felt like manna from Heaven today. Even before I knew that the Akendorfs hailed from Oak Creek Canyon, somehow when I first heart the original release of this album, I could make out a sort of distinct northern AZ mystical kind of vibe exuding from the pores of this music. It feels like what it's like to just drive around these strange and beautiful little towns and just get lost in whatever silly little adventures you might find along the way. But right now, the hopeful yet bittersweet tone of this music is so achingly beautiful I just felt the need to thank those who made this amazing rediscovered album available. I'm sitting here in Pinetop wondering when and if the evacuation announcement is going to come down. All of my irreplaceble treasures are already boxed up and ready to go. My extensive Terry Taylor collection was one of the first things I thought to pack. So I, and everyone in the area, would covet your prayers. Pray for those fighting this blazing hydra. Pray for those losing homes as we speak. Pray for God to use this tragedy to soften our hearts and see each other now with clearer eyes. Pray for the area and the tensions with the surrounding Apache reservations. There are definite feelings of resentment going both ways based on years and years of mistrust and misunderstanding. Pray for those of us in The Church and that we will be able to meet the needs of those around here who are losing the life they once knew. Just pray for us. The most painful thing (since no human life has been lost as of yet) is watching the landscape we've enjoyed and taken for granted so long turn to black ash and stark deadness before our eyes. Please pray for us up here. There is so much grief and sorrow right now, but this music is giving me such hope in a God who works through situations like this to somehow glorify His name. Thank you all, for reading this.

Posted by iota on 06-21-2002 at21:14:

to the fire:

Here's a poem I wrote tonight that I'm going to submit to the local paper.

----------------------

you raging red
blazing billowing
blackness

as wailing trees
pass violently into
this senseless night

we are at the mercy
of shifting winds

you desecrator
of this sacred
outdoor temple

as the darkening deadness
of this oppressive cloud
snarls hellishly

we grieve at the trail
of ashes you leave behind

you, the monster
born of our own
carelessness

as your chaos
lingers in the
all-too-near distance

we will not let you win

we will
rise from
the ruin

we will heal each other

and
see you dead
soon.

Posted by Lost Canine on 06-21-2002 at22:10:

I.,
My prayers are with you and the people that this is affecting. I cannot imagine this. Please know that my genuine prayers are with you and that I'll have my congregation (some 500 people) praying for you all this Sunday.
LK-9

Posted by iota on 06-21-2002 at22:19:

God bless you, LK-9.

That means so much to me, and all of us.

Posted by Lost Canine on 06-21-2002 at22:25:

quote:

Originally posted by iota
God bless you, LK-9.

That means so much to me, and all of us.

I.,
This DAMB is really a family. It's not just about the music of TST, but the love of Christ and the forgiveness of sins that makes us a family and a community. You are welcome and keep us up-to-date.
LK-9

Posted by iota on 06-22-2002 at20:36:

Thanks, LK-9. Things are kind of quiet today and all the news so far has been hopeful. They figure that if the can keep the fire from branching out to a canyon just outside of town, those of us in the Show Low area should be alright. The wind seems to be helping and that's where the fire fighters are concentrating all of their efforts. So specifically we just need prayer that the winds continue to co-operate and that the firefighters will be able to make some serious headway within the next few days. The good news is it is looking less and less bleak as time goes by. But that could change as suddenly as winds change, so we still need your prayers.

under the mercy, Derek.

Posted by BigDork on 06-23-2002 at08:31:

you have been in my thoughts and prayers over the last few days. and will continue to be......

from the news reports, it looks as though it will be quite a while before the fires are out.

Heavy smoke from the Rodeo Fire bears down on Shelia Hancock, back, as she passes items to her sister, Robyn Summerlin, as they pack their van to evacuate Show Low, Ariz., Saturday.

MSNBC STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

June 22 — Authorities ordered the 7,700 residents of the Arizona town of Show Low to evacuate Saturday night as a mammoth fire breached a hastily constructed fire line on its western edge. The evacuation order came as the fire, which has burned more than 150,000 acres of forest since Tuesday, jumped a hastily constructed fire line about eight miles west of Show Low, forcing crews to flee as the blaze approached.

Posted by jc on 06-23-2002 at08:44:

perspective

DAMbers-
we got tent caterpillers (of plague proportions ) and the flies that go with it-Non biting type thank God
but thats so trivial. In fact, its going to rain on my nephews grad party...
But my home is safe
I Pray the same for you Iota, and BD and any others I may or may not know.
Love in Him-
JimIny

Posted by Lost Canine on 06-23-2002 at12:54:

Iota & AZ Friends,
Our church had 3 seperate special prayer times for all of you today. Our prayer is that God is bring comfort to you and a peace in the midst of such chaos. Please keep us up-to-date, when you have the time.
LK-9

Posted by Dr Rich on 06-23-2002 at15:49:

quote:

Originally posted by iota
Here's a poem I wrote tonight that I'm going to submit to the local paper.

----------------------

you raging red
blazing billowing
blackness

as wailing trees
pass violently into
this senseless night

we are at the mercy
of shifting winds

you desecrator
of this sacred
outdoor temple

as the darkening deadness
of this oppressive cloud
snarls hellishly

we grieve at the trail
of ashes you leave behind

you, the monster
born of our own
carelessness

as your chaos
lingers in the
all-too-near distance

we will not let you win

we will
rise from
the ruin

we will heal each other

and
see you dead
soon.

wow.
what can more can you say?

Posted by BigDork on 06-23-2002 at16:00:

Down here in Phoenix, we're pretty safe from the fires. We have allot of dry desert around that can still burn, but not as intense as the dry forest.

I know some people who have land or cabins around where the fires are, but no one I know personally is at risk to lose their home. Last I heard, they estimated 30,000 people were evacuated from the area.

I go up that way every couple of years, it's a shame so much of it is burning. Frown

Posted by BigDork on 06-23-2002 at21:43:

very rough day for some of the small towns.....100+ houses lost.

The fire is on the outskirts of Show Low now.

It may be a long day tomorrow for the fire fighters.....let's pray the wind blows it out of town and not into town.

Hey iota, if you get the chance to read this send me an email. I know you may not have the use of a computer for a while though.

bigdork@bigdork.org

BD

Posted by iota on 06-24-2002 at10:39:

Well, we were evacuated early yesterday morning - I'm in Chandler/Mesa today, and for as long as we aren't allowed back into the Show Low/Pinetop area.

LK-9, I thank you and your congregation for joining us in praying. The fire has become benign for all last night and as of yet, has stayed away from the more populated areas - as far as I know. The hard part is just being down here wondering if I should be looking for a temporary job or not. I have no clue how long our town will be closed. I've heard speculation go up to a month. I'm staying with family but I really don't want to be sitting around on my hands the whole time, but on the other hand, I don't want to get involved with anything too consuming because I have to be ready to move back if there's anything to move back into.

Bigdork, I'm on a borrowed computer so the only way I can do e-mail is at my derek@vagrantcafe.net address. Are you in the Phoenix area? I'll be looking for a church to attend while I'm down here. Know of any good ones? Smile

And everyone else, I'd just really covet your prayers. Who knows what God is up to here. It looks like nothing but debris and tragedy from our perspective, but our Daddy has a habit of giving beauty for ashes.

Posted by BigDork on 06-24-2002 at21:34:

Hey Derek,

I tried your email addy but it kept getting returned to me.

BD

Posted by Michelle on 06-25-2002 at00:39:

Derek,

I live and fellowship in Chandler/Tempe. If there's anything at all I can help with while you're in town, just email me. Our house burned down last year, and we just moved back in a few months ago, so we have some idea what you're going through. I know our church would be glad to help out, too. Even if you just want a diversion from the tension, you're welcome to come by and sample a few fun DA/TST things in my collection (old and new). You'll be in our prayers.

Speaking of prayers, it was interesting how every speaker at the Sunday morning briefing on the fire called for prayer. Now they're saying they can't really explain why the fire has seemingly stopped on the edge of Show Low. I'm hoping someone will suggest that prayer may have had something to do with it!

God bless!
Michelle

Posted by Kaf-N-8ed on 06-25-2002 at10:22:

quote:

Originally posted by Michelle
Speaking of prayers, it was interesting how every speaker at the Sunday morning briefing on the fire called for prayer. Now they're saying they can't really explain why the fire has seemingly stopped on the edge of Show Low. I'm hoping someone will suggest that prayer may have had something to do with it!

Of course, they'd never do that. We like to turn to God out of desperation, but the moment everything is okay, we turn back away from him to our own little things.

Prayer in schools was even okay for a short while after Sept 11. But how do things stand now?

Well, anyway, my thoughts and prayers are with all you folks. I lived in Flagstaff AZ when I was a young kid, and I remember that beautiful, splendid country - what a wonderful, mystical part of my life it was!

I'm always saddened by the loss and suffering when forest fires scorch the earth.

God bless you folks.

Regards,
Gus

Posted by iota on 06-26-2002 at08:52:

Hey BD, try this address:

unscrunched@aol.com

Things are looking a lot better now. The flames, from what I understand are subsiding near the Show Low area and thus far, they haven't reached into the more populated places and it looks like they won't. There may be spot fires caused by flying embers, but it'll be nothing like that gargantuan flame-wall.

Can the hand of God be any more obvious? I would just like to thank those who took the time to pray.

We see Your hidden hand today, Daddy.

Posted by BigDork on 06-26-2002 at19:17:

quote:

Originally posted by iota
Hey BD, try this address:

unscrunched@aol.com

Things are looking a lot better now. The flames, from what I understand are subsiding near the Show Low area and thus far, they haven't reached into the more populated places and it looks like they won't. There may be spot fires caused by flying embers, but it'll be nothing like that gargantuan flame-wall.

Can the hand of God be any more obvious? I would just like to thank those who took the time to pray.

We see Your hidden hand today, Daddy.

I sent you an email!

Glad things are a little better, 5% containment now. Shocked