A heavy brown haze has hung over my hometown of Colorado Springs for several weeks now, often completely obscuring the view of Pikes Peak. Smoke has blown in from the wildfires in western states, particularly the Dixie Fire, which is now the largest single fire in California history.
The weather app on my phone includes an air quality alert, just in case I wasn’t paying attention to the fact that our normally Colorado blue skies are now brown. I have asthma and even though it’s well-controlled, I’ve stayed inside. A lot.
My family lived through the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012, including being evacuating from our home for two weeks because of smoke damage. To some degree, I know what people in California are experiencing.
And yet, I’ve avoided thinking about what’s happening “out there.” Maybe it’s just I don’t want to get too close to those memories.
Dealing with the smoke every day? It’s a nuisance, but I have newly installed air conditioning. I can close my windows, shut my doors, and be fine, just fine.
Then my daughter Katie Beth posted on IG that she was praying for all the men and women fighting the fires producing the smoke keeping our mountains hidden from view.
Reality check.
The entire town of Greenville, CA has burned down. Over 487,000 acres have burned, along with more than 900 structures, including homes and commercial buildings.
Sometimes the comfort of our homes becomes too comfortable. We forget the importance of the simplest of things, like praying for others who are facing danger and heartbreak.
When a friend is struggling, I like to say, “I’ll turn my thoughts of you into prayers for you.”
It’s time to stop looking at the haze in the sky as nothing more than an ongoing inconvenience. An interruption to my daily walks.
Instead, I can use the smoke as a reminder to pray for all those affected by the fires – homeowners and business owners, as well as the firefighters battling the blazes, and their families who are concerned for them and want them back home.
Won’t you join me?
What do we see when we focus on the haze? #focus #perspective Share on X 'Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.' #quote by Sally Koch #opportunities #encouragement Share on X
Comments 13
I’ve been part of forest fire fighting in Washington State and in British Columbia and Alberta Canada doing timekeeping/paper work support, but that also included being in vehicles driving literally through the fire line and flying over it (and gorgeous areas) in a spotter plane. Some of us did pray, had to move camp, had to help asthmatics and those with blisters and literal burns. Serious times. Mostly good memories that don’t go away. Once when high wind blew the flames toward our little village and there was no other help, we all hit our knees and the wind suddenly reversed, burned back over itself, and burned out. That was cause for rejoicing.
Yes, it’s a very appropriate time to pray for the literal fires and also the less visible fires in our nation.
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Dee: Once again, I’m reminded of the amazing life you’ve lived — and of the miraculous power of prayer. Sometimes we see what prayer accomplishes, sometimes we don’t. But prayer is always powerful.
Extended Family lost everything in the Paradise fire so I have been praying. For those involved across our nation and around the world.
Our area has been having tornadoes and flooding. For them too.
Author
Mary: I can drive around certain areas of Colorado Springs and still see burned areas — reminders of the Waldo Canyon Fire, when people also lost everything. Praying for people in your area affected by the tornadoes and flooding, too.
Someone has to fight the flames
that burn house, field, and tree,
but today the fact remains,
that someone isn’t me.
There’s someone has to risk it all
with a badge and gun,
to be ready when I call
for help on 911.
Someone’s got to wait long nights,
and not much do they receive,
but respond with siren, lights
when I find that I can’t breathe.
So take a minute, offer praise
to those who’ll help on worst of days.
Author
Beautiful words, Andrew. Thank you for honoring the men and women who are fighting the fires across this country — and all the first responders.
Praying for you, my friend.
Precious reminder to see through the haze and see the lives, the people, and not just the situation.
Author
Joanne: Thank you. I appreciated my daughter’s prompting to pray.
As an Albertan who is experiencing the smokey skies from fires in BC, I have a constant reminder to pray for the fire-fighters and the residents in those regions! I can be so forgetful when it comes to pray! Absolutely will join you!
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Lynn: And I will also be praying for the firefighters and people affected by the fires in BC.
Prayer is never a waste.
These posts by you Beth are so encouraging. I get a boost each time you post them. Thank you so much. Thank you Lord for this lady and her gift of putting into words such beautiful things.
I live on a runway that is used by LifeMed. It is a helicopter rescue service.
Some friends have mentioned that I must feel an interruption when they takeoff.
No, I don’t. It makes me start a prayer for the pilots and crew.
I also pray for the person or people that need help. They wouldn’t be responding unless it was a fire situation.
If I hear them return I thank God for their safety and continue to pray for their passengers. I can find out the information from the news.
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Thank you for your encouragement, Sandy. 🙂 And thank you for your perspective about the interruptions in our lives. Who knows how your prayers affect the lives of those people you are praying for day in and day out? God does …