Snow, Flood, and Fire

Last summer when we were anticipating living through a North Dakota winter, we were assured that there wouldn't be that much snow - only 50 mph winds and days of -30 temps.  That was comforting.....

Thank you Lord, we went to a job in Southern Louisiana and were there for their "winter".  I think we had 4 hours below freezing!

We have friends in both places and have been keeping up.

North Dakota has broken snow records from the 1800's - something like 120 inches, maybe more.  Last weekend was the worst blizzard of the season.  12" of snow and no electricity for several days.  How hard for them to be without power for that long.  Gas pumps and grocery stores can't sell anything.  Hotel restaurants had to get creative with meals.  Food from freezers and refrigerators was moved to the snow to keep it from thawing and ruining.  They had to shovel snow, to get to their cars, to charge cell phones and get messages out to nosy people like me.

All that snow has finally melted and is moving down the Mighty Mississippi to Southern Louisiana.  In North Dakota, we stood at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers that eventually make their way to the Mississippi.  Several years ago, we went to concert on the banks of the Mississippi in Memphis and I hear that Memphis is preparing for the worse flood since depression years.  In Louisiana, we marvelled at the size of the river every time we crossed it or stood on its banks.  Reports say Mississippi River floodgates will be opened and that 25 foot floods are coming to the Achafalaya River basin - that is right where we were living and still have friends there.  What will they do?  Where will they go.

Meanwhile back home in West Texas, we've had a few showers but not enough to plant or lift burn bans or halt water conservation rules.  I sure wish we could harness some of that snow and water, and bring it out here.

Visiting with girlfriends about the recent tornadoes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, etc.  One friend suggested that all of creation is groaning for the return of her creator.  Now that makes me think too hard.  But I have to wonder...

However, I do know that He said, when we walk through the fire, and when we walk through the floods - that He will be with us.

Lord be with all those folks and their families and homes and property.  Protect them all.

Whirlwind Tour

Day 1

Southwest Airlines delivered us some precious cargo from Midland, Texas!

and now we're off on a whirlwind tour of cajun country.

We started with lunch at Camillias Grill in New Orleana

Then a trip to the beach in Gulfport, Mississippi

(as requested by Hannah Banana).

The temperature was cool, but it didn't stop these two.

Day 2

More beach - just can't get enough.

We had to leave too soon.

Back in Louisiana, we went to an alligator farm.

We fed them, petted them, and held some babies.

Day 3

Zydeco Breakfast at Cafe de Amis in Breaux Bridge

It was an exciting morning with Food Network there filming a session and a packed dancefloor

(and the food was worth the hour wait).

We were seated at a large table with a family from

guess where - Midland, Texas!

Zydeco Music inspired a couple of street musicians

(but  their cup stayed empty)

Day 4

Swamp Tour with Aligator Annie's son

Alligators weren't bothered at all by the tourists

Look who got to drive the boat!

Not everything on the swamp tour was interesting.

Then we were off to Brian and Jeanette's house for a family crawfish boil

Brian gave cooking lessons

Brian also assured us that he could make "coon ass" women out of us in no time!

I think he was counting the crawfish we downed!

Does this say Louisiana or what?

Brian's special crawfish recipe was voted favorite of our trip!

Day 5

Tour of Laura - A Creole Plantation

(Borrowed Photo)

Our tour guide was passionate about the Laura

and told a lot of interesting stories.

He had our complete attention

This picture is of the slave quarters.

It was a delightful tour!

Voted Best in Louisiana.

And all good things must come to an end.

Tomorrow the wagon train heads west.

What a fun few days we've had!

Seasons

Flowers are blooming, trees are budding.
Everything is bursting into color.

The season is changing in Louisiana.

We are coming to a new season, too.

My man finished his project here today.

Our wonderful daughter and sweet grandkids
 are flying in tomorrow
for a whirlwind tour of cajun country,
then we'll all head back to Texas. 

We don't know where the next season will take us,

 but we're looking forward to being home for a while.

Crowning Glory

"A woman's hair is her crowning glory"

My mind is on my hair today.

Louisiana humidity is messing with my hair.

I've never had curley hair,

but the gray hair is different than the brown hair.

It has a mind to march to it's own drummer.

I do believe it wants to curl.

Except that -

It doesn't exactly curl.

It sort of just goes places I didn't give it permission to go,

So what I end up with is wings over my ears

Yep, those are wings.

No matter what product I use,

whether I use a flat iron or a fat iron

I still have wings.

Gray Wings.

And I look in the mirror and see an

 old gray haired woman

with wings and say,

Who are you?

It's ok, because...

A woman's hair is her crowning glory

Right?

I always thought that was in the Bible,

and just now went to look up the scripture reference.

But guess what?

It's NOT there...

But look what I did find -

"Gray hair is a crown of glory;

 it is gained by living a godly life"

(Proverbs 16:31 New Living Translation)

So I have wings on my crown

Sorry, no picture today!

Fat Tuesday

Today is Fat Tuesday

(Mardi Gras)

The 12th day after Christmas is Epiphany (the day some believe the 3 Wise Men  visited the Christ child.  Epiphany marks the start of merrymaking that continues until the grand finale on Fat Tuesday (the last day of self-indulgance before Lent).

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday - the day is the beginning of Lent

(a period of prayer, penitence, almsgiving, and self-denial)

which ends with Easter celebration.

The above is the official definition of Mardi Gras

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, for my observations on Mardi Gras

Some people pay $2,000 to join a social club called a Krewe

Each person pays for their own

costumes, floats, beads to throw and ball gowns

Each person pays seven or eight hundred per parade for beads.

The Krewes do not seem to be civic or community minded,

other than parades and beads.

Every town, large or small has parades.

We have seen five.

The day of that Krewe's parade,

The Krewe rides around all day in a covertable bus, celebrating

In this picture, the Krewe in buses, along with their motorcycle escorts have stopped at the drive in Daquris Store.

The celebrating continues on the float.

Can you see the blue bottle being passed around?

(I guess Louisiana does not have public intoxication

arrests like Texas does)

Today, stores and businesses closed and

the revelry continues until midnight

Some of the floats are very artistic

And the floats are equipped with bathrooms.

Some have Children riding on them

  - Bored Children

Most parades have school marching bands

Most of the bands are all black.

 The Snyder Tiger Marching Band

never thought of the moves these kids have!!

Here's the Butterfly Queen

And the Swamp Monster Queen

Those are beads around her

 - there's some in the air she has just tossed.

Besides beads, they toss a little candy, toys, stuffed animals.

We've even gotten a VCR tape, silk flowers, 

and ramen noodle packets.

One guy was throwing dollar bills.

Parade watchers have to be careful not to get hit

 in the face by a handfuls of beads.

And speaking of beads

and more beads

After a parade, streets are unbelievably littered with beads that have not been picked up.

Hansel and Gretel wouldn't have any trouble

 finding their way home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday

All good Catholics will go to mass for the priest to anoint them with a little oil and ash, and prounounce forgivness of their sins.

Then they will give up something for Lent (until Easter)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Like all the other good religious holidays and celebrations,

This one has turned into something that gives no glory to God.

For more information or history on Mardi Gras,

Try Google......

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glory to God in the Highest!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

When you see me again,

You'll ask:

"What was your favorite thing about Louisiana?"

You'll discreetly glance at my extra pounds and think

She'll say "Crabcakes...

...or po boys...

...or crawfish...

or maybe it's the wildlife

or the sunrises

or the bayous

or the swamps

or the beach

or the beads

No,

as much as I have enjoyed all those things,

My very favorite thing has been bald eagle sightings,

I call them sightings instead of watchings,

because they are like the scripture that says

if we cast a glace at riches

 they are gone - spouting wings like eagles

and flying off into the sky. 

(Proverbs 23:5)

By the time I spot an eagle, identify it,

marvel at the way it soars

 it is gone in a matter of seconds.

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint”

(Isaiah 40:31)

I try to imagaine how big a 90" wing spread is,

or what a 600 pound nest is like.

I think about them soaring on the wind currents

without a single flap.

How would it be to glide effortlessly on

God's grace, mercy, and promises

Then soar above the yuck and the worries of the world.

Oh, how I want to live that way.

I didn't make this picture
But I was there:

The Message Bible says it this way:

"But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
   They spread their wings and soar like eagles"

Morgan City, Louisiana

The Achafalaya River Divides Morgan City and Berwick.

This is the flood wall .

Lightouse on the Berwick Side

of the Achafalaya River.

Built in 1858 - Inactive since 1916.

Historic Downtown Morgan City runs alongside the River,

across from the flood wall.

I am told that the river floods when

North Dakota's snow melts and comes down!

Morgan City is known as the "jumbo" shrimp capital of the world. A "blessing of the fleet" is held each year to insure a safe return and a bountiful harvest of the shrimp trawlers. The Spirit of Morgan City is a monument to the shrimping/seafood industry that is a major economical force in the area, along with offshore oil drilling.

 Local lore is that the boat washed ashore during a hurricane and was left as a monument.

Boats

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples,

 “Let us go over to the other side.”

 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along,

 just as he was, in the boat.

  There were also other boats with him.

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat,

 so that it was nearly swamped. 

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.

The disciples woke him and said to him,

“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

 

 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,

“Quiet! Be still!”

 

 

Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

 

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?

 Do you still have no faith?”

(Mark 4:35-41)

“ Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed,

you can say to this mountain,

‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.

 Nothing will be impossible for you.”
(Matthew 17:20)

So the next time a storm is raging,

Lay down with your little faith

on the cushion beside Jesus

in the bottom of the boat

~~~

 calm your storm

and move your mountain.