Our little family moved to Northern Kentucky in October, 2008. Having grown up in Mississippi and having spent the last four years in Fort Worth, Texas, the exceptional prospects of a winter snow was exciting, especially for our three little girls. Thoughts of sledding and snowmen, snowball fights and Daddy’s snow-cream brought a great sense of anticipation for our first Kentucky winter as January, 2009 rolled in.
And then the news came: snow is on the way! As we approached the last week of January, the talk of snow and ice rang loud and clear on every news channel. On the morning of Monday, January 26th, the weatherman projected four to eight inches of snow overnight and the potential of freezing rain to follow on Tuesday. By the end of Monday night basketball practice precipitation began to fall. It was the freezing rain, but it was to turn to snow by day break!
Upon arriving home on Monday night, the phone rang to notify us that school for Tuesday was cancelled due to potential storm dangers. Before we retired for the evening, we threw a party to celebrate the girls’ day off and a little extra sleep.
As we arose to meet the new day, the school decision was definitely a good one. A thin sheet of ice cover the ground and it continued freezing rain. It rained and it rained and it rained all day long, the freezing kind. All day Tuesday and into Tuesday night it rained a cold, hard, freezing rain.
As darkness fell, the battle began. The electricity wavered a couple of times during the day. When darkness came, it was greeted by the atmosphere of candlelight Monopoly and family fun. The electricity came on just before seven o’clock and stayed on long enough to whet our appetites to the family favorite “The Biggest Loser.” But right in the middle, near eight o’clock, the power went off for good. Clinging to the remaining heart we had left in the house we bedded down for the night, but Oh, what a night it quickly turned into!
As the ice fell, the trees grew heavy under the weight of the ice. The limbs, as well as some trunks, began to bow under the pressure. At once it seemed that the war had begun! Sound like rifles in the distance and some to close for comfort, the crack of the limbs exploded into the night. The fallout reminded me of the sound of a massive fireworks display. It was a sonic boom followed by the crackle of repeating blasts. It was both an experience of amazement and of concern.
Rest for Wendy and myself hid from our view. We may have dosed off a bit here and there, but we could not find real sleep all night. CRACK! POP! BOOM! All around us, across the street, down the road, and then …. in our own yard! We had already lost the young pine tree next to our home, but in the night the old pecan tree began to give way and shed its branches. We were really startled around eleven o’clock as the crash came down upon our home.
My wife ran upstairs fearful that it may have come through the window where our girls were fast asleep. I ran outside to assess the damage. Looking it over, we knew the girls were safe, but we had now lost our phone lines, the least of our worries. Up and down all night! That was our Tuesday night’s sleep.
When we awoke on Wednesday morning, it was the sound of our three girls bearing the news. SNOW!!! The ice had finally given way to the snow! There was excitement and joy for the girls, but for me, it was intermingled with angst and concern. No electricity, no heat, no answers to our many questions!
The next few days brought adventure and fun, but it was all with a head and heart for survival. As I sit here, six days later, in the beauty of electricity and enjoying Super Bowl XLIII, I cannot help but reflect upon this marvelous trying experience. I also can’t help but thinking about all the many Kentuckians and others who are still fighting the battle and trying to survive the remnants of this massive storm. This is a collection of brief thoughts on surviving the 2009 Kentucky Ice Storm.
Reflections
1. Our dependence upon technology, including electricity, is crippling. This is noticeable most in its absence. I am not anti-technology, but when all of life shuts down without it, we must rethink our approach. My dependence upon technology left me inept and somewhat unprepared for this event. Sure we had purchased some food and we were able to survive, but I could have been better and made better used of the “down-time.”
There is a sense that boredom and frustration come more from lack of convenience and luxury than from the inclement circumstances. Sure in sub-freezing temperatures it is a necessity to stay warm and you have got to eat, but certain luxuries could be lived without. To crave a television show or check email or surf the web and to pout about it is a shame and a tribute to the shallowness of may life at times.
I found that without television and the internet, there is a greater chance to have a conversation at the table or a laugh with family and friends. Sure I missed “The Biggest Loser,” “CSI,” and the daily news, and I feared missing the Super Bowl (not really), but I got to know some new friends and we spent several hours of quality time with our little family. I spent a good deal of time outside, sometimes working, sometimes playing, and less time sitting at a desk. I started a great book on Abraham Lincoln and spent some time contemplating the beauty and majesty of the Lord our God.
As for our dependence upon technology, we must be very careful not to bank our whole lives on it. I found myself in an interesting position: no cash, no bank access, and no use for the debit card which represented my available (or unavailable) monies. At one point, I was reminded that there are a couple of bills that have to be paid on Monday, but I pay them online and now that option is gone! What to do!?! I have been too dependent on technology.
Many people found themselves in the same shape were in, no heat without electricity. One church member joked, “This is what it was like to live in the primitive days!” I replied, “No, they had a way to heat their homes!” Enough said!
In reality, our dependence often lies in earthly things. We are joyful and confident as long as the conveniences of the twenty-first century are functioning well. But let things go down or stop functioning to its greatest capacity and we panic. People get frustrated and angry! People make rash decisions (These decisions are often made in situations of unpreparedness.) and sometimes lose their integrity. People worry and complain. The Scripture says, “Trust (depend) in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). When we trust in the Lord, there is a lot less frustration and anger, ignorant decisions, and lack of integrity. There is hope and joy in the midst of the trial and the struggle is easier to bear.
2. Ministry is what God’s people are to be about. Throughout this experience, we have been allowed to minister to others, to be ministered to by new friends, and to witness the powerful ministry of God’s people all around. It is an honor and privilege to serve the risen Savior whose heart was about ministry and about meeting the needs of people he met as he went about his business here on earth. God has placed us in an incredible position to feed (biblically), teach, lead, and care for a wonderful group of people. This storm has given us incredible opportunities to help others meet their basic needs of warmth, food, and even Christ’s love during this time. For those opportunities we are grateful as God has used us and blessed us greatly.
From the outset of the storm, we have been ministered too greatly by God’s people. On Tuesday, we were called and offered a place to stay by a friend who had electricity (His electricity went out not long after he called.). On Wednesday, two families stopped by to offer us a warm place to stay; another offered us a warm apartment and even a ride to get us there. And one family took us home with them for two nights (I’ll not mention their names, so there reward stays in heaven! I’m sure they’ll be rewarded anyway, but they seek no glory from it.). We had a great time, pooling resources and feeding our children together under the warmth of their roof. It was a great experience that allowed us to watch movies together, talk about life, and really get to know each other better. We were blessed by their willingness to be God’s blessing to us. We enjoyed their company until a ventless gas heater was installed in our home on Friday. Even after the heat was put into our home, people called and came by to check on us. Our middle child, Allison, asked at one point, “Daddy, why do people love their pastor so much?”
Really, there have been numerous instances of ministry from God’s people all over our area. Neighbors helping neighbors, churches opening doors; it is an awesome thing to see the faith communities of Kentucky come together to meet needs and help restore a sense of hope to the surrounding communities.
3. God’s creation is magnificent and beautiful. Just a casual observance of creation and the events of the ice storm could cause a cursing of the creation and the appearance of ice and snow. But with an eye of wonder and faith in the great God of creation, one may see some beautiful truths about God, His power, and His glory and splendor in the world.
A. Darkness and Light → Do you know the depth of darkness when in an instance all sources of light are removed? The dense clouds of the storm only complicated the darkness. No lights of the town. No lights of the heavens. Only the light of an occasional passerby. The darkness is thick and heavy. It engulfs everything around it and it is oppressive. There is a sense of uncertainty about what is out there. Noises are intensely amplified. Fear is inevitable.
It may be no surprise to anyone, but one tiny little light, whether from a dim, nearly expelled flashlight, or from the glowing flame of a candle, pierces the darkness with the hope light and life. No matter how dark the night may have seemed, with the morning came the sun. Whether through the cranking force of a generator or the glow of the candle, what little light was available helped to accomplish the things that inevitably allowed us to continue our course.
The analogy of darkness versus light is as old as creation. I can testify that even in the midst of the darkness, the Light still reigns victorious and He will always win.
B. The ice was beautiful. The ice was difficult. It was destructive. It was costly and hazardous to all involved. But a look into the ice, showed the splendor and glory of God. It was absolutely pure, perfectly clear. Someone commented that looking out at the trees was like seeing crystal hanging from their branches. It was beautiful and clear, but its reflective nature revealed the brightness of God’s glory to all who would see it.
It was Friday morning at about seven o’clock. As the sun rose in the first clear sky that we had seen in a few days, its brightness was magnified through the hanging ice. There seemed to be a shining glow all over God’s creation as the reflective nature of the ice crystals brightly proclaimed the glory of a brand new day. The storm had passed. God’s hand had sustained us and a new day had dawned. The glory of the Lord shone bright through the radiance of the sun through the ice.
C. The ice was powerful. As the ice fell, its power became more evident each passing minute. The young pine tree standing about twenty-five to thirty feet tall began to bow under the pressure and weight of the ice. At around seven on Tuesday evening, the weight became too great and the tree succumbed to this powerful little force which fell drop by drop, a miniscule matter in comparison to the greater tree. Yet the powerful little drop compounded with others to take down a giant foe.
An illustration was given to me by a friend about the relationship to the ice and the powerful effects of sin upon our lives. The ice fell drop by drop, but when it bonded and formed solid chunks on the trees, it became a powerful and deadly force. Just as the ice compounded upon itself and became deadly, the tiniest hint of sin in our lives, when left unconfessed and repented of, can compound upon itself and then become a destructive force in our lives. It is powerful enough to bend us low and break us down if through repentance we fail to remove ourselves from its grasp.
Exposure to the sun melted the ice and relieved the trees of great burden. Exposure to the Son opens the opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness and therefore be cleansed and cleared of the great burden of sinfulness and condemnation in our lives.
On a more positive note, there is lesson for people in general, but there is especially an illustration for God’s people, the church. When we stick together, united, there is power. The bonding force for the drops of ice would be the freezing temperature which sealed their cohesion. The bonding force of God’s people is Jesus Christ. When we fight as individuals, we will falter and fail on our own. We need each other in the face of opposition. Together we can overcome the titan opponents when we are joined by Jesus Christ.
D. Creation bows down in worship to its creator.
As the powerful ice bowed the trees, I could only think of the creation’s prostration before its Creator. Almighty God, the artist and the force of creation, is alone worthy of man’s worship. As the trees, both mighty and small, bowed to the superior force, they submitted to the authority of their superior. So man, under the authority of the Almighty, should bow before his Creator. It was a beautiful image of the creation worshipping its creator.
Conclusion: This is not an attempt to over spiritualize the happenings of this crazy ice storm. I simply wanted to record my thoughts. There may be more to come, but for now this is a summation of my thoughts regarding the exhibition of God’s creation.
