Major ice storm coming -prayers please

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Got the manual can opener!!! It's one of the things they reccomend for our "survival" kits. Good to remind people though. You'd be surprised what you come to rely on and don't have without power.

We are under ice storm warnings now. We are to get between a half and inch to over an inch before it's all over on Tues or Wednesday. That much ice brings down tree limbs and power lines. YIKES!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

So far so good! Power still on but still under ice storm warnings. The lights have dimmed but not gone off. This will keep up until Wednesday, so I hear!

[gini]

Connie, still saying prayers for you...................that your heat stays on and you are safe!

[Genny]

Hey, I don't know when you posted this but I will say a parayer for you

[anna_66]

Connie I haven't posted but I have been keeping you in my prayers and keeping an eye on your weather.
I hope you come through this without any power outages.

[zippy-kat]

Connie I haven't posted but I have been keeping you in my prayers and keeping an eye on your weather.
I hope you come through this without any power outages.

Same here.

Will be thinking of you, Moff, and sending WARM wishes your way!

[Medusa]

I copied and pasted it from an email that was sent to me. Hopefully, it'll keep you warm inside at least.

A GIFT GIVEN AND RECEIVED

by Kathy Pippig Harris



On a late November night the man stepped outside of his ranch

house to get some fresh air.

He looked up at the black velvet night salted with bright-white

stars. The air was chilly and as he pulled on his jacket he heard

Sally's soft shuffling steps.

He turned and regarded the elderly Australian Shepherd, his

companion and good friend for 13 years. They walked out over the

gravel drive and onto the narrow lane that fronted his property.

Moonlight frosted the fields and cast shadows of the man and dog

as they walked in companionable silence. On the tail of a winter

breeze, the sound of sirens, faint and urgent, wailed briefly.

Christmas was just around the corner. In years past, he would

have been planning what gifts to give whom, and deciding how many

guests, family and friends, he and his wife would have over Christmas

Eve.

But, his wife had passed a decade ago. Friends were few and

most had made other plans this year. He sighed. His joy came from

the giving of gifts -- that was his gift to himself, and he would

miss that this Christmas.

___________________



Morning came crisp and clear. He rolled over and gazed out the

window. Through the condensation on the glass he watched as a blurry

shape moved erratically in the vineyard. Curious, he got up, dressed

and headed for the door.

As he neared, a scratching sound came from the other side. He

slowly opened the door.

There, on the porch sat a small dog of mixed breed -- short

legs, long body. She stood on her hind legs, furry forelegs pulling

at the air. Her ears hung down, hound-like. She was adorable.

He bent down and reached out a hand. She dropped to all fours

and gently licked his outstretched palm. By the indentation in the

fur of her neck he knew that she had recently worn a collar.

He gestured for her to come inside. She wagged her tail, panted

a smile and turned her attention to the open field.

There in the mist was another animal. She wagged her tail as a

dog stepped out of the low-blanketing fog. Tentatively, the small

young dog approached. The visitor at his feet barked a happy "It's

safe!" greeting to her companion.

This dog, too, had previously worn a collar. Both dogs' fur

seemed covered in sooty dirt and he decided he would give them a bath

after giving them food and water.

They quickly adapted to their surroundings. Sally welcomed the

two dogs and seemed delighted to have them follow her and her human

wherever they went. That night they all clambered on the bed,

settled into the comforter and slept as one.

___________________



Two days later a group of people came to the house. The man

answered the door and couldn't help noticing that on their faces were

expressions of weariness, and of hope.

They explained that they had been scouring the area and asked if

he had seen two small dogs who were new to the area. The man nodded

and bade them wait. He returned with the two dogs.

One of the men in the group smiled, tears welling in his eyes.

"You found them!"

The man replied, "No, they found me."

The younger man, his cheeks now wet added, "Their names are

Roxanne and Libby. They are my friend's dogs." The young man tried

to say something else, but emotion overwhelmed him.

He gathered the dogs, one in each arm and nodded -- a gesture of

gratitude. The older man nodded back.

___________________



That night on the local TV news there was a story about the

community losing a popular and respected veterinarian. He was

involved in a fiery single car crash, and pronounced dead at the

scene.

It was later learned that his two dogs were with him at the time

of the accident. It was believed that his dogs had died with him,

but family friends canvassed the fields anyway. The dogs were found

with a homeowner who had taken them in. The family didn't know the

name of the man who took the dogs in, but wanted to thank him...

The son shared this with the news reporters: "This is

invaluable to our whole family because we know they were with my dad.

I don't know how they survived, but here they are. They slept with

my dad at night. They followed him around everywhere. It's like

that's a part of him that's still alive..."

___________________



Later, while Sally nestled into the comforter, the man closed

his eyes, recalling the news story. "How had they survived?" he

wondered.

Drifting off to sleep he did not see the shimmering form appear

in his room. "They survived because I was there. I lifted them from

the inferno and with a whisper, I directed them to find you."

The angel moved closer, "Your act of kindness was your gift to

that family, and His gift to you!"

Sally thumped her tail and panted a smile and, then she, too, fell

asleep.



-- Kathy Pippig Harris



___________________________________________

Kathy's story is based largely on fact and is dedicated to Dr. Robert

W. Gfeller, DVM, who died November 25, 2007, in a car accident in

Madera County,California. You can read a newspaper account about Dr.

Gfeller and his surviving dogs here:

http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/229336.html

___________________________________________

[mruffruff]

Major LES!
Thanks for posting this.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Major LES!
Thanks for posting this.

Thanks from me too!

So far so good as far as the storm goes. We are now waiting for storm #3 to come later this afternoon and night. It is supposed to be the worse one.
We are to get over an inch of freezing rain. Already tens of thousands in our area are without power. I feel so blessed that mine is still on and credit all your prayers for it!!!

This has been the longest ice storm in Kansas, at least since I've been born. It's so odd that everything is closed down. Hardly any traffic even today. It will have been 5 days by the time it's all over.

Can you believe it? They say tomorrows storm will be a thunderstorm!! During an ice storm of all things. What next, an Ice tornado?

Please keep the prayers coming and for everyone who is effected by these storms as the move east.
(((HUGS))) to you all

[gini]

MOFF, I am so glad that you checked in with us. I have been worried!

Let's just get past storm number 3 - and we can then hope for a Merry Christmas for you!

[slick]

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers MOFF!!!


{{{warm hugs}}}

[anna_66]

Just thinking of you today and hope it's all over soon!

[gini]

I saw some of the news and the ice storms are horrific.

Hope you are o.k., Connie!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I'm ok. Just late getting on line. We've been having tons of rain this morning. Strange thing: the temps rose above freezing over night, now it's pouring rain.

The Temps will drop below freezing later and it will switch back to freezing drizzle over night. Hopefully, it will be over tomorrow some time!!! Of course, now they are saying snow for the weekend!!!

Thanks for the prayers. I'm sure that's why I was so blessed as to keep my power on. Please pray for all the ones without power.

Still thousands in OK, KS, and MO without power.

[cassiesmom]

thinking of you this afternoon, MOFF ... it's raining in Chicago right now but prediction is to switch to freezing rain as the temps drop.