As Matthew was getting ready to collide with our coast as a category 4 hurricane I saw this lizard (above) holding on to a pineapple plant leaf.

Animals seem to have a certain premonition about things, don’t they? My dogs were certainly acting weird as the raging storm approached. This lizard knew one thing to do, hang on to something for dear life.

It reminded me of how we feel about politics in America right now. Like most others we, regardless of party affiliation, are holding on for dear life because of the uncertainty of what the future holds for us as a nation.

From the git-go (as some of my southern friends would put it) the race for the highest office in the land has been a whirlwind of emotion, dirty politics at its finest.

The facts remain: America is in dire condition and there are 2 candidates running for the presidency that we don’t fully trust and have issues with.

The apostle Paul addressed one of his books to a bunch of Jesus followers who lived in Rome during troubled times. Emperor Nero was one serious wacked-out nut job! But Paul challenged the Christians with the following hard to swallow words,

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. (Romans 13:1 NLT)

In other words, the powers that be have been put there by God Almighty and we must, as good citizens, yield to it (as long as it doesn’t require us to personally disobey God).

So let’s get down to the real deal here, who do we vote for? Who do you trust as president?

Everyone of us has our own personal agendas, needs, and opinions that lead us to making a decision at the ballot box. But with so much uncertainty and distrust there is a better, easier way to choosing the president.

By the way, keep in mind that God is neither a Democrat or Republican. He is an Independent and He’s got a perfect plan!

For the above reason, vote as your Christian conscience tells you.

Our faith is based on the Bible. And our Judeo-Christian nation has its principles as its foundation. So our next president should lean towards the values the Bible speaks about. For example: the Good Book tells us that life begins at conception, that marriage is between a man and a woman, that God is for freedom, that God loves Israel, and that faith in the Lord our God through Jesus Christ, His Son, is essential for a nation to be strong.

Our next president is going to have the opportunity to appoint Supreme Court Justices that are going to make decisions concerning issues like abortion, marriage, our freedom/safety, religious issues in the educational and social arena, and many others.

There are other issues, of course, but non carry such spiritual weight.

Our vote must be for the one nominee that promises to go the way our faith dictates.

I challenge you to get informed on Clinton and Trump platforms and where they stand on the previously mentioned issues.

Also, pray about your vote and trust in the Lord regardless of who takes residence in the White House come January, 2017.

Trump and Clinton have 2 very different opinions. One is leaning the Bible’s way and the other isn’t. As a country, we are either going to be moving with some kind of Biblical counsel or without it. God help us if we do the latter.

Some of you reading this may say, “This is a pretty biased blog.” My answer: “If being Biblical makes me biased, so be it.”

I’m voting tonight. I’ve made my choice, have you?

Feel free to leave me a comment.

Hurricane Matthew is history, that’s the good news. In my last post I described the feeling of uncertainty as the category 4 beast approached our coast. And the more you listened to the news and our state leaders the more of a nail-biter it became.

Houses were boarded, electric generators bought, water and food supplies were stacked and the arrival of Matthew became a nervous waiting game. This hurricane had the potential of devastating property and killing people. Finally the sustained winds and gusts began.

I don’t know of many people who slept through the night.

It was somewhere between midnight and 3am when our family could hear and sometimes even feel the power of the wind inside our well protected block fortress. Bibles were read and prayers were made… before, during, and after the storm. Our hope was in the One who can calm the storm.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

In other words, this God of absolute power will clearly make Himself known to each of us to help us when we find ourselves in distress. And that’s exactly what He did for us.

Graciously God shocked and confused the weather forecasters in our area when He pushed Matthew a few miles away from us. We had missed a direct hit!

God answers prayers!!

The bad news has to do with assessing the damage after the storm, cleaning up the mess, and repairing whatever’s broken.

There were power-outages, broken roofs and fences, and sinking boats but compared to lives being spared that means very little.

You may be wondering, “Ok, so what’s the great way of doing life after a hurricane?”

Three words: Live trusting God!

Some years back a group of us helped a married couple after a massive tornado hit Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Their house had flooded and they lost much. But they had held on to each other during the tornado and were still holding on to their faith afterwards.

Always remember that God is the Go-To-One at anytime for anything. Let’s abbreviate that, God is our GTO!

If you’re into muscle cars (and who isn’t?) the GTO was hot in the sixties. It was slick, 4-speed, and had close to a 400 galloping horses under the hood. It gave those who had one an exciting ride. If you lived during that era you wanted a GTO. They were cool.

How about thinking of God as your divine GTO? Your Go-To-One? The Lord is powerful! Loving and trusting Him is the best, coolest thing, we can ever do. And, the exciting ride/life He gives us is beyond compare.

Why make Bible reading and praying with intensity (the way it happened before the storm) a thing of the past?

The challenge for all of us is to keep a solid relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ going on a daily basis.

Sadly, many wait for some threatening looming disaster to happen before they get close to God. If that’s you, why not make Him a part of your life when all is well?

Trust me, if it’s not a category 4 hurricane approaching it will be another form of storm that will hit you and me. It’s inevitable. Junk happens to us all!

Setting a daily one on one time with the One, Jesus, who loves us most will keep us always ready for what may come. It doesn’t mean we won’t be momentarily rattled by tough situations but that His peace will guard our hearts and souls even in the midst of difficulties.

As hurricane Matthew roared in the Atlantic and headed straight our way my wife had this unusual peace and calm about her. I use the term unusual because it was obviously divine and supernatural, coming straight from God. It’s how He works. It’s the great way to do life when we follow Him.

Please feel free to leave me a comment.

So…here we go, baby, hurricane Matthew is approaching. When you live in the Florida coast hurricanes are anticipated and even expected although you wish they never happen.

I have some friends who lived through the horror of hurricane Andrew when it came through south Florida many years ago. After dealing with the devastation they uprooted and moved to my neck of the woods. Nowadays when the man hears of a hurricane coming he just packs up his junk and drives off to somewhere else. Even if what’s coming is a category 1 he doesn’t care. There’s a deep sense of respect in him about a serious storm.

Last time a hurricane passed through town our family was without electricity for 2 weeks. Not fun! We took many cold showers and ate lots of vienna sausages. But we survived, thank the Lord. Our neighbor across the street ran a super long extension cord from his house to mine (they had power) so we could run a fan in the Florida heat. But we were miserable nonetheless.

During my childhood in the little island of Puerto Rico my family and I endured many a hurricanes and floods. In an island you have nowhere to go so you hunker down and hope for the best. My dad used to say to us kids that during the hurricane he was going to open the front door of our home, stand there, and sing a song to the blowing wind. I think he was just trying to calm us children down.

So, how can you know that you are perfectly ready for hurricane Matthew (or for any other storm)? Please keep in mind that this is just my take on it.

I think that first and foremost you want to face the storm with faith. Know deep in your heart that God is near and that He is in total control of all things.

There’s a story in the Bible about a time Jesus was asleep in a boat while his disciples stayed awake. A furious storm developed and the disciples freaked out. They woke Jesus up from his nice siesta and…

“Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8:26 NLT)

It takes the sea a while to go from choppy to calm but at Jesus’ words the sea instantly became flat like a pancake. Jesus’ power is mind blowing!

My faith, and I hope yours, must rest in God being Lord of the storm. Pray to Him, trust Him, and hold on to Him.

Once the spiritual aspect of facing hurricanes is out of the way you’ve got to get physically ready.

I’m writing this 2 days before Matthew is supposed to skirt our shoreline. There are lines of cars already jamming up gas stations. Store shelves once full of bottled water are becoming empty.

Earlier I got some propane gas for my grill just in case. I am also well stocked with canned goods (like viennas) and batteries.

Our handy-dandy battery operated storm radio will once again reappear and loose items will be brought inside so they don’t go flying in the wind. Some just throw their pool furniture into the pool and dive for them after the storm.

So there you have it. Oh, I have plywood ready to cover my windows if the forecast calls for it.

When playing hide and seek as a kid the one counting would yell to the ones hiding, “Ready or not here I come.”

In my section of the world hurricanes are going to come, we just have to be ready for them. Who knows, I may bravely stand by the opened door of my home and sing a song to Matthew… but I seriously doubt it.

What’s your thought about coming hurricanes? Please leave me a comment.