Keep me safe till the storm passes by

Well, tonight the rhythm of the symphony is being driven by Hurricane Rita. Even here, a couple of hundred miles from those menacing swirly diagrams in the Gulf, the shelves are emptying out of bottled water, matches, candles, batteries, flashlights. The lines at the gas stations are longer every hour. Streams of people are arriving from the coast, somewhat safer here but finding that their hosts are only slightly less nervous than those living on the beaches. San Antonio is not a city known for its efficient drainage, and so the predicted 5-7" of rain along with 50+ mph winds could make it a pretty precarious place for a few days. We've stocked up, made plans for the deck furniture and the animals, talked over logistics of being without electricity (it's predicted that half our city will lose power during the storm). Now we watch and wait. Most of the computer models have us near the perimeter of the affected area, but those models change hourly. This is one time I'm glad not to be living in sight of the water. . .

Praying about a hurricane seems a tricky business. Should we pray for it to turn and go elsewhere, carrying its destruction to another city whose residents are praying the same? These storms appear to have minds sometimes, fickle natures that enjoy playing with the emotions of communities and the brains of the most sophisticated scientists. (If you don't believe me, click here Hurricane tracker - Weather News - MSNBC.com and select "Ophelia"!) Nevertheless, we ask the Father's protection on our state, and an extra measure of wisdom for our governor and other leaders as they prepare for one of the most potentially dangerous storms in the country's history.

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry
Keep me safe till the storm passes by

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand
Keep me safe till the storm passes by