Brings fires. Hundreds of fires blaze across Northern California because we had a lightening storm without rain. We had just gotten our fire contained and sent the firefighters from around the state home. Now they are back. The smoke hanging over our home is thick as pea soup today.

This is the staging area at my Son-in-love's church. In the background you can see the shape of Sawmill peak. This is the look-out fire station for our area. Today it can see nothing but smoke and the flames on its backside.

This peak is about two miles away from where we are standing. The canyon between me and it is filled with smoke and homes.

When I saw this out my kitchen window, my first thought was the fire tankers had dropped some retardant in my yard. The glow was neon orange in color.

On closer examination (walking out the door and standing in it and touching it) I discovered the glow was in fact a sun beam shining through the smoke and the trees. I looked up and the sun was deep orange in an angry grey sea.

The smoke in the driveway across the road creates a haze up the tree trunk and mutes the detail of the bushes. As I walked around the yard fasinated by the flaming sunbeams, I wondered about God's plan for this Nation. We have had Ice and snow storms this year that took out our power for a week in January and Fire Storms that did the same in June.

I remember being a new believer in the late 70's and believing The Last Days were upon us. I also remember being disappointed when Jesus had not come and we had to live through the Eighties! At the time I had a button on my jacket that showed a little girl brushing her hair. It said "Get Ready Jesus is coming." Expectation and realization mixed with evangalization..... At least now I understand what causes the moon to look like blood and the sky at noon day to darken....

What I know NOW is today we are one day closer!