Mary and I have a winter home (a Park Model trailer) in an RV park near North Port, Florida. The name of the park is Ramblers Rest Resort. We were on pins and needles most of Friday, August 13. We didn't know if our home would survive or be flattened. We also were concerned about our many friends in that area who live there year round. We go north to our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the summer, and so only our property was in danger.

As you probably know, the storm hit Charlotte Harbor, which is about 15 miles south of our park. Then it traveled NNE and eventually devestated the town of Arcadia. They said it looks like a war zone. The eye of the storm must have passed within 10 miles of our place. I fully expected to learn that our park was flattened. To my surprise we got an email from our next door neighbor in the park that reported good news. After the storm passed, they went back to the park and discovered that there was no damage except for one trailer that had an awning ripped. Goodbye, Charley!!

We are certainly grateful for that good news. However, our hearts go out to those who were less fortunate. Someone remarked in an email that prayer really works. I believe in prayer, but I question the use of any prayer that says, "Spare my place, and let the storm hit someplace else." I am sure that people in Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda, and Arcadia prayed just as fervently as those of us in North Port and Venice. The bible says it rains on the just and on the unjust. I think that can be expanded to category 4 hurricanes. It storms on the just and the unjust.

One of the fundamental structures that the Creator built into our universe is randomness. Sometimes we are in the path of destruction, and sometimes we are not. I cannot believe that a just God would move the paths of Hurricanes to spare some people and harm others. Yes, we are grateful to have been spared, but others have not been spared. Our hearts go out to them. We will write out an extra check for disaster relief. Perhaps you can do that, too. God bless you all.

We sit here in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with the sun shining. However, Charley is destined to pass through here tonight and tomorrow. We are supposed to get torrential rains and probably some flooding. Hello, Charley!!