Summer drought in Southern Europe is the worst in 60 years

Abundant Water at Line Creek

Summer drought in Southern Europe is the worst in 60 years. The demand for water has been increasing for years. Vacation areas in Spain are being built at breakneck speed. Many are around golf courses. One 18 hole golf course uses about the same amount of water as10,000 houses. Irrigation has been increasing in Spain to provide produce to Great Britain and Germany.

All this increase in water use is coming to a head with this drought. Not enough water to go around. The Christian life experiences drought at times.

Christians skip having a quiet time with Jesus. They put more and more activities in their lives. Prayer and Bible study get pushed out. Nothing is noticed for awhile, all seems fine. Then along comes a crisis and the well is dry. There is no faith when it's needed.

Just as it takes hard decisions to restrict growth because of water shortages. It also takes spiritual strength to make time for God and implant His word in our hearts.

Psalm 78:7 "That they should put their confidence in God. And not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments."

Fog from the Summer Dew

Hiked with my dog to the park just after sunrise Saturday morning. It was going to be a hot day above 100F with high humidity. This was the best part of the day.

When I got there, I headed for the picnic table and let my dog loose. As I looked out across the park, I noticed under the trees the grass was barely wet while the areas open to the sky had dew on the grass and was rising as steam.

Looking across the grass under the trees was the normal color green, but in the open the grass showed a white steam that could be seen for about 2 foot in the air.

As the sunlight moved across the field the steam stopped rising. It was not the sun light but 200 feet in front of the sunlight.

When I walked up to get a closer look I couldn't see the steam anymore.

I left the house at 6:20 and it is probably a 15 minute walk to the park. Now most of the dew is gone and it is 7:04.

There is a morning dew from the Lord that is directly for you. As the sun rises, the dew returns back to the sky as steam. As Jesus comes to us what we have received in our devotions can be given back to Him in worship, prayer and praise.

At 7:20 the fog of dew had stopped.

Yesterday I failed to bring my camera. So I came back the next day to get the photo. No dew fog was to be seen.

The lesson in this is interesting. Christians have wonderful experiences with God. Because of this great time, they create an organization to make sure they do it right every time. The problem is God has moved on to something else. The Christian organization is still there but God is doing something else. They are tied with their money organizational and educational commitments and do not want to throw that away to follow an unknown or unproven path. They have made the Bible and doctrines the letter of the law. Don't get me wrong. Doctrines and the Bible are good, they are very good. They are guide posts and maps to God. But don't get tied up in a system and restrict God.

2 Tim 2 says not to be tied to the world. We are to follow Jesus as soldiers.

A cool breeze blows. I have not felt a breeze in a while. This following of the Spirit is important. Sometimes we get it just right and other times we don't. That's OK, we are on the path of seeking God.

You will not find anything if you are not seeking.

Numbers 19:11
When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.

Diary of a Thunderstorm

8:44 AM
Birds chirping
cool north breeze in your face.
Distant rumble of thunder
faint lightning flashes in the clouds
Occasional closer lightening with the clap of thunder.
The pitter patter of rain begins
Rain picks up intensity then slacks off and almost stops.



A bright spot in the clouds is floating by
Cars on the road keep a constant dull roar.
Train whistles can be heard faintly in the distance.
The rumble of thunder returns at first distant then closer.
The sound of song birds still can be heard.
To the west solid gray clouds
2 train whistles one faint long whistle and the other closer and to the east gives one quick toot.
Occasionally a bird will shoot past.
The lazy normal flying of birds is not seen.
Though there are some fluffy clouds they are dimensioning.
Rain falls softly now.
Against the gray backdrop a lightening strike lasts for over a second.
I notice the birds have stopped singing because one chirped 2 times then stooped.
Rain is now coming down steady.



Looking to the SE the sky is lighter.
Swallows are still looking for food but they are skimming the ground and not in the air.
Heavy rolling thunder sounds.
The sky is all most completely solid gray now.
The pitter patter of rain slows then intensifies .
I don’t even see the swallows flying now.



The sky is almost solid gray.
The pitter patter of rain is steady.
Rain lets up, thunder continues. Instead of rain drops its now heavy mist.

Psalm 29:3
“The voice of the Lord is upon the waters,
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord is over many waters.”

Rain picks back up with more regular thunder and lightening.
Lightening for 2/10 of a second and the crack of thunder.
After a wait of about a minute a downpour of rain.
Trees in the distance become hazy. As distant vision is obscured.



9:43 AM
A hole in the sky can be seen to the west out of the torrential downpour blue sky with clouds around it.

When I was at my vantage point I saw a lot of different things Now that I am driving I can’t see what I want to see. It is the same with Christ. We need to be in a place where we can see Christ.

Lightning still striking here and there rolling thunder can be heard in the background steady rain is falling.

Rain is almost stopped, sprinkling now as the light patch has moved overhead.

It is interesting the break in the clouds brought light now it is starting to get darker again.

10:50 and the rain is now coming down in sheets. the windshield wipers need to go fast to keep up.

I am looking for low spots to find ponding water and that mainly will be under railroad bridges.

Stream of water coming out of the lumber yard is all gray. Compared to the rest of the water flowing down the street which is clear.



Jackson just south of the Railroad bridge about 13th street it looks like a river flowing out
there.



Gardner just West of Chouteau trafficway.

11:35 rain is stopped mostly.
Looking at the Missouri river shows no high flow it is below the markings on the bridge..

Heavy rain starts back up again.

12:17 it has quit raining it is just misting.

On the freeway it appears someone was hurt. Car pulled in front of a semi and was
smashed. Emergency vehicles are just arriving.

2:32 it is starting to get dark in the west.
2:36 it is raining in sheets again.

Missouri’s hot muggy days, are relieved by cool thunderstorms.