Bob Beck
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine (DROUGHT).” – Genesis 41: 25-27
The Old Testament frequently mentions times of famine, which were often caused by drought.
The longest drought on record for Oregon was from December 2011 until February 2017, just over six years.
We do not know how long the current, extreme drought will last, but we are definitely feeling the effects: prolonged heat and dry vegetation that leads to rapidly spreading wildfires.
When I was a young boy our father took us through the Tillamook Burn to show us the devastation caused by wildfire. Even though it had burned several years earlier, it made a definite impression on me.
Last fall we had several wildfires race through nearby areas.
There were several weeks when I could not contact a friend of mine. His family lived in one of the evacuation areas that did not burn, so I prayed that everything was OK with them; thankfully it was.
Many of us made donations to help those that lost their homes.
Now we are in the midst of another wildfire season, so what can we do?
There are many ways to be prepared, and we have all heard the advice, which we should follow.
On the personal side we can stay in contact with our neighbors and friends who live near fires. We can make donations for those who have become victims, and send treats to the firefighters to show our appreciation.
We can thank these firefighters whenever we meet them. And we can pray; pray for the firefighters and first responders; pray for those who have lost their homes or are displaced, and for rain. Yes, we need to pray.
Bob Beck is district commander of Creswell VFW Post 4039 and a lay leader at his church.
