All I had planned for today
was a trip to the dentist.
Then as I stood at the front desk, chaos erupted around me. Devices blared a piercing alert, shattering the calm atmosphere. I quickly checked my phone, and an Emergency alert flashed across the screen, making me fear for a second, that it was an active shooter situation.
The alert blared, and moments later, the ground shook with an earthquake!
The hanging plants swung wildly, and I felt the intense quaking beneath my feet. This was different—awesome and powerful. I instinctively knew it was a significant quake somewhere close.
7.0 off the coast - Cape Mendocino near Ferndale, Eureka, Petrolia - same area.
Fake Photo - it's from a movie.
A few minutes later, a tsunami alert
As soon as I got home, I tuned into Pacifica's livestream. I watched anxiously, but as expected, the announcement came: it was officially canceled!
I flashed back to a time...
in 1964, when I was in the 4th or 5th grade, a massive 9.2 earthquake shook Anchorage, Alaska. There was a tsunami warning, creating a buzz of worry among neighborhood moms, while dads remained calm. I felt a mix of uncertainty and curiosity. My mom was panicking, but my dad reassured us everything would be alright as we headed to a high spot called Sweeny Ridge to wait it out. I recall sitting in the back of the truck, which turned into what seemed like a tailgate party. Up the coast from us, a tsunami hit Crescent City, Northern California, reaching 150 feet, flooding the town, claiming 12 lives, and causing $15 million in damage.
This was on my mind
Yesterday, a tragic incident unfolded in Butte County at a Christian school, where gunfire left a 5-year-old and a 6-year-old critically injured. That's why when I received the alert about the earthquake today, my heart sank as I feared it might be an active shooter scenario.
Elias is 5 years old - shot twice and has been transferred to a PICU - the bullet went through his lung, through his stomach and clipped a bit of his pancreas. No news on the 6 year old boy. The Sheriff says it was a planned shooting - so many Christian schools are aware.
We never know
In the unpredictable times we find ourselves living in, uncertainty looms over our daily lives. Yet, one thing remains clear: the importance of staying close to God. It is essential to nurture our faith and cultivate a deep connection with Him, for we must be prepared for His return whenever that moment arrives.
That's it for me today. I hope the ground you stood on today was solid!
Debby
