A Storm is Coming

Dark gray clouds surround my house. The grass looks greener than normal but a storm is on the horizon. You can see it coming. My goat’s get a funny look on their faces when a change in weather is about to make it’s way over our section of the state. The forecasters predict snow on the floor and really cold air Monday and Tuesday so we prepare by putting lights near the pipes in our pump houses to keep them from freezing and wrap all the exposed faucets with insulation and plastic with just a touch of duct tape.

It reminds me of another storm that’s coming. You can tell a change is happening because the stores and malls aren’t as busy as in years past. On the horizon a dark cloud of despair rises as each day the news of more layoffs hits the streets. If you listen to conversations next to you at the coffee shop everyone has a story of someone who’s lost a job. Gas prices are coming down and that’s good but it’s almost a way of numbing the seriousness of what’s really going on. I think people are cutting back and spending less this year. It’s a smart move overall but not good for businesses that desperately need a good December or look out in January.

You can’t allow the situation to get you down. I’m in the unemployment line too, not reporting on it. We saw this coming and prepared ourselves but will it be enough? This is one of those times when I’m glad I believe in God. I’m glad I understand that it is He who is in charge, not the government, big business or anyone like that. That doesn’t mean we don’t hold those people accountable and make sure we watch their every move. It doesn’t mean come January, when the Oregon Legislature meets, “We the People” don’t make sure that our wishes are being met, not just the wishes of those who run our government. We must get involved and let Salem know our priorities for spending. So, yes, we must be involved in the process. But at the end of the day I know it’s not Salem that runs the show.