'Rebel' against hurricanes

I was … 

  •  Returning from vacation
  •  Going back to work
  •  Supervising children coming and going
  •  Hosting houseguests
  •  Dealing with water in the basement because of excessive rainfall 

And that was before the hurricane! 

Let me back up a bit. When I discovered water in the basement after the heavy rainfall, I called a company that handles water remediation and my insurance agent. They both told me it was highly unlikely that our policy would cover the damage. I decided right then and there not to be disturbed by this information, but to be grateful that we had what we needed to repair the damage. I prayed for a sense of peace, and it quickly came.

I did no ruminating over the situation and just mentally let it go. The insurance adjuster called to tell me he couldn’t get to our house until the following Monday morning, so the gentle hum of heavy duty fans serenaded us for the next few days. 

Then Hurricane Irene was predicted. By the end of the work week, citizens on the East Coast of the United States seemed to have wound themselves into a fevered pitch of worry and panic. Gas stations ran out of gas, D batteries were nowhere to be found, and grocery store shelves were clearing off.

Before this experience, I don’t think I’d ever really prayed about weather. In fact a big storm generally held some promise of adventure for me—you know, candles, playing cards by flashlight, spending time housebound with good snacks. 

However, this storm felt different. I found myself mentally rebelling against the practice of naming hurricanes, of endowing a destructive force with an identity, characteristics, and power. I wanted to see the storm’s powerlessness in the face of God, good. But I felt my usual sense of peace and security slipping away. I was praying to know that we are never separate from God’s love and protection, but I realized I really needed to get still and get serious about the prayerful work.

It occurred to me to send my brother, living in the coastal town of Newport, Rhode Island, a text message to see how he was doing. Pete and his business partners have a beautiful marina and small boutique hotel that was threatened by the approaching storm. The potential loss could have been great. I asked him if he’d like me to pray, but assured him that I didn’t want to intrude or meddle. He texted back, simply, “Yes.”

When I sent my text, Pete and his associates were in the midst of securing anything and everything, dismantling docks and moving furniture and the contents of the open waterfront kitchen to a higher floor in the hotel.

I was in the midst of “moving up higher,” as well! Mentally, that is.

Earlier in the day I had received an e-mail from my Christian Science teacher encouraging me, and many others, to “Spread our spiritual, loving, arms around our coastal neighbors.” I later spoke to friends who received similar messages from their teachers.

I knew others were praying and expecting their prayers to be effective. My husband and I sat down in a quiet place to add our prayerful thoughts to the effort.

The first two thoughts that came were phrases from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, “Thus far and no farther” and “the wind in His fists.” I looked both up. The first is from page 124 : “Adhesion, cohesion, and attraction are properties of Mind. They belong to divine Principle, and support the equipoise of that thought-force, which launched the earth in its orbit and said to the proud wave, ‘Thus far and no farther.’ ”

The second reference is from page 192 : “Moral and spiritual might belong to Spirit, who holds the ‘wind in His fists;’ and this teaching accords with Science and harmony. In Science, you can have no power opposed to God, and the physical senses must give up their false testimony.”

Both passages affirmed the harmony of divine government and the control of Principle. With those under my belt I moved on to the Christian Science Bible Lesson and then read and reread Adam Dickey’s article “God’s Law of Adjustment” (see The Christian Science Journal, January 1916). 

I sent my brother the following text, a direct quote from the Dickey article: “All the power, action, intelligence, life, and government in the universe belong to God and have always belonged to Him.” 

I’m not sure how long I prayed before I realized that my own fear had melted entirely away.

I wanted to see the storm’s powerlessness in the face of God, good.

I continued—knowing that God, good, is the only power, the only cause and Creator. He tenderly, completely, and intelligently maintains and sustains His creation. In my prayer, I declared that the “truth of God is the law of annihilation, obliteration, and elimination to everything that is unlike Him” (ibid). I saw that the universe including man continually expresses the balance and order of divine Principle, the harmony of divine Soul, the peace and calm of divine Love. I held to the fact that no phase of mortal mind can overpower, obscure or eclipse the law of God and that divine Science operates uninterrupted. I knew that God is in complete and total control.

A text came in from Newport: “We just checked—high tide now. All good news. The [storm] surge is delayed and will come at lower tide. Thanks, and keep up the work.”

I did keep up the work, knowing that I was working from an inspired standpoint, with a sense of spiritual conviction and understanding.

I also received a text of a hymn from one of our sons in California: 

The storm may roar without me, 
My heart may low be laid; 
But God is round about me, 
And can I be dismayed?
(Anna L. Waring, Christian Science Hymnal, No. 148 ) 

I was filled with gratitude for the selfless love and heartfelt prayers of others. 

I asked Pete to let me know when everything was back to normal in Newport, and about five hours later I received the following: “I think we’ve really made it! Thank you for the help—it’s hard to believe what was a 10–14 foot storm surge was no more than three feet.”

Thanks be to God, was more like it!

In a quick note back I told Pete that, like many others, I took the call to pray quite seriously. I know there are some who might say the predictions about the storm were just media hype, but I am confident that the prayers of many whittled away at a strong fear of destruction and damage.

The following Sunday we lost power at our home for about 20 hours and though the rain was torrential, no additional water came into our basement. We didn’t even have water in the sump.

When the adjuster came on Monday, I ushered him into the basement where he sized up the situation; furniture piled in the middle of the room, wet carpet torn out and paneling pulled away from the wall, revealing water damage and mold. Without a word he began measuring and taking notes—then turned to me and said the claim would be generously covered. I think I stood there slack-jawed for a few minutes before asking, “Are you sure?” He then proceeded to explain to me why this was ethical and fair and that it is his company’s practice to thoroughly protect their clients. I asked if I should send the balance of the payment back. No, he said, just keep it. He added: “We want to be sure you have exactly what’s necessary.” And that was it. Off he went.

Looking back on our experience with the basement, I would say my prayers became more focused and effective when I began praying for someone else, namely, my brother and those who found themselves in the path of the storm. It took the spotlight off me and resulted in blessings for all.