What a weekend....
 

Sometimes it just doesn't pay to make plans. This has been an extremely busy summer for me. So, now that things are winding down, I thought it'd be nice to go to the Great Smoky Mountains to take a couple of days of R&R. So, I got off work early Friday and began to prepare to head to the mountains.

At around 2 PM Friday, I went to put things in my van. I looked to the woods behind my house and saw smoke rising. Alot of smoke. I first thought nothing of it. I live in the country and people burn stuff. But, not in my woods. And not during the dryest fall on record. So, I walked thru the woods and found a huge fire burning. My woods were on fire. I ran back to the house and grabbed some fire fighting equipment: A rake and a plastic spray can that I hurriedly filled with water. So, for the next seven or eight hours, I fought to extinquish and contain a forest fire. Alone. Now, bare in mind that I live atop Sand Mountain, and this is the hottest and dryest October I have ever seen. We have had no rain all month and things are dry. Very dry. So I fought on and, a neighbor finally came and helped by using a leaf blower to create a fire break. And, we succeeded in stopping the spread of the fire. We thought.

I stayed in the woods til nearly midnight making sure the fire was out and had no way of creeping across the line. At midnight I was satisfied that there could be no outbreak. I was wrong.

Flash forward to Saturday morning. I got up at day break and looked out the door to see a repeat of Friday afternoon. A huge column of smoke was billowing skyward. I ran into the woods and found the fire had jumped and was rapidly speading toward my house and that of a neighbor. So... once again, I was a reluctant firefighter- with noting but a rake and a small plastic spray can. But this time, the neighbor called the fire department and they came to do the job on a professional level. And thankfully, the fire is out. I stayed in the woods all day Saturday putting out small "hotspots" that literally burn underground (which is how the fire got across the fireline). No cause for the fire has been determined. Someone suggested a hunter may have dropped a cigarette or something but, that seems unlikely as that area of the woods is nearly impossible to pass thru. There have been several mysterious brush fires in our area, so the fire chief thinks we may an arsonist in the area.

So needless to say, my trip to the Great Smoky Mountains was a bust. Come to think of it, since I live on a mountain, the "smoky mountain" came to me!

So.... no one was hurt and no buildings burned. And God hasn't failed. And I'm thankful for that. So....how was your weekend???

Re: What a weekend....
 

i think I read a book about a snake handler on Sand Mountain. Glad it was just the woods( as if thats not bad enough) instead of your house and your safe and sound.

Re: What a weekend....
 

I had a great weekend, but not nearly as exciting as yours obviously! Sorry for what you went through, but glad you and your house are ok.

Re: What a weekend....
 

OA, I have to ask... why did you not call the Fire Dept the first time?

Re: What a weekend....
 

Hello? He is man, with a rake and a plastic spray can filled with water. :girlnails

Re: What a weekend....
 

I am visiting my wife's sister and family in Wewahitchka, FL and was not booked for Sunday so I attended High Praise Worship Center with Pastor Robert Gay in Panama City. His special guest was Apostle Leon Walters from Indiana.
It was quite a prophetic service with many people being called out and given personal prophecies.
Testimonies were given after they prayed over a bunch of pictures and names on the altar of over 30 backsliders coming home and being saved and many filled with the Holy Ghost. There were over 300 there on Sunday Morning and I decided to go back Sunday evening and it was well worth it. I took my wife with me and the worship was pretty incredible. Robert Gay is an incredible psalmist and writes most or maybe all the songs they sing. WOW! It was great with much rejoicing especially the teens really worshiping, dancing, shouting and praising God!
Pastor Gay ministered prophetically to many then the guest speaker prophesied to many including us. He was so RIGHT ON it was amazing. It was very encouraging and we really were refreshed.
Many were filled with the Holy Ghost last night at the end of the service.
If you are ever in the Panama City area, I would highly recommend this church.

Re: What a weekend....
 

I am glad you are okay, OA. And your house too.

Re: What a weekend....
 

Praise the Lord, AB.

Re: What a weekend....
 

Even worse than fires are burns.

Re: What a weekend....
 

I was wondering that too! Hey OneAccord, have you been to a "signs following" church up there on Sand Mt? When I think of Sand Mountain, I think of, Snake Handling Church, David Terrell, a little COGOP church I preached in 30+ years ago!

Re: What a weekend....
 

Hoovie, I wondered which of us would ask that first!

Re: What a weekend....
 

:ursofunny :ursofunny :ursofunny :ursofunny

Re: What a weekend....
 

Well, no, never been to one of the "signs" churches here, though I know several of them. I knew Glenn Summerford, the subject of the book "Salvation on Sand Mountain" by Dennis Covington. I visited a serpent handling service in Tenn and one in Ga. Interesting to say the least.

BTW, for the one that asked. I didn't call the Fire Department the first time because I am a man. I don't ask for directions or read instructions either ... until... well, you know.

Re: What a weekend....
 

I totally understand why you didn't call the FD the first time. I am married to a man that is a lot like you, but we call the FD anyway, and do what we can until they get there.

Re: What a weekend....
 

Interesting, Cindy. I guess we look at this from opposite ends of the spectrum. I am married to a firefighter. So my FIRST reaction would be to call the Fire Dept. And since Hoovie is a firefighter, that would explain why he would also call the fire dept.

Re: What a weekend....
 

We have a few acres of woods, too, and I should be prepared, just in case. But I think I can do better than a "small plastic spray can" (whatever that is):


http://www.sz-wholesale.com/uploadFi...28083820s..jpg

Re: What a weekend....
 

We do call the FD first, then try to do what we can until they get there.

Re: What a weekend....
 

I absolutely loved "Salvation on Sand Mountain"! Amazing that you would know Glenn Summerford. I have been in some "Signs" Churches too. The Holiness Church of God in Jesus Name in Newport, TN (or near there - up the side of a mountain) where Liston and Buford Pack were pastors - both got bit and died. Good, sincere and precious people but misguided.
Very interesting!

Re: What a weekend....
 

Yeah, AB, been to the church in Newport. A Pastor Ball was pastor there then. I didn't know Liston and Buford, but I knew Listons son, Gene. I know several of the Summerfords. Glenn and Billy were both preachers. As far as I know Billy is still preaching. Was at Glenn Jr.'s church not long ago. Do you recall Charles McGloklin in the book? I knew him quite well. Was in a serpent handling service in Canton, Ga. several years ago. Met Pastor Carl Porter and others who handled snakes that nite. Was in one just North of Chattanooga in Grasshopper Valley where it was all started by George Hensley, a CofG preacher. I use to have a book by T.L. Lowery (circa 1949?) where he advocated serpent handling. Yeah, been there, but ain't done that.