Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Help fight wildland fires

Many of you have followed the recent Promontory Fire in Arizona because it affected me so greatly. I'm grateful for your interest and concern for my welfare and that of other members of my community.

How can you help fight wildland fires?

For one thing, be a responsible camper when you're in the forest or in other wild lands. Please, please, please make sure your fires--when you can again build campfires--are dead, cold, sodden out! Never leave a campfire burning unattended. Always make sure that when you go home, you use plenty of water to extinguish the embers.

Another way you can help is to contribute money in support of a fuel break around Christopher Creek and its outlying subdivisions.

Gila County has received a federal grant of $50,000 that is available to fund a fuel break/fuel reduction clearing on the southwest and west perimeter of our community. We must generate matching funds in order to take advantage of this great opportunity for further protection of the communities. $50,000 must be raised before June 30, as the funds have to be available and the contract signed on that date.

The Christopher-Kohls Fire District is the facilitator and administrator of the project, and is working with the US Forest Service in arranging the details. The four local homeowners associations (including mine, Christopher Creek Homeowners Association or CCHA) are heading up the effort to raise the money. The goal is to clear a 330-foot-wide break totaling 329 acres around the Christopher Creek and Hunter Creek communities (including The Brooks and See Canyon).

You can help with your dollars. Even $5 will help us reach our goal. Plus, your contribution is tax deductible.

Please send your check made out to C-K Firebelles Fuel Break and mail it to:

CCHA
HC2 Box 121P
Payson AZ 85541

I thank you. My neighbors thank you. The firefighters thank you.

I'm Happy

On the group blog I share with other members of American Night Writers Association, which is a writing network for LDS women writers, one of our bloggers, Kari Diane Pike, wrote about the choice to be happy. She told of her experiences with replying "I'm happy," when people asked her how she was, and suggested that we try the same experiment. I thought it was a wonderful suggestion, and I tried it out at church on Sunday.

I got some funny looks, and one woman who said, "I always just say I'm ornery as ever." However, the feeling I got as I said, "I'm happy," was so uplifting that I plan to continue.

On the whole, I think we choose how we're going to feel. I could decide to be grumpy in response to a negative experience, or I could be grateful for all things, as Corrie ten Boom, the author of The Hiding Place, learned during her trials in a German concentration camp during World War II.

For years, my kids always said, "Oh Mom. You're so negative." This was usually in response to my pointing out a practical consequence of some action they were contemplating. What I saw as 'cause-and-effect' they perceived as negative. I pondered on what they said, and I decided that I needed to change something. Either I would stop pointing out the doomday consequences of their actions, or I would smile and grit my teeth and let them find out for themselves.

(Fortunately, they grew up, and I can relate to them as adults now. I don't always like their choices, but I love them anywy, just as my Father in Heaven loves me, no matter how I choose to live my life.)

I choose to be happy. I choose to live my life with a smile on my lips. I have much to rejoice over, many lessons learned through the years, and the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to sustain me. My hope is that as I age, I won't be a crochety old lady, but will instead continue to be grateful and happy.

Friday, May 25, 2007

I'm home

I'm back in the mountains, but dealing with occasional smoky nights from the 100%-contained-but-still-burning-in-patches fire, plus another eye problem--the cornea is scratched on the other eye.

No, I don't know how it happened. I went to the eye doctor today and he ordered the same therapy as before, a contact lens "bandaid" and drops. Already the inflamation is going down. There's definitely an allergen up here. Smoke, perhaps? Pine pollen? Juniper? Who knows?

Evidently God wants to know how I'm going to react to this roadblock. Will I lash out, curse Him, and moan all day? Or will I bear the trial with patience, turning to Him, and enduring to the end graciously?

I hope I can show God a good reaction and have done with this type of trial. There are others waiting in the wings, and I need to deal with them.

On the upside, I have a brand new computer, and I'm slowly getting all my software re-installed.

Thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts! I appreciate each one of them. A huge THANK YOU goes out to the firefighters for saving our community.

I'm thankful for good friends and loved ones. What are you thankful for today?

Sunday, May 20, 2007

It's all right

Today I visited my old ward (church congregation) in Mesa for worship services. The opening hymn was particularly poignant for me. The text of the first verse is:

"Be thou humble in thy weakness, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee,
Shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.
Be thou humble in thy pleading, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee,
Shall bless thee with a sweet and calm assurance that he cares."

I felt as though God put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze to let me know he hears me, he knows me, he loves me.

I haven't checked for updates on the fire today, but yesterday the word was that the fire was 80% contained and that those who had been evacuated from Mountain Meadows Bible Camp, The Brooks summer cabins, and the See Canyon homes would be able to return home this morning.

I'm so grateful for the firefighters and all their work. I don't know when I'll return home, because the smoke will be around for maybe another week, and I don't know if my eyes can tolerate it. I guess we'll see.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Writer in the heat

I am in Mesa, Arizona, where I'm staying with a friend until my new computer is built and until I can go back home. I had planned to come down here on Thursday for the new computer, but when the fire broke out, I decided I was going to stay until I was ordered to leave. The smoke drove me out instead.

The fire is holding steady, due to an incredible amount of dirty and dangerous work by the brave fire fighters. I would not choose that profession for anything, because I'm too cowardly. Kudos to those who do.

Thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts. I am much calmer now.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Terror is debilitating

Today's news is cautious. We are not to be complacent, but to prepare to evacuate if necessary. I am terrified. I hear the planes and 'copters overhead constantly, but close by. If I don't put updates on here throughout the day, I'm packing up, so please check the fire news site at ckfire.org. I appreciate your continued prayers. Thank you.

Marsha

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Pictures of the fire

Here are links to three photos snapped by folks on the fire line. This is the definition of rough terrain!

1, 2, 3

Marsha

Fire Update 2:05 pm

I have great news, which I found in the update at the Christopher Kohl's Fire Department website.

"The Promontory Fire is NOT threatening Christopher Creek, Kohl's Ranch or Forest Lakes in any way at this time.

"The fire is spotting on top of the Rim, and crews are working to contain the spot fires. There are no reported spotting fires below the Rim. The lack of winds are favorable to fire fighting plans to limit the fire's progression.

"There are engine crews standing by in the fire district but there are NO firefighting activities presently within the CKFD Fire District, everything is up on the Rim.

"The Forest Service, Arizona State Land, Gila County Emergency Management, CKFD and other agencies are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the community."

Whew! Stay turned. Today is crucial, a fire fighter told me.

Marsha

Fire Update 12:55 pm

I've just spoken to the fire chief. He happened to be at the fire station when I went there for information, and took the time to brief me on the fire.

The fire originated on Sunday afternoon with an abandoned campfire on top of the Rim. The fire blew up and scattered around on top. Then something caused it to come over the edge and down a finger (canyon stream bed). He used the illustration of a burning pinecone falling off the edge and spreading fire. It spread into other canyons and to both east and west of the origination point.

This is very steep and rough country, and no one is actively fighting the fire there. The bulk of the on-the-ground work is on top of the rim. The rest is indirect water drops from helicopters and planes.

THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER OF THE FIRE SWEEPING DOWN UPON US.

Today will tell the tale of whether the wind will shift and blow the fire down the canyons or whether the water drops can hold it where it is. Right now it is a 'natural' fire, which means it is burning brush between trees, scorching trunks, and NOT 'crowning' and jumping from treetop to treetop, as it might if pushed by heavy winds. I'm very grateful for that.

Please continue your prayers for the safety of the fire crews and our communities. Rain dances are still welcome.

Marsha

Fire!

Today I want to share my disgust for people who come up to the forest, camp, then go home without making sure their fire is dead cold out before they leave.

One such idiot may cost me my home.

A human-caused fire is raging above me on the Mogollon Rim in the beautiful Tonto Forest, the place Zane Grey memorialized as the "Tonto Rim." I hear airplanes and helicopters constantly as brave pilots and fire fighters work to contain the fire and keep it from taking out my community. Last night I stood just down the street from my home and saw the red flames spreading on the mountainside. What a chilling sight! I don't know how I slept.

My legal papers are in the car. Other bags and suitcases stand ready to go. If I don't have time to grab my keyboard, monitor and mouse, I'll take at least my computer tower with me if I'm forced to flee for my life.

The newspaper in Payson, Arizona updates its website with fire news. If I'm gone and can't let you know more, please check here.

I'd appreciate any prayers and good thoughts you wish to offer in my behalf and that of my neighbors. Rain dances welcome. Thank you!

Marsha

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Opportunities

Today I want to share my gratitude for opportunities.

First, this blog. When I was a girl, did I ever envision myself typing my thoughts and with the push of a button, sharing them with anyone in the world who could log into the Internet? Well, no! So much of what is available today was only a dream when I was growing up. Not that I'm ancient, but technology and discoveries have moved so swiftly during my lifetime.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to share my thoughts in many venues: books, blogs, websites, articles, newspapers, newsletters and music.

I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to buy an electronic keyboard so that music fits into my tiny house. A piano would fall through the floor, but the keyboard is just right.

I'm thankful for the chance to share music with the members of my church. Today the summertime organist came back to the mountains, so I'll have a six-month rest from playing the chapel organ for the main worship service, but I still get to play the piano or the organ in the women's meeting. I also get to sing during the worship service. I don't play and sing well, so this summer respite gives me a chance to raise my voice in song for a while.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to teach others what I know. This summer, I'll be giving a workshop to a group of writers on writing dialogue. I'm looking forward to that.

I look forward to future opportunities to share my talents with other people. For example, this summer I'm playing Queen Guinevere in a one-act play for the community. I always enjoyed acting in my youth, but until recent times, I've not had the opportunity as an adult to act. Now the pendulum has swung back to give me that chance to be a ham.

What opportunities do you enjoy?
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