Beauty and the Beast

Orkney has once again been covered in snow. The last batch had melted away nearly over night, revealing green fields and flooded ditches. Now the snow has returned and covered the countryside with a mix of beauty and hardship.

The unspoiled beauty of a snow-filled road that is devoid of tire tracks and footprints. A charming winter scene but please, while you admire also pray for those here in Orkney that are trapped in their homes because of these side roads that are filled with impassable drifts. Most of us are fine, having stocked up on provisions so that we could hunker down and wait for the roads to clear. But there are many here that are elderly, infirm, or otherwise struggling with being snowbound. That said, let us also pray for those that are merely frustrated, that they have patience with this situation and carefully discern what is necessity and what is merely impatience and boredom.

Wooly Ladies coated in a sugar-white blanket of snow. They look like cookie sheep! Yet just beyond this wintery pastoral image sits a ring feeder that is filled with silage. This is breeding season for many, and the rams are out with the sheep - but they won't breed if they're not able to get enough to eat. Please pray for the flocks of sheep in Orkney that suddenly find it nearly impossible to graze their fields.

Soft snow gently covers a stack of wrapped silage bales. Please pray for the farmers of Orkney who find themselves quite suddenly having to tap into their winter supply of silage in order to feed their snowbound sheep. These islands are not wholly prepared for this kind of freezing, snowy weather. It's not normal for this part of the world. And so the farmers must face the fear that they will soon struggle with feed shortages if this weather continues. If it does continue then the sheep, who normally graze the fields until late January to February, must be fed silage at a much earlier time then usual.

A startling yet beautiful scene: a deep and very large shelf of snow and ice hangs over one of the many small burns. This picture does it no justice! But please pray that the youth of Orkney are very careful in their explorations and that they respect such possible dangers as this. And please also pray that the water pipes supplying homes and barns do not freeze and/or burst ~ they are not insulated as they would be in locations where snow and freezing weather are common every winter. It is a severe hardship on the people and animals of the islands when the water supply becomes unavailable because everything is frozen solid. And then all of the burst pipes have to be repaired at any hour of the day or night...

These winter scenes are gorgeous and they lend much beauty and peace to the surrounding landscape. Perhaps this is going to become the norm for our islands. Please pray that wisdom prevails and the appropriate preparations are made so that the islands can manage such cold, snowy weather should it continue to arrive each year.

A stone wall is decorated by the latest snowfall. Although strong enough to hold back the feirce gale-force winds, these walls are almost defenceless against flooding water. And as soon as warmer weather arrives and the snow melts Orkney becomes a landscape of floods and instant ponds. Please pray for that our future thaws happen more slowly so that the islands, which lack any kind of rivers to handle the overflow, can deal with the resulting excess water. Either that or measures are taken to help divert the floods away from homes, roads, towns, and farmland.

May God bless Orkney and all of snow-lashed Britain with His protection so that we can take delight in the beautiful winter landscape without so much unexpected suffering because of the snow and freezing weather. If these types of winters are to become the norm please ask God to grant the people of Britain the necessary wisdom to make some very big, unfamiliar, and oftentimes terribly expensive changes that will ensure that the people will be capable of enduring and handling such challenging winter conditions. Please ask God to watch over and protect the Poor of this land, that they not be left behind to endure the harsh weather without help: inspire everyone to remember to think of their neighbor and of those who are vulnerable to unnecessary suffering because of the weather. Please God, also bless the motorists, those that must drive in these conditions, to be safe, to make wise choices whilst driving, and to swifly learn the art of handling a vehicle in ice and snow.

Amen. (Thank you for your prayers!)