From Pittsburgh through the metro D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Delaware and South New Jersey, people are digging out from record snow. Pray for their health, safety and warmth during the storm and its aftermath. Lord, have mercy!

Many thanks for the prayers! There are a number of areas without electric power today, and as well there are a small number of roof collapses. These people are in need of prayer.

Between Friday 10 AM and when the snow stopped last night we received 28" of snow here in northern Virginia, just west of Washington, DC. In Leesburg (about 25 miles west of me) they received 30" and in Frostburg, Maryland (about 60 miles northwest) they received 36".

I am amazed at how well the crews are removing the snow. I've been digging out slowly, going out for about 40 minutes each time. I will put up a photo when I get a chance.

In the southern tier of Pennsylvania we were spared the worst by having "only" 24 - 27 inches. The worst of the snow ended by 3PM Saturday with temperatures only just below freezing and bright cloudiness so those who were able to get going on clean up had a couple of decent hours before nightfall and arctic air. The road crews made their initial passes and had a lane and half open on all secondary roads.

So we decided to go ahead with liturgy this morning as our worship time is late enough to give decent daylight and a bit of warming. The church custodial crew had done a herculean job of having all the sidewalks bare and parking lots open.

Now 18 people--a fraction of the normal congregation-- do not require a lot of parking space, but I believe that they found the trip well worth the effort. Seven of the eighteen were choir members, whose efforts in singing the opening section of the Sanctus from the Mozart Requiem were well appreciated--they, and the congregants, were in pleasant shock that seven people could sound so heavenly.

The Old Testament lesson was Isaiah 6:1-8, and the faithful were given a glimpse of the glory of our Lord.

By the close of the liturgy the temperature was just above freezing with crystal clear skies. With more arctic temperatures tonight, my understanding of "necessary work" on the sabbath meant to do as much as physically possible to push back this snow in order to make ready for the 7 - 10 inches forecasted for Tuesday and Wednesday.

In much of Northeastern Pennsylvania [Scranton / Wilkes-Barre region ] we had not even one flake of snow [this time].

No doubt due to the prayers of the several Coal Region saints, doing their intercessory work in heaven altho not yet canonized. We apparently do have have such saints in Western Pennsylvania because here in Beaver PA we received 24 inches.

Your turn is coming Tuesday into Wednesday!

Prayers especially for those unused to receiving this much snow

Grant those in the Mid-Atlantic regions the health, strength and patience to endure another blast of winter weather and heavy snow which is predicted for today and tomorrow! Grant warmth,shelter and comfort to those who remain without heat and are likely to continue without heat through the coming days. Lord, have mercy.

We had 27 inches, no power from Friday to Monday night and the road was finally done with a huge grader late Sunday night.
Monday night and today we are getting ready for round two. The power has flickered a couple of times and all of us are tired shoveling. The boys measured the snow piles along our driveway and it is now at 7 feet not sure where we will put more lol.

Yes, just as life was returning to a wintertime normal in the southern tier of Pennsylvania...

The only previous 1 - 2 punch we had experienced was the Epiphany blizzard of 1996 (22 inches) which was followed five days later with another 10 inches.

So far, 24 1/2 from round 1, and about 8 from just the first six hours of round two.

Remember Psalm 147:19 "[God] sends forth His word and melts them, He blows with His wind and the waters flow".

"Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?" (Job 39:22-23).

Hmmmm... perhaps the good Lord is doing battle with Washington, DC and all the foolishness that goes on there?

As we say in the Pennsylwania Dutch county, "Ja, it makes you vunder, onest"