On December 16, 1811, the 400 residents of New Madrid, Missouri, were shaken out of their beds at two in the morning by a violent earthquake. Huge cracks split the ground. The waters of the Mississippi rose and fell like a great tide. Giant waves rose up and swept north, giving the impression that the river was actually flowing backwards. Boats along the river were engulfed, capsized, and theeair crews drowned.
It's one year after two New Madrid earthquakes have devastated the Mississippi Valley.
Battalions of foreign peackeepers are occupying Tennessee, at the invitation of the President. Phil Carson, (from "Enemies Foreign And Domestic"), and three strangers are hiding in a well-stocked cave, which is a guerrilla fighter's lair. Across the region Kazakh "contract peacekeepers" are wiping out the last remaining American holdouts, who have rejected the federal government's order to abandon their homes and move to "relocation centers."
This scene is in the middle of the novel.
CLICK on COVER to read excerpt from FReeper Travis McGee
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Nothing wrong with being a good steward of what is provided to us, but it also should be noted that in most Scriptural references to quakes, they are associated with judgment and discipline of nations. To put this another way, God might discipline those whom He loves with substantial catastrophe from quakes, in the same fashion a parent might spank their child.
If Johnny decided to be prepared for any risk of spankings by always wearing padded underwear, and his parents were cognizant of that preparedness, do you think that when they decided to discipline him, their punishment would remain at the same intensity?
FWIW, we need to remain in faith through Christ first, good stewards of what He has provided, but never presume we can provide for our own independent of Him.