"Holy Smoke?"

“Wildfire Smoke”

Screen shot July 17, 2026

Holland, Michigan

He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, 

and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

Genesis 19:28

God, come close. Come quickly!

    Open your ears—it’s my voice you’re hearing!

Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising;

    my raised hands are my evening prayers.

Psalm 141: 1-2

“Smoke” has a new meaning since our recent exposure to the smoke of the wildfires from the North.  It is hard to describe all the effects it had on our usual activities and expectations for our summer days in Michigan.

The explanations and implications are many and are not associated with anything that would be considered “Holy”.  The most recent Refugia Newsletter notes the overall change in temperatures that are coincidental with the number and intensities of the wildfires of Canada. Whatever the cause or mechanism, it can be a time to reflect on the creation that we have taken for granted.

For me, the most immediate effect was the slowing down and stillness.  I paid attention to the larger weather patterns and appreciated the winds from the South.   This was all reminiscent of my experience with the pandemic.  It wasn’t as long but demonstrated again the fragility and the interconnectedness of our lives.

So today, I am giving thanks for the clean air and the blessings of another day.

Marvin

References

Rienstra, D. Refugia Newsletter #124

https://refugianewsletter.substack.com/p/refugia-newsletter-124?utm_source=substack&publication_id=1264980&post_id=208335713&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&utm_campaign=email-share&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&r=erqln&triedRedirect=true

Hage, M. L. (2023). Small Healing

http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2023/09/small-healing.html

Hage, M. L. (2012). God’s Grace.

http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2012/10/gods-grace.html