DAY 33 – COUNTING TO ASCENSION – for May 18

MEMORY OF MT ST HELEN’S ERUPTION

Mt St Helen's First Eruption: May 18, 1980 

Today marks the thirty-seven year anniversary of the eruption of Mt St Helen’s in Southwest Washington. While the 37-year remembrance of the dramatic and devastating eruption is still compelling, what was most personally compelling to me then – and remains tender to me now – is God’s incredible protection in that event. 

Fifty-seven people were killed on that Sunday in mid-May 37 years ago. One of the men was from Montesano, where we lived. It was terribly tragic – and touched all of us. All these years later, I no longer remember his name…just how sad we were for his family.

The only name I recall of those who were killed was a man named Harry Truman, a man of the mountain who refused to leave his home – even in the face of warnings that something monumental was brewing. 

And – even in the face of ‘something-about-to-transpire’ there were active logging operations on the mountain occurring. Fortunately, because it was a Sunday, those operations were not active that day.  That is the foundation for the reason I felt – and feel – so tenderly touched by God’s protection!   If Mt St Helen’s had erupted a day later my husband would have been among the dead.  It was chilling to realize that then. It is with incredible gratitude that I remember it now. He would have been in the blast zone. He was scheduled to go visit His company’s active logging show Monday, May 19.  Just one day later.  The loss of lives was very sad – but it would have been absolutely horrific if all of the logging crews had been on the mountain. Many more lives would have been lost. It’s shocking when we think what a difference one day can make. 

I remember the photos of trees incinerated – and others that lay like gray toothpicks in distinct patterns determined by the horrific powerful wind that spewed out and reverberated off of the surrounding hills – cutting swaths of trees, flattening, directing, twisting them according to its whim. I remember seeing the effects of the ash in Yakima where several inches of the gray ash settled, and I remember 1 week later on the following Sunday morning – another eruption that blew west instead of east – and coated Montesano with an inch of that same gray ash. It was eerie to wake up that morning and have it dark and dismal with an encroaching shroud different than just gray weather brings. It felt very ‘other-world’ and bizarre to be engulfed in the grayness that sifted down upon us.   


I feel incredible gratitude for these thirty-seven years. I am incredibly thankful to God for His protection of this wonderful man who is good, kind, loving – and definitely worth loving. Thankful that God has repeatedly given me what I need – instead of what I deserve. Thankful for his grace, mercy and love. Thankful He truly is with us always – to the very end of the earth….