What’s that loud sound underground?
The ground is made of soil, organisms (like worms, plant roots, and fungi), water, and rock. Do these items make a lot of noise? Organisms squirming, plant roots pushing, and rainfall trickling through the soil make a faint noise. Chipmunks, groundhogs, or foxes digging would make more noise. Lava bursting from a volcano or the shaking of an earthquake can be very loud. What about water freezing?
I recently heard a new sound. It was the sound of groundwater freezing. Along with it came loud booms. Leading up to this event, we had temperatures above freezing, which is typical for Nashville’s winter. A cold air front met a warm front of rain. The rain that fell soaked into the soil, saturating or filling the ground.
Through the night, temperatures dropped, and the rain began to freeze on the trees, coating the branches with a layer of ice. It also began to freeze underground. Since water expands (grows larger) when it freezes, the ice began to push against the rocks. This pressure created a rare sound called a frost quake. Boom, Boom, Boom! The ground was making loud noises, but there was nothing to see. The rocks breaking below ground were the source of the sound. The local meteorologist explained the phenomenon to me. This was the first time I have experienced a frost quake. The frost quake didn’t happen immediately when the rain met the cold. It happened over hours and days. The boom was the result of pressure building.
Have you ever felt anger toward someone or something? When you do not address your anger, it can grow and come out in unexpected ways. Ephesians 4:26 says, “In your anger do not sin”. It does not say, “do not be angry.” Sometimes anger is a healthy response to something wrong or unjust. What the Bible does say is to not sin when you are angry. It is important to express your anger gently. Sometimes others do not know that they hurt you. By gently telling them, you can help them make better choices in the future and can honor God in your loving response.
