Double Trouble In New Jersey!

This is the story about how a small, practically unknown town in the pine barrens of New Jersey got the name: Double Trouble. They say this small cluster of houses, barns, sawmills and sheds in a crossroads village in the backwoods of the flat pine barrens (near present day Toms River) got its unusual name years ago when, after an early October rainstorm, a floodgate of the local cranberry bog broke.

As you may know, a cranberry bog resembles a large man-made shallow lake with many thousands of gallons of water all kept in place by a series of long, moat-like three or four foot high dikes with many wooden dams or gates placed in the dike to control the flow of the water.

What happened was this: after a severe rainstorm, those hundreds of gallons of water spilled out through a broken gate in what became a very destructive flash flood. The rushing water washed away many of the nearby buildings and caused very expensive damage. Of course, the local people soon repaired the ruined gate but then, within a few days - after another prolonged rainstorm – the gate broke open again!

A local newspaper reporter sent the story of this highly unusual flat lands flood to the big daily newspapers in Camden, Philadelphia and New York. It seemed everyone in New Jersey was then talking about the devastating “double trouble” that happened to this very small and unfortunate town in the almost flat land in south Jersey’s pine barrens.

What began as a double problem for the people, who lived there, soon became a “double blessing.” This was because people from all over the northeast then knew exactly how to find the place where the very unusual “double trouble” had happened. You see, the newspapers had called the place, for lack of a real name: Double Trouble, New Jersey.

Then, during the weekends following the floods, large crowds of tourists flocked to find the town to see for themselves the results of what was a most unusual happening in the almost flat Jersey pine barrens: a very ruinous double flood!

In this way, the little cluster of buildings became famous almost ove
ight and soon the town was officially named: Double Troublern, NJ.

As it happened, the large crowds of people who made the trip to south Jersey to see the flood damage also bought many packages of large, delicious cranberries to take home for their Thanksgiving dinners. Therefore, one of the happy results of all this publicity was that the cranberry business flourished as never before and the local residents became quite prosperous as crowds of city people continued year after year to visit their now famous little pine barrens town, now known everywhere as: Double Trouble, New Jersey,

I can remember times when I’ve had a problem, and then before that problem was solved…along came another problem right on the heels of the first problem! At first, it was frustrating, dismaying and downright discouraging – to say the least.

But, here’s what I’ve learned: What I thought were problems, were really blessings in disguise. It seems that there are times in my headlong rush through life that the Lord needs to get my attention by stopping me cold in my tracks. Then, I am forced to take a good clear look at where I am – and where I’m going. As a result, now a days, my first reaction to a problem is to stop and pray for help.

After my prayers, the Lord always shows me that what I see as a problem, He sees as one, two or even more doors of opportunity that He is opening up or, revealing to me, by way of the problems.

So, next time you have what seems like “double trouble,” go to your knees in prayer and then be on the alert for the double opportunity, which is really a -- double blessing!

By Terry L. Weber

http://www.originalsbyweber.com

P.S. It is possible for you to get a “double blessing” when you order any of the original items you’ll see on my website: (1) good value for your money and (2) fast shipping with a guarantee of satisfaction or money back.