Stormy night!

I've always been a sucker for a good storm. Of course, I hate the destruction they bring, but they still fascinate me. To me, they are just one way God shows His power. I'm always in awe of how a house can be reduced to rumble in a matter of seconds. Or how a tornado can demolish one house and the neighboring house is untouched. Fascinating, I tell you.

Growing up in Northeast Oklahoma I had my fair share of hiding in a cellar. Or the hall. Or a closet. Thankfully, all we have had to endure was a major hail storm (which produced a tornado just miles from our house). However, last night was a little too close for comfort.

We had plans to meet some friends at a local restaurant. It was looking like our town would be facing the brunt of the storm right as we were meeting to eat. We watched the weather, but decided to go on ahead and meet up. As we ate the lights inside flickered and the sky was lit up with lightning. We enjoyed some good fellowship and decided to head back to our house where I had made a strawberry pie for dessert. (It was delicious, by the way. ;))

We don't live inside the city limits that has tornado sirens. In our little community our volunteer fire department goes through neighborhoods blaring their sirens. We had no more got home, scarfed down a slice of pie, and the fire trucks came through. Brandon and our friend Chris were outside watching the sky (because isn't that what you're supposed to do when a storm rolls in?) and were instructed to get inside. "You are under a tornado warning. Take shelter inside you home" is what the fireman said to them as he passed our house. Chris and Misty headed home and we began making preparations.

Our girls are terrified of any storm. The slightest sound of thunder sends them to a pallet in our room. Lightning gives them the heebie-jeebies. They can't relate to my fascination of storms at all. So when they saw me beginning to clear out the laundry room they knew it was serious. Brandon turned into protector and watched the weather like a hawk. I grabbed everyone's important folder and zipped it up in a bag along with my purse and camera. (Our folders have birth certificates, marriage license, etc... & my camera happened to be on my coffee table so I just threw it in the bag. Ha!)

Caylee began to cry and said, "I want to go home". I told her we were home and she said "No, my home, home. Oklahoma home". Rip my heart out, sweet angel.

But the sweetest thing of the night came through Baylee. She gathered everyone's Bible & our family devotion book. As we sat in the laundry room with shoes on our feet, dogs in their crates, and the radio on, Baylee quietly opened her Bible to Philippians 4:6-7 & read it aloud.

"⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

She went on to say "Satan is causing us to fear, Mom. God is with us. But Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy". Umm... WOW! I wish I would've taken her picture. She sat cuddled up with blankets and pillows, her heavy winter coat on for protection (her idea), leaned up against the dryer and comforted us as we waited out the storms. I thought about grabbing my camera (it was in my bag, ya know!), but something seemed so special at the time that I didn't want to ruin the moment.

We sat in our safe place for about an hour. Once Brandon gave us the all clear we called Mom and Dad back home and relived our past hour. Before we got out we did learn that a town 15 miles from our house was hit hard. It was on the national news this morning and we've yet to learn of all the destruction. How scary to have been so close to a storm that took four lives and ravished a town.

There's another, even more severe, chance of tornados tonight. I've been working on cleaning the laundry room today since it's cleared out and I'm keeping it that way until after tonight! ;) If we have to take cover again, I will remind the girls of a verse that's on our Seeds Family Worship music every morning.

" ¹ God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."

Psalm 46:1-2