Galatians 2:20

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Are we in Kansas!?

We may not be in Kansas, but being neighboring states is thrilling enough!
The highly anticipated OK tornado season is finally here...and I almost pulled a "Dorothy" and slept straight through it!
The Lewis ladies are big on taking naps these days, especially with momma Lewis being with child!
It was around 3:30 when I woke up to my dear friend Keo calling! "Are ya'll okay? Are you getting ready to leave? Do you have somewhere to go?"
I was clueless and thought we were doing just fine all snuggled up in bed.
I knew we were suppose to have some ugly weather and possibly some tornadoes in surrounding counties, but not A STREET OVER!!!
Keo said they were already in their church basement taking shelter because there was an F5 heading our way!
Oh heavens to Betsy! A "brain tornado" of my own started whirling through my head...
Get up Lily, pictures, oh I need to get dressed, turn on news, what should I pack, Michael, where's my husband, pictures! Just a few calm and collective thoughts I had in all of about 1 second!
So yes, since this South GA girl has humored so many oklahomians with my first tornado "response", I didn't want to leave you out!

Now when you think tornado, I know you think exactly what I think of...the movie Twister!
I just knew that we were coming back to nothing! God can do whatever He wants to in order to bring about His purposes and if that was to level us, then I was going to be somewhat prepared.
I grabbed our largest beach bag and began to clear walls of all of our picture frames, but not just walls, dressers, and side tables!
Yes, every picture was stuffed into an over sized bag and waiting by the door for Michael to carry with us to our friends storm cellar...so I thought!
The moment Michael walked into the door and almost tripped over my "special memory keepsakes bag," he said, "What is this?"
"Well honey, I'm not attached to much else, but all our pictures and photo books are such special memories. I thought since I had a little bit of time before you came home I would "save" them and take them with us!"
Laughing, he said, "babe, I'm sorry but we are not showing up on Mrs. Meleta's door steep dragging behind us a beach bag full of picture frames!
Over reacting?....I didn't think so ,until Michael reminded me that we do live in a technology world and it's not like we can't print more copies online.
Okay, so I parted with the beach bag and then we loaded up to drive to Mrs. Meleta Stevens house to take shelter in her storm cellar.
Just minutes before we got to their house the tornado siren started sounding. I just knew the F5 was going to drop out of the sky hot on our trail!
In the meantime, out daughter is in the back seat not phased at all that the sky is completely dark at 4:30 in the afternoon and is whoo hooing like we're having a lot of fun!
To let you in on a little secret...even though my panic button had definitely been set off, there is also a vein of dare that runs through me that would love the title as a "tornado chaser!"
I don't think Rookies qualify, so I'll take shelter underground instead!
We were underground around 45 minutes until we got the clear. We came up to everything in tact. The tornado ended up missing us by 2 miles.
We truly praise The maker of heaven and earth for His Almighty protection when others were affected greatly!
Our prayer is that is the midst of some people loosing everything they poses, that God would open their eyes to see that their greatest need can be met and found in HIM!!!
I didn't deserve to be able to go back home, empty my beach bag and redecorate! I'm thankful for His GRACE!

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