What?? TORNADOES!? (Post 3)

Well, I didn't see THAT coming! 

God gave us an opportunity to learn about weathering storms and trusting Him.

Last evening I took my four oldest kids to church with our friends the Millers.  As the kids settled in with their friends I took advantage of the quiet and the wifi connection to blog. I noticed lots of wind and amazing-looking swirly clouds overhead.  The evening wore on and I worked on my post.  Before I knew it the kids were done and we piled in the car headed to the grocery store. 

After shopping, I planned to wrack up major FUN MOM points by taking the kids to frozen yogurt right across the way.  I shot off a quick text to Doug to tell him our plans and he responded, "MAJOR STORMS coming, HEAD HOME NOW."  At that moment, I was about an hour west of Glen Rose where we are camping.  Sharing the major deficit of FUN MOM points with Doug, I announced, as we pulled up to the yogurt shop, "Mr. Doug says we have to head home now, as soon as possible, there are major storms coming."  We said our quick goodbyes and started our journey home.  

The sky lit up over and over with the most amazing display of silent lightning the kids and I have ever seen. Driving down the hilly, country roads in a huge cracker box while the wind was gusting especially in the areas where there weren't trees, we were pretty much blown hither and to.  Fortunately, there was little traffic so I essentially owned the road.  It didn't take long to realize I was driving INTO the storm.  

Later I would learn that the storm centered just 20 miles north of where we driving produced a huge, mile-wide tornado that caused tragic casualties and destruction. 

Minutes passed like hours as all the "dark and stormy night" scenes from movies I've seen played through my mind. Thankfully, Doug was able to email my phone keeping us updated on the storm.  Hannah read me the texts and I had her report back to him every time we passed a landmark...just in case.  

As the storm intensified the tension in the car grew.  So we prayed.  We talked about the POWER of God and how the Bible says He is bigger than these storms, His voice is like the thunder and lighting comes out of His mouth. As I drove, I talked to the kids about trust. We asked the Lord to keep us safe and lead us home. We talked about faith and believing that God sees us, hears us, and has a plan even in the midst of scary circumstances. In times of fear, when the situation truly is out of control and the options are despair or trust. We choose trust.

We turned onto the park road leading to our campsite just as the skies opened up and POURED rain.  The visibility went down to almost nothing as I maneuvered the van the last mile through the park to the campsite. We pulled up, ran inside, and all sat together very thankful to be "home."  

I know the kids and I will always remember the amazing lightning storm, the POWER of God, praying, crying out, and trusting Him in the midst of fear.   

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  ~ Proverbs 3