“Huh, the Newspaper came,” I told Barrett. It was the morning after a random tornado hit our street. The night before I was talking on the phone to wish my brother a happy birthday when the power went out…then it came on again and we heard eerie sounds but I thought nothing of it. “OK, well enjoy your futsol game!” I told Jonathan, “We’re having family time watching American Idol with Betsy!” I sat down a little late sipping hot tea and saw a teaser for Ryan and Paula switching roles and then the power went out…8:30pm. We were bummed of course. Betsy plugged her ears so she wouldn’t hear the thunder but the odd thing was, the rain had stopped, the wind died down, and outside looked relatively normal. We all thought the power would come back on in minutes. It didn’t.
The flashlight was found and Barrett took out our camping lantern and as we peered out our front door, we saw flashlights waist high moving along the streets, cop cars racing by, and lots of heavy traffic moving through which was odd for our Narnia neighborhood street. Barrett went out to help the group of people moving a fallen tree on the road. Betsy and I then stared across the way and gasped as we saw a huge 100 year old great oak strewn across 2 yards and the street, graciously missing the houses it inhabited. The road was blocked. Barrett came back with an update. There was a car driving down the main road to our left that got hit by a tree and had power lines across it, at least 3 trees were down in our immediate area and branches littered the street like popcorn on a theater floor. My phone was dead so I decided to drive around town to charge my phone and noticed that most of the area had power, except for our street and a few more. Odd.
We went to bed (10pm) thinking the power would come back on this cold, blistering night but awoke (5am) to frigid air and complete darkness. We never knew how dark our ‘hood could be without the warm street and window lights. I remarked on the newspaper as we opened the front door to welcome the complete darkness with this feeble note of normalcy greeting us. Weird. Betsy was freezing so we put a down comforter on her and I went to class. I was the only one in class and whom I met that morning still without power (“Did you shower,” my prof. asked? “Nope.” The class laughed nervously). I fully expected the power to be on when I got home around noon but found the kitchen blocked off with blankets and doors and the gas burners on high. We had sweltering heat from the stovetop up and ice air from the stovetop down. Too funny! Betsy and Barrett told me of the houses a street over that were sheered by their neighbors fallen tree and I saw 2 more houses with the corners ripped off as easily a Tostitos bag during the Superbowl. Amazing! The power came back on at 4pm that day allowing us not to abandon our igloo home and strangely enough, adapt quickly enough that its almost like it never happened
What I learned:
- Electricity: I take it for granted. We all smiled each time one of us flipped on a switch with no result and realized coffee was out of the question for the day.
- Betsy: Its kind of scary being responsible for a woman and her house when she doesn’t want to leave and can’t get around too well, it made us solemnly realize the responsibilities of parenthood.
- Reality: Although losing power was bad, we were so thankful for our safety, the house being in tact, and being able to stay in our home.
- Barrett: Great improviser with caring for Betsy, it was quite a scene when that kitchen blanket was pulled back for my entrance!
- Friends: So willing to take us in and provide us a place to stay if needed.
- God’s goodness and grace: There is no reason why our house should have been spared, any one of the old growth trees near us could have been uprooted. We had no warning or knowledge that a tornado was even in the area! He also makes us humans so adaptable to crisis, what a blessing that is!
So in closing, God has sovereignly placed me in hurricanes, aftermaths of tsunamis, extreme heat with no power or water, extreme cold with no power but water, effects of Mt St Helens, marriage to Barrett (ha!), and now a tornado. What joy there is in knowing He controls it all, from natural disasters to internal disasters. What hope there is in knowing that He is preparing for us a place with no tears, no pain, no storms, and to be in His presence forever! WHEW!!! Sometimes seeing the bad makes the good that much more exhilarating! Maranatha!