I heard Annabelle crying so I went in to check on her. She wasn’t on her bed, as it was still made. She wasn’t on her chair either, as it was still occupied with the green, stuffed dog. I then peeked into her pop-up pink princess tent and there she was. It was after 9pm and our apartment was still swaying and screaming from our Cat-3 typhoon. I asked her if she wanted to go into her bed and she said no so I put a thick blanket under her, tucked her under another one, handed her her pink comfort blanket and propped up some stuffed animals for the long night. Unlike the night before, she managed to stay in her own room to ride out what we thought was the end of the storm.
We woke up early due to our phones loudly announcing more alerts in Japanese. We assumed they were saying strong thunderstorms and flooding in the area…our congi is non-existent. Our power has gone off and on through the morning, which is ironic as it held up against the 115mph windblasts of yesterday. We quickly brewed coffee and cooked eggs before the next bright flash outed our power once again.
Neoguri has rocked our little island, flipping cars, downing lines, pulling power island wide, and keeping us locked in for over 24 hours and counting. Thankfully, although we live 2 blocks from the seawall and ensuing storm surge, we are tucked tightly into a concrete corner that has even kept our trashcans that are outside, home. Annabelle past the time watching the Muppets, School House Rock, Learning Japanese, Frozen, and Tangled. I enjoyed reading over 300 pages of a mindless criminal novel while Barrett worked on his sermon breaking only to look outside and also check out the facebook pictures being posted of the storm.
As I stare outside at the gray that I think should be blue now, I am in wonder at the power of the storm. It has no care for status, age, and way of life, it is hitting everyone the same. We are awed at this brief showing of God’s power and reminded at how blessed we are to have so many blue-sky days. I often forget the common grace God has given us so many days of the year until a couple of days of blasting storms. I take our concrete paradise for granted until the high winds hit and our foundation stands firm. I complain about no yard, trees, or view but the purpose behind this design could not be more evident as the wrath of the storm hits and our power stays on.
A good reminder, huh? This Christian life does not always look the way I want or desire…or like the Joneses, but when the power and force of what is in those gray skies hit, my foundation in secured. Rock of Ages, cleft for me. Let me hide myself in thee.