Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Is it real?

.
2:50 a.m. Wake up...the scream of sirens.

Room by room, "Wake up, go to the basement...run, quickly." They are deep asleep, wake up startled.

"Is it real mom? Is it a real tornado?" it's the youngest, the most afraid, though they are all scared.

"I don't know, honey, but we have to act like it is."

They scramble, unsteady legs on the stairs.

Children huddled in the basement, a phone call to my mother, just a few minutes away. She answers first ring. "Are you downstairs?" "I am," she says. "Take cover, it's over our heads."

Radar, screaming red and purple. Sirens screaming. Children wide-eyed, frightened.

As quick as it came, it's over. All safe. Back to bed.

Hearts still beating, sirens still screaming, but the storm has passed.

Wild night.



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at 8:04 AM Labels:

10 comments:

  1. Barb SzyszkiewiczApril 20, 2011 at 8:27 AM

    Bet there was not a lot of sleeping after THAT! I hope you all have a restful day and a reprieve from this crazy weather.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jennie C.April 20, 2011 at 8:34 AM

    Oh, my goodness! We were prepared and all sleeping in our safe place, but it seems to have passed over us without harm.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SarahApril 20, 2011 at 8:36 AM

    Oh no! How scary!

    I am glad you are all safe.

    ReplyDelete
  4. BarbaraApril 20, 2011 at 8:50 AM

    Barb,
    It took a few Hail Marys, that's for sure!

    Jennie,
    We went to bed knowing it could happen, but I really hoped it wouldn't. We'll have a sleepy day!

    Thanks, Sarah. It WAS scary.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jamie JoApril 20, 2011 at 9:17 AM

    Wow! The siren in our area is at the top of our hill behind our home, so it's very very loud! This past week was Tornado Awareness week I guess and so the sirens went off many many times and even if it's been sunny and those things go off, it makes your heart beat pretty fast!!

    Glad it was over fast and you are all ok!

    ReplyDelete
  6. JennyApril 20, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    Glad you are sleepy but safe!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AimeeApril 20, 2011 at 1:00 PM

    Yikes! I don't even know what that kind of siren sounds like since we don't have them here, but I can imagine the fear of waking from a sound sleep and running. Poor family -- so glad it passed over you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. SaraApril 20, 2011 at 1:56 PM

    Ours have gone off many times in the night. The first time, we didn't even know what it was; we thought it was a car alarm! We race to wake the kids and it takes forever to get them up and downstairs. The ONE time a tornado passed through our neighborhood (without actually touching down) the freight train sound woke everybody and they were ALL in the hallway when we opened our door! Of course, if it had been on the ground, it would have been all but too late to make it downstairs.

    I'm glad you're all safe; it can be so scary. If I expect it to be really bad so that I'm concerned, I'll have the kids "camp out" in the basement.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Charlotte (WaltzingM)April 20, 2011 at 6:46 PM

    I hate those night storms! We have this posted in our storm closet:

    And they were filled with awe and amazement. They said to one another, "Who is this man, that even the winds and waves obey him?" Luke 8:22-25

    Prayer for Protection Against Storms and Floods

    Graciously hear us, O Lord, when we call upon You, and grant unto our supplications a calm atmosphere,
    that we, who are justly afflicted for our sins, may, by Your protecting mercy, experience pardon.
    Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jessica GordonApril 22, 2011 at 5:37 PM

    How terrifying! So thankful that you are all okay!

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!

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