Riders On The Storm

We stayed for the storm, expecting winds equal to a tropical storm, not hurricane category 1 with even higher windgusts!

I used to sit in front of the window, watching the wind tear at the branches of trees and trying to knock over a fence or two. The worst storm I recall from the Netherlands (in my lifetime), would be called a tropical storm here. Yeah, it left some damage and flooding, but not as devastating as a hurricane. I used to love storms. Well...consider me cured! Even though it was "just" a category 1 blowing through our area, it was scary!

The wind picked up real quick. What was most disturbing to me was the constant roaring of the wind in the distance. My ears would pop because of the sudden drop of pressure right before another windgust. We were constantly listening if we could hear a "train" coming. That is the sound that would indicate a tornado heading our way and we would have to take cover in the safest place in the house, the hall or the front bathroom. Which we did several times, just in case. But God kept us safe. Our damage? Honestly, it is hardly worth mentioning compared to the devastation and destruction Katrina caused in so many places. But I will, because I know some of you are wanting to know. We had some shingles blown of our roof ( which is already repaired), the tin roof of the storage building is partially blown off, one large tree came down in our back yard and several branches cover both front and back yard. Power came back on yesterday and the phone line was out for a while but is restored as well. Stores are opening all around us. In our area there was major flooding, roof and tree damage and powerlines down.

Many times I prayed God would keep us safe and He did. We will not go through this again. Next time we will evacuate and not put ourselves in unnecessary danger again. God's grace and mercy kept us from harm and more damage!

To see the shingles fly through the air, knowing they are from our roof, to see the wind tear away the roof of our storage building like it was a piece of paper ( Kc even went out in the storm to try to fix it while it was flapping but still on there. It didn't last long, in spite of his best efforts, it tore off ), is all so frustrating and scary. I so much sympathize with those who's home was totally destroyed, but I can not emphasize for it exceeds my wildest imagination. It must be horrible. The love is in giving what we can, in whatever form that may be. The least we can do is pray. The hope and faith are in God.

2 Corinthians 4:7-9
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed