Saturday, June 2, 2018

LIGHTS WENT OUT


 June 2, 1998

An F-4 tornado swept through the sleepy town of Eckhart, Maryland just about a mile from my home. 


My husband (at the time) and my three children and guinea pig were hunkered down in our cellar, praying.  
 Sirens sounded. Lights went out.  Phone service stopped. 
Darkness. 


Fear.  
Then, relief.  The storms had passed and we were safe.


I will never forget my drive to work the next day.  Words cannot come close to describing the feeling that came over me as I swallowed hard trying to rid the lump that was in my throat.


 Trees were uprooted and houses pulled apart and strewn throughout the town.  There was an eerie presence.  One I've not felt before nor since.  

 The only word that would come close to describing what I felt that cool, quiet morning after, while driving slowly through the still and silence of uprooted trees and homes strewn about - was Reverence.  

God had touched our land in an angry way.  

At that time in my life I was thinking 
(after almost 20 years of marriage) of divorce.    
I was being lured away from all that was right.
  
I wondered...  Was God speaking to me?  Were there others He was trying to reach as well?  
Is this how He gets our attention?  Who can understand The One who created Heaven, Earth, the Universe and all that is?  Who can know His plan?  His Will?  His hot displeasure with what we are doing with our gifts of life when we go against His will?  He wants what is best for us, because we are His children and He loves us.  

 Twenty years ago today, God came near.   He touched our land and He whispered, Be still, and know that I AM GOD.  


Revelation 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.



* Photos complements of News/internet research (not my own) Photographer unknown.  






16 comments:

  1. oh my gosh what a sobering profound post, my heart aches for you, to have such horrific memories, take care my friend

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  2. This is horrible. And are these photos you took from back then? I was just saying to Phil today how much more advanced, yet evil, can the world get before it all ends? And I have been reading in the paper that there are defiantly more and more tornadoes as time goes on...

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  3. We woke up to the news this morning. We are praying for all those in the path of the tornado.
    Best wishes Molly

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  4. We too have been praying for all the people there. It is horrible news.

    We had a tornado go through where we live in Florida. It missed our house by 10 houses. It was only an F1 but it sure was destructive! I just can't imagine being through anything worse.

    Hugs,
    Lily Belle

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  5. There is little we can control in life and weather is definitely one of those things we can do little about. Gods ways are mysterious. We can only trust and hope. Praying for all those affected by the terrible storms.

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  6. So scary. We were well South of it but have found ourselves thinking...it could have been us...

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  7. The WHY of such questions is never answered with any certainty. All we can do is pray.

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  8. Awful memories! Love your words though!

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  9. Oh I love that scripture, Bobbi!! and I, too, am praying for the people of Oklahoma... we have several friends and relatives who live there.... my Great Aunt and her family live in Midwest city Ok. Thank God they were spared....

    But my heart breaks for those that were not...

    Hugs,
    Jenni

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  10. Bobbi, you have given me chill bumps. The way you relate this tragedy with God and us. You are a deep and spiritual thinker. I am so glad you were alright.

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  11. Gosh, I commented on this twice, and don't even remember typing the first comment! A serious senior moment...

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  12. Tornadoes scare me more than earthquakes; such destruction! I think we'll never know the whys this side of eternity, but in His sovereignty God does know indeed what he does and what he allows and that's when trusting him comes into play.

    betty

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  13. tornadoes bring such devastation. so sad really.

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  14. He gets our attention, sometimes in ways we don't understand! Memories in pictures, happy that you didn't get any damage back then. HUGS!

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