When Disaster Strikes

It feels different when disaster strikes in one’s own back yard, does it not? Back in the 1980’s my brother Tom lived in that neighborhood in Moore, and a niece and a nephew went to that elementary school, Plaza Towers, and in a rush of mighty wind it is all gone and lives have perished, young lives. I only had so many tears, I turned off the tv, and went outside for a few hours, the children, anything but the children. A tornado is such a random force of nature with no rhyme or reason to the damage it leaves in its trail. There was a time when I fancied being a storm chaser. I want to be outside. I want to face the storm and take pictures. One of my favorite things to do is sit on the porch or back patio and watch the lightning. When I was a child we could see the tall buildings in downtown OKC from our porch, and many a spring/summer night the lightning would dance across the sky. I finally saw my first and only tornado in June 1998. It was a small one. I filmed it from my backyard and when the lightning got too intense, I ran inside and filmed it some more from my bedroom window. But Monday was too intense and sad. The pictures brought all the tragedies I had lived through and witnessed firsthand the aftermath, it seemed they all came at my heart together, and I felt overwhelmed. Perhaps I should have turned the tv off sooner, the children, anything but the children. In social media I read a thought by Michael Oberlander, former youth minister here, now pastor at FCC, Chickasha, and friend: “Today I wish to offer to you that God had nothing to do with this accept after it had passed. God has everything to do with how people respond to those in need. God has everything to do with how people whose lives are drained of hope can find it one day again. As much as I wanted to be with my children today; God sure wants to at least ten times more. We don't know why but we do know how, how they will recover. Today there are tears on the face of God. God understands the pain of loss… Tears on the face of God for those who search so hard for loved ones hoping desperately for a reunion. Tears on the face of God for those who have no home to go to.” And then Michael said, “I leave you with these words from Isaiah… Isaiah 41:10 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'” Today, I hope I never witness another tornado. If the storm sirens sound I will toss the suitcases out of the closet, put on my batting helmet, grab my camera and hope there are no pictures worth the taking. With a lament, SoulSongWriter