We are thankful for calm. For many hours, two days ago, we scurried up an down the basement stairs to the safe of under the stairs as storms and tornadoes wreaked havoc in our community. Much of the day, an eerie groan filled the sky as warm and cold collided above us. It was a strange day, and in the aftermath, much is still strange.
We emerged after the first round to find the very large tulip poplar - grown for my entire life - upturned with rooted stonewall still attached. I gasped as I realized that the 70-foot tree had crashed on the corner of the house, essentially between the core of the house and my car. Only a 15-foot margin for error, and really, it should have landed on one or the other.
Through the unfolding day, tornadoes touched down on the mountain and swept through the valley. The Ibachs and Pettits have lost everything; nearly lost their lives. Others have lost loved ones. Lots of loved ones. Many schools are cancelled "until further notice," while others won't be finishing the school year. Covenant college, just down the road from us has evacuated for the year because they have no water and no electricity.
Today, the skies are perfectly blue and the breeze sweetly calm. And as I reflect, I wonder at the God who commands both the 150-mile an hour gale force winds as well as the gentle whisper of today. As for today, we are are thankful for the gift of calm.
