I Hate Tornadoes.

     If you live anywhere near where I live, which is central Oklahoma, you'll find yourself ducking and dodging those twirling, twisting tornadoes every year about this time. We have had several good scares this year, but thankfully, and I mean THANKFULLY, they have not been devastating. We are so very blessed.  I know it's God's choice to bring His power, and I am just so thankful that He has chosen to keep them in the air most of the time.

    Today, just about an hour ago, I was off work and had just finished my after-work workout - a quick 15-to 20-minute session on the treadmill - when the sirens went off. The phones notified us about 15 seconds before the sirens, and we were still able to take our time to turn on Channel 9 to see what David Payne and his crew were doing.  They've got this down to a science - so slick. 

    They have little charts, graphics, you name it, and by the time we're in the 4th grade here in Oklahoma, we know exactly what a mesocyclone is.  We're over here reading the colored patterns on the television as if we're trained and ready to jump in our trucks to chase something -- then again, most of us don't do that, only the really crazy people do.  Most of us sit in our dens with our bike helmets in hand, the closet doors open, and we have one shoe on and the other waiting for Payne to say the thing is right over our heads.

    Then, when we do finally get inside the tightest closet in our house, secured with clothes, blankets, and nothing that can harm us, we turn on our solar-powered radios to 96 FM and listen to David Payne (live, of course) so we know what to expect. There are times when the lights go out, and the radio is all we have - no colored pixeled patterns to stare at, we just have to pretend we see them. When he says the thing is tightening and gaining momentum, we start talking to God about His choices and ask Him really nicely to keep that thing in the air!

    We start thinking about those we love, and what they're doing; whether or not they're home and safe. We text them all of course, warning them that there's activity. They text back and say they're watching too; most watch Channel 9, but there are some that watch others too -- hopefully, we're all getting the same information.  The tornadoes we had today, plural, were all in a straight fixed line from the top of Texas all the way through to Kansas, and they went all the way from the western borders of Oklahoma to the eastern borders before they were finished. Sometimes the funnels came down, but for the most part they remained up in the clouds.

    The one that was half a mile from my son's family was big and fat, lowering, and really threatening. I'll post a pic from the news...just too scary.  I am too thankful, so overly grateful to have trusted God to keep us safe and away from danger. This was Kiah's 2nd or 3rd trip to the closet. She's not a big fan. Ginger knows the drill - she's almost 13.  She's a natural at it. As soon as I start making the closet ready - she just puts herself into it. Gotta love a smart dog.

Photo Credit: I took it, but it was on News9 KWTV