“There’s not a tornado,” I insisted. Some might think I was arguing with my husband since my cheeks were becoming flushed. Others just call me stubborn.
It made sense to me though.
It was a Sunday evening. We were on our way to church after my husband deemed it was safe to have evening service.
As pastor, he listened to the news before leaving our home. Severe thunderstorms with strong winds and hail were broadcast for the northern part of our county. Nothing for us, and no mention of a tornado warning.
Walking to our van, the sky was clear, but on the way into town, hail began pounding the van roof, and my teenager’s anxiety increased.
A call from our older daughter didn’t help matters much. She informed us the tornado sirens were going off in town.
Rather than panicking, I focused on trying to calm my teenage daughter sitting behind me, I told her it probably was for a severe thunderstorm warning – not for a tornado. One never could be sure since sirens now were sounded for severe thunderstorms as well to air on the side of caution.
Tension elevated in the van while he tried to tell me there was a tornado. I argued, completely clueless to the fact he and my daughter were staring directly at it as we played chicken with it on the main street.
Tornadoes were far from foreign to me. I had lived in tornado alley my entire life,
I’ve heard the train-like sound. I’ve felt the strong winds rattling windows and tree limbs beating the sides of our house, I even know the explosive sound of a limb cracking and the booming thud it makes as it makes contact with the roof above you. I know how glass shatters when hail strikes.
Three years earlier we had witnessed the devastation in Joplin, MO. We did disaster relief for months.
Yet on this day, I heard and felt nothing unusual, except the accelerator speeding up. I sat in disbelief and confusion while my family stared eye level at this ropelike tornado. In the uncommon silence, I began wondering what type of action we could take if he indeed was right.
Suddenly, I felt the van jerk to our left before making a quick right and coming to a startling halt. Before I could process anything, I heard him shout, “Get out and get inside!” to our daughter, bringing me to a sense of reality.
Then my door flew wide open. No loud noises greeted me. Still no wind brushed against my skin. Confusion reentered my mind.
Before I was able to ask anything, he placed my hand on his elbow to guide me inside. We didn’t make it.
Two steps later, he yelled, “Get down,” as he gently knocked my feet out from underneath me and covered my body with his next to the outer wall of our church. We prayed and I felt a peace, but never heard a sound.
It wasn’t until later he shared the reason for his abruptness. As he led me, an electric pole snapped in two while a soaring board from debris was headed right at my head, thrusting him into protection mode.
I never knew of the danger so close to me until informed.
Isn’t that so true about life?
Hidden Dangers
There are many things in life we don’t see that are dangerous to us. Here are a few.
• Toxins, allergens, and hidden cancer cells.
We may not see them, but they sure make us feel miserable, or worse.
• An assuming good law
Even when we perceive laws might be good, they could have hidden dangers. A no smoking law made many non-smokers happy. Not me. Even though I’m allergic to smoke, I feel a business or restaurant has the right to allow smoking. I have the right not to be their customer.
Once one door is opened, others can open easily. Next, it could be our Bibles not allowed in public. Who knows? Not being allowed in our homes might follow.
• Sex and drug education
These were sold as prevention, but only raises curiosity and increases the number of pregnancies, disease, and addictions. Do the research.
• Terminology
When a definition is legally changed, or new words replace more familiar ones, there are hidden ramifications. For example, babies became fetuses easing the consciousness that allowed abortion to become possible. Marriage being redefined with same-sex marriages will possibly allow pedophilia to become legal in our children or grandchildren’s lifetime by changing the age of consensual sex.
• Poor parenting
Parenting styles, or a lack of, equally have long-lasting effects on their children. Authoritarian styles of parenting, or abusive ones, sends children out of the home early to escape. They often marry the wrong person, suffering from unhealthy relationships.
Selfishness of a parent or little training of children can clutter our society with unproductive members. Spoiling our children leaves them dependent on you, unable to hold a job, and increases their odds of becoming addicted to something.
• Marriage
Spouses taking each other for granted leads to affairs or divorce. Marriage takes work, which means you have to spend quality time together. Don’t forget to honor your spouse and let them know how special they are to you. Admire, appreciate, and show affection regularly.
• Rights
Catering to one disability often creates problems for those suffering from another disability. It can intrude on their rights. It’s impossible to make everyone happy.
• False Teachings
Without Christians sharing the Gospel, mankind doesn’t realize their eternal destination due to many false teachings or false religions floating around. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the father, but through Me. John 14:6
False teachings even plague the church world. The enemy attacks our minds with false ideas also. Not seeing this is most dangerous, affecting our eternal destination.
Ask the Lord to show you what you can’t see or are blind to. Always be aware danger can be lurking nearby that you know not of, like the board aimed right at my head.
The Holy Spirit can reveal truths ahead of time, rather than being blind and seeing the devastation afterwards.
© 2023, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.
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