A few nights ago some friends and I finally started to getting together once a month or so just to pray. Not to compare notes on childrearing, or marriage, or recipes, just to pray and worship. Everyone on my social media outlets were talking about the weather getting bad, but I really felt like I should keep my home open in case anyone really needed prayer [and because I NEEDED social interaction...hubby's still out of town] I light heartedly asked about what we should do in case of tornado because this hurricane girl was/is unprepared for such an event.
When we got together, it was clear. Our hearts were all desiring to be inspired, we all had a longing, and we all were in the seemingly never-ending phase of not trusting Christ. So as we began to pray that God would give us opportunities to trust Him and to not be fearful. Just then, tornado sirens started going off. I happened to check my phone then and my friend Michelle said to take cover-NOW. We all started to check the weather and there were tornadoes touching down everywhere. We hid in my bathroom for a few minutes while getting updates from friends. The sirens stopped so I went to go check outside and try to get into a downstairs apartment.
This is where [in hind-sight] I get to bitch about my neighbors. Again. Our direct downstairs neighbor never answers his door. Ever. And the person that lives across from him [we live in a little quad] is older with teenage kids who I KNOW were home. So you would think that with tornado sirens going off and 4 women standing outside with three babies that someone would open their freaking door. Nope. See if I have any extra sugar in the future ;] We saw someone standing on the sidewalk and asked if we could take shelter in their apartment and they didn't think twice.
Y'all, I've never seen anything like that. The wind was strong, warm, blowing every which direction, STRONG. The sky was grey and white, swirling with clouds. Tiny amounts of rather large hail were shooting down. It was so bizarre. I've gone through a hurricane or two, but it doesn't even compare. Hurricanes give you time to evacuate, time that I will never use to freak out if we ever live back on the coast again. The sirens would go on and off because within minutes new rotations would form, funnel, or move on.
But God is so good. I really heard him say "You want to trust me so badly, JUST DO IT, here's your chance!" So while Sarah, Jackie, and our new neighbor friend watched the news, Katie and I nursed the babies and prayed in the closet. It was beautiful watching Lily's trust in me when I said "let's go in this [stranger's] closet and hide for a little while!" It was as if God was showing me how to obey. I found myself not panicking when I talked to her but sweetly and directly telling her what I needed to do. That's JESUS!
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
That was it, right there! I had never ever ever in my life understood that verse like I did just then. Oh how I love it when He uses Lily to teach me.
When the coast was all clear we came back upstairs to continue to pray and give thanks. None of us could ignore the story of the disciples on the ship with Jesus. And while I know there was hearbreaking distruction elsewhere, and the Lord is working in His way through all of it, I'm glad He used the storms that night to love the seven of us ladies. And praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit! And Sarah! I can't tell you the peace that just embodied her! It just poured out of her and fell all around...Gorgeous.
Matt 8:27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” He is Sovereign
On a different note
Today was my last day alone with the girls :] I actually went out and walked with the girls down to the park. Lily had so much fun, and while I DID wear her out by walking there...she was WAY too tired on the way home. It took us 5 minutes to walk there...FORTY minutes to walk back, lol! Next time...I'm just gonna suck it up and lug the stroller downstairs ;]
I know, I know, not totally in focus, but that little expression is too adorable NOT to share.
What I love about having a little girl is that when walking to the park with Mama, sidewalks are ignored, and every dandelion and flowering weed are subject to picking. She got so excited walking there that she said started doing her little "A-walka walka walka walka" song [Totally made it up on her own, don't know where she got it!] and then started running screaming "GO GO GO GO GO!! PAAAAAHK!"
On the way home she did NOT want to walk so I carried her on my back for a little bit [while wearing Norah in the Boba up front...heavy.] and when I put her down she just looked at me with her red chubby cheeks and sweaty hair and said "mmaaaaaAAAAAY!!!" and pouted, and drug her feet...all the way home. It was pitiful. Oh, and yes. I can't-no matter WHAT I DO [she put herself in timeout for it all on her own] I can't get her to stop calling me Mae. Please Jesus, don't let me be that mom.
We're all gonna spend some time together this weekend and prepare for the cleanse that starts on Sunday! Have a GREAT Memorial Day Weekend!
Mae
2 comments:
haha...she sounds just like olivia! flowers and weeds of every kind are never safe when she is around. she has a little song she sings when we go walking too...just random made up stuff. so cute! i made the mistake of taking my girls on a walk once with willow in the sling and the way home took us FOREVER. we weren't even that far! that's the last time i ever did that. haha
and i'm glad you all are okay! those tornados seem really, extra bad this year. i'd take a hurricane over that any day of the week.
what a great story mae. it gave me a lump in my throat.
lily is just too adorable!!!!!
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