The hills are alive, with the sounds of chainsaws.

Yes, the past day and a half has been surreal. All over town are the sounds of chainsaws and helicopters flying overhead. Trucks designed to shred trees line the street often making it impossible to pass. I can't get the picture of the storm out of my head and the sounds of sirens that warned me of impending danger. I held my kids tight in that tub and worried that something terrible might happen to them.


I have taken several drives now around our little suburb. Again, I feel such sadness looking at beautiful trees with their roots in the air, sidewalks buckled up over root systems, roofs caved in, etc. Matthew's answer to this statement? "Sad? I'm downright depressed!" The photos shown are of my parents' dear friends' front yard.

It was determined that the damage done near the mall was from a tornado. All other damage done was by straight line winds on the downdraft of this powerful storm clocking in at a record nearly 90 miles per hour.

I saw an advertisement on a billboard stating that the new Providence Maternity Ward was set to open Labor Day, 1996! All the advertisements above this one were torn off!

A few thoughts:

1. I have always been fearful of big weather. The power that these storms can possess can be so frightening. I take such comfort in Jesus' disciple's words... "Even the wind and the water obey him." God is so much stronger than anything Mother Nature can throw our way!

2. I am touched seeing neighbors helping neighbors. So much of the damage done has already been cleaned up because of loving neighbors. This morning in church, several members offered their generators to anyone who needs them. By a show of hands, a good 1/4 of the congregation still is without power.

3. This incident is another reminder of how temporary this earth is. Trees that have been a part of this landscape for 70 plus years are now someone's firewood. Things come and go. Only God is constant.