My Refuge
I knew it was supposed to storm today, but I guess I just didn't know that it was as big a deal as it was. See, we don't have conventional TV in that we don't have cable and can barely pick up channel 42 on the antenna, which doesn't really have news anyway. I would just listen to my car radio on the way to clinic, but it doesn't exactly work. It died quite some time ago. So, every morning I call weather woman/traffic reporter Jan - better known as my Momma :)
This morning was no different. She told me that the storm was supposed to hit about the time I got off work. Great. My car leaks water because ... well, it's a piece. Haha. But, for real. It is. When my Daddy first got it for me he said, "Just think of the possibilities." It is a '97 Cavalier, but I like to call it the Sunvalier because it has a Pontiac Sunfire spoiler on it. It makes it look very unique. Also, it's a repo with 7 bullet holes in it, which is why it leaks water. Since it's been in my possession, I've had one wreck with it requiring the bumper to be riveted back on and spray painted. The gas gauge has ALWAYS lied to me. It may say that I have a 1/4 of a tank, but then all of a sudden I'm stranded. I cannot tell you how many times I've ran out of gas. Sad. I know. The air conditioning went out the summer I went to Colorado. While dating Toby, it was side swiped at his house leaving me with a huge dent in the passenger side and no right side view mirror. I've already told you the radio no longer works. I also discovered that the trunk leaks water one day when I had a flat tire. Toby and I tried to get the spare out of the trunk, but it had rusted solid onto the bolt holding it down. So, needless to say. I was not looking forward to driving my car in the rain. It will for sure have a slight smell of mildew tomorrow, and I'll have to shampoo the carpets for the millionth time.
I finally got off of work around 4:30pm and started to head out of the parking garage. Of course I get a call from my Momma who warns me, "Don't leave just yet. It's gonna get bad!" My momma is a worrier by nature, so I heeded her warning, but decided to head home anyway. I was almost out of gas (meaning that it was at a 1/4 of a tank), so I figured it would be best if I filled up before leaving just in case traffic was slow because of the rain. It had begun to sprinkle, but was basically unimpressive. My smiling, goofy butt was just standing there filling up the gas tank all happy-like when out of nowhere the bottom fell out. I'm talking buckets of rain mixed with intense winds. In the time it took me to stop the gas pump and get the gas cap on, I was soaked. It was as though I had jumped into a swimming pool.
I leaped back into my car as quickly as I could, but was unable to keep the rain out. It literally blew into my car when I opened the door. Since I was soaked, and now part of my interior was soaked the windows immediately started to fog up. So, I turned on the defrost to help clear it up and headed to the road. The rain was so thick and heavy. I could barely see. I kept wiping the condensation off of the glass because the defrost wasn't doing a great job at all. I inched out into the road trying to find the onramp for 430. I literally could not tell which onramp was North and which one was South. I made my best educated guess and crept onto 430. It didn't take me long to realize that what I was doing was extremely dangerous. I couldn't see 5 feet in front of me, and I didn't even know for sure that I was going the right way. Great. I decided to get off at the next exit, and it turned out to be the 630/Chenal exit. I was pretty excited that I had in fact gone the right way. At least I wasn't a complete moron. I called Toby because I was a little scared and didn't know what to do. The tornado sirens started to go off, and I didn't know where to go. We finally decided that I should go to Sam's Club for my refuge :) So, that's where I headed. It was flash flood conditions, and I was almost scared that my little car wouldn't make it there. But, God is good and I made it to the Sam's parking lot. I ran in as quickly as possible, and the greeter rushed me in.
Remember that I was completely soaked. They had the A/C on in Sam's. No bueno. I was freezing! I hadn't been in there but maybe a minute when the tornado siren started going off again. The managers and workers herded all of us shoppers to the middle of the store. The siren was deafening. I kept having horrible daydreams about what I would do if the walls started tumbling around me. But, you know me ... I had a plan. I picked out a spot underneath a table of clothes that I would dive if things got shaky. The siren would quit, and they'd let us go back to shopping. But, then it would start back up again, and we'd all congregate back to the middle of the store. This went on for like 20 minutes.
I waited it out for almost an hour in Sam's before I decided it was safe to head home. Traffic was slow, so it took a little while to navigate to the homestead, but I was so happy to finally have the garage door in view. It was almost 6:30pm by the time I rolled in with my little car.
So, now here I am. Sitting on my comfy couch in sweats still trying to warm up. I am so glad to be rid of the soggy scrubs. I guess that I ought to pay more attention to Momma when she says it's supposed to storm :-D
In the midst of all the chaos, God always gives me peace. In the end, no matter what happens - He is in control. Tornadoes, earthquakes, blizzards, tsunamis - He orchestrates everything according to His plan.
I'd like for you all to be in prayer for Christchurch, New Zealand. A great friend of mine lives and serves in ministry there. His name is Caleb Ward. Please pray that he would be able to minister and help those that are in need after the massive earthquake that rocked their city this week. Pray for all of the ones who lost loved ones, homes, businesses, etc. Let us never forget how quickly life can change so that we may never take it for granted.
This morning was no different. She told me that the storm was supposed to hit about the time I got off work. Great. My car leaks water because ... well, it's a piece. Haha. But, for real. It is. When my Daddy first got it for me he said, "Just think of the possibilities." It is a '97 Cavalier, but I like to call it the Sunvalier because it has a Pontiac Sunfire spoiler on it. It makes it look very unique. Also, it's a repo with 7 bullet holes in it, which is why it leaks water. Since it's been in my possession, I've had one wreck with it requiring the bumper to be riveted back on and spray painted. The gas gauge has ALWAYS lied to me. It may say that I have a 1/4 of a tank, but then all of a sudden I'm stranded. I cannot tell you how many times I've ran out of gas. Sad. I know. The air conditioning went out the summer I went to Colorado. While dating Toby, it was side swiped at his house leaving me with a huge dent in the passenger side and no right side view mirror. I've already told you the radio no longer works. I also discovered that the trunk leaks water one day when I had a flat tire. Toby and I tried to get the spare out of the trunk, but it had rusted solid onto the bolt holding it down. So, needless to say. I was not looking forward to driving my car in the rain. It will for sure have a slight smell of mildew tomorrow, and I'll have to shampoo the carpets for the millionth time.
I finally got off of work around 4:30pm and started to head out of the parking garage. Of course I get a call from my Momma who warns me, "Don't leave just yet. It's gonna get bad!" My momma is a worrier by nature, so I heeded her warning, but decided to head home anyway. I was almost out of gas (meaning that it was at a 1/4 of a tank), so I figured it would be best if I filled up before leaving just in case traffic was slow because of the rain. It had begun to sprinkle, but was basically unimpressive. My smiling, goofy butt was just standing there filling up the gas tank all happy-like when out of nowhere the bottom fell out. I'm talking buckets of rain mixed with intense winds. In the time it took me to stop the gas pump and get the gas cap on, I was soaked. It was as though I had jumped into a swimming pool.
I leaped back into my car as quickly as I could, but was unable to keep the rain out. It literally blew into my car when I opened the door. Since I was soaked, and now part of my interior was soaked the windows immediately started to fog up. So, I turned on the defrost to help clear it up and headed to the road. The rain was so thick and heavy. I could barely see. I kept wiping the condensation off of the glass because the defrost wasn't doing a great job at all. I inched out into the road trying to find the onramp for 430. I literally could not tell which onramp was North and which one was South. I made my best educated guess and crept onto 430. It didn't take me long to realize that what I was doing was extremely dangerous. I couldn't see 5 feet in front of me, and I didn't even know for sure that I was going the right way. Great. I decided to get off at the next exit, and it turned out to be the 630/Chenal exit. I was pretty excited that I had in fact gone the right way. At least I wasn't a complete moron. I called Toby because I was a little scared and didn't know what to do. The tornado sirens started to go off, and I didn't know where to go. We finally decided that I should go to Sam's Club for my refuge :) So, that's where I headed. It was flash flood conditions, and I was almost scared that my little car wouldn't make it there. But, God is good and I made it to the Sam's parking lot. I ran in as quickly as possible, and the greeter rushed me in.
Remember that I was completely soaked. They had the A/C on in Sam's. No bueno. I was freezing! I hadn't been in there but maybe a minute when the tornado siren started going off again. The managers and workers herded all of us shoppers to the middle of the store. The siren was deafening. I kept having horrible daydreams about what I would do if the walls started tumbling around me. But, you know me ... I had a plan. I picked out a spot underneath a table of clothes that I would dive if things got shaky. The siren would quit, and they'd let us go back to shopping. But, then it would start back up again, and we'd all congregate back to the middle of the store. This went on for like 20 minutes.
I waited it out for almost an hour in Sam's before I decided it was safe to head home. Traffic was slow, so it took a little while to navigate to the homestead, but I was so happy to finally have the garage door in view. It was almost 6:30pm by the time I rolled in with my little car.
So, now here I am. Sitting on my comfy couch in sweats still trying to warm up. I am so glad to be rid of the soggy scrubs. I guess that I ought to pay more attention to Momma when she says it's supposed to storm :-D
In the midst of all the chaos, God always gives me peace. In the end, no matter what happens - He is in control. Tornadoes, earthquakes, blizzards, tsunamis - He orchestrates everything according to His plan.
I'd like for you all to be in prayer for Christchurch, New Zealand. A great friend of mine lives and serves in ministry there. His name is Caleb Ward. Please pray that he would be able to minister and help those that are in need after the massive earthquake that rocked their city this week. Pray for all of the ones who lost loved ones, homes, businesses, etc. Let us never forget how quickly life can change so that we may never take it for granted.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling ... The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah."
Psalm 46:1-3,7
I was laughing when you told me about your wet adventure this afternoon but got tickled all over again reading about it...
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