Thursday, May 30, 2013

welcome to the midwest...

...have a tornado! Yes. I was in all of the mess yesterday. That was scary. I got a late start yesterday leaving Cheyenne. By the time I broke camp and got on the road it was almost noon (something out of character for me). It was gray and over cast as I headed east on 80. About 2:00 I stopped for a bite and all hell started to break lose. It started raining very hard and there were lightning hits that made the hair on your arms stand up. I got back on the road and the next thing I knew there was hail. Either a piece of hail or debris kicked up by a truck or wind broke my windshield. So I pulled off to a gas and repair station to get it fixed. The air alert sirens went off and we took cover in time. The tornado touched down less than a mile away. I heard it destroyed a building. I decided to use my depleting funds for a room because there was no way I wad camping last night! All night we had warnings and bad weather. Windshield should be ready in ten and I will head east again. Keep me in your thoughts. All I could think of yesterday was that there would be some in my family that would say God wad trying to tell me something with the tornado. For the first time, I laughed at that idea and didn't get the nagging feeling that they could be right because, as scary as it was, a tornado in tornado country is just statistics - not a divine interception.

10 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, how scary! I'm glad that you're ok. I hope the rest of your trip is less eventful.
    Drea

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  2. Sometimes a tornado is just a tornado...

    Glad you're okay. BTW, windshield damage is usually covered by comprehensive insurance minus the deductible. Safe travels!

    Jim K.

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  3. Driving through that kind of weather is no joke. Anyone would want to sleep indoors when the sky turns green! I'm so glad you're safe!

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  4. Glad to hear you are OK! Back in Nebraska the typical person walks outside and looks for the tornado when the sirens go off.

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  5. Your attitude about the tornado is great! Keep up the good work!

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  6. Echoing Jim, sometimes a tornado is just a tornado.

    I don't know your mom but everything I have read about her doesn't jive with that letter. There’s nothing motherly in that letter. I suspect your brother had a hand in that. It's so arrogant and presumptuous. No one has the right to dictate what path your life should take nor pretend to know what God has in mind for you either. Perhaps this is exactly what he/she had in mind for you. Perhaps he/she guided you to leave your family and community, attend college, and write this blog. This engaging and fascinating blog about your life has led you to developing a sense a community, a sense of FAMILY, among your readers. A community/family that has been supportive and encouraging you to be who you are destined to be. A community/family that has helped you continue on your path via a kind word or a few dollars. Perhaps he/she gave you the gift of sheer guts to take this plunge so that you can begin a new life, a new career, and a new future. I’m not religious but if I were to bet which path God wanted for you I’m going to guess it’s the one in your heart.

    p.s. I dropped a bit into your paypal. Stay dry!

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  7. Whoa, tornado adventures! I'm glad you came out safely (if a bit less funded). And I agree -- a weather event is a weather event, whether it's rain, tornado, heat, or the perfect day. It's science, not God's judgment.

    Onward, and best wishes through today's driving!

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  8. Hahahaha! Tell your family: NO, this is climate change. Storms get worse because people feel entitled to drive SUV's and want to believe they have no effect on the planet.

    Stay safe, Ruth, and trust your gut. I grew up in Tornado Alley. I remember that feeling, listen to it.

    Glad you are OK!

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  9. 1 Kings 19:11-13

    11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

    If God decides to send you a message, I suspect it will have the still, small voice of reason. Your family's attempts at manipulation have nothing of a "low whisper" or "still, small voice" about them.

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  10. Ruth, there have been more tornadoes last night through this morning. I hope you made it past them safely!

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