Skip to main content

Peace in the Midst of the Storm

Wow!  So much has happened since my last post.
On March 3, 2020 at 12:45 am, the ping of my phone awakened me
with "a severe thunderstorm warning for Northwest Wilson County, TN,"
with directions to go to an interior room.

Oh well, we've had thunderstorms before.
I guess I fell asleep because 30 minutes later I get a call
from my frantic daughter,
"Did you get the weather warning?"

"Yes. There's a severe thunderstorm headed our way."

"No, there's a tornado headed your way."

I start to argue.

"Mama, we are looking at it right now. Get in the hall."

I'm a small town girl.

The only sirens I've ever heard were from emergency vehicles.
Do we even have tornado sirens in Washington County, GA?

Sirens!  Many.
The Roar. Then the quiet.
Eerieness for sure!

While in my safe place,
 I covered my heard with a blanket
and prayed Psalm 91:7,

"A thousand may fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you."

Praying that prayer was not a guarantee that I would not fall,
that our house would not be damaged or destroyed,
or that we would be safe from the storm.

However, praying those words, gave me a peace in
the midst of the storm that raged all around.

Reports and live videos were already being posted
 of the damage to buildings in downtown Nashville.



Picture above from Donaldson, TN
the neighborhood where our daughter lived
when Harper was born.






This precious drawing was found in the parking
lot of a local business.
A few blocks away, my Grandchildren's school was a total loss.

Seeing these photos did not compare to what I saw first hand.
The community where Christy and Troy lived when Harper was born
looks like a war zone.

Donaldson Christian Academy was a total loss.

Two doors down from where they lived, a house was leveled.
I rode around and cried.  I didn't recognize the roads where
I used to walk my baby girl.
Total devastation.

Tornado damage included East Nashville,
Donaldson/Hermitage Area, Mt. Juliet, Lebanon,
and Cookeville, TN.

Damaged areas in Mt. Juliet included
an area only a mile from where our children live.

Damage in Lebanon was only
a mile from where we live.

Can't even express how thankful I am for God's protection!
And yet, so sad for those who lost so much.

 Between the tornado and the virus, these kids
have been out of school since March 2.

We are collecting books to help the schools in the county,
many affected by the storm.



Plans were underway for the children to finish the year at another school,
but then...
CoVi19.

Now we are homeschooling!



Quarantine is good!

Fresh Air

Long Walks


Brother reads to baby sister.


Sisters play together.


Baby brother enjoys physical education
and mommy gets her share.


Big sister learns to read and write.

I welcome the slower pace.

Because I am in healthcare, I have to work.
My member and I are no longer out in the community,
but I continue to care for him.
We are using every precaution.
I feel safe and I am doing everything to keep him safe.

You know I have always struggled with anxiety.
Through-out this entire time,
I have been at total peace.

God's Word is True!

"You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you."
Isaiah 26:3

How's everyone else braving the storm?





Comments

  1. Oh my goodness...it never dawned on me that you guys would be affected from that tornado...keeping all in prayer, sweet friend.

    Well..we are ok...NY state has a mandatory shut down; all non essential; (it's a ghost town out there), all schools/ colleges/ universities, rest./bars, beauty shops/barbers, museums, my commencement has been canceled etc. ALL CLOSED. We also have been ordered to stay inside (do you honestly believe folks will do this? Nooooo). We have 16 confirmed now in our little town of 9,000 (was 2 this morning). Its ok Bonnie...we are not panicking...my husband honestly thinks I have already had it; last spring I was violently ill with recurring pneumonia and I was isolated for 15 days and the dr.'s couldn't figure the what or the whys. Why the guys never got it, no one knows...anyways, I am high risk anyways, so there it is.

    I will keep you and your family in prayer, sweet friend. PS I am following you, just incase...https://thatsmesimplylinda.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Girl, I really bet you did. My mother-in-law was the same way in October. Her immune system has weakened so much since then. I'm so very sorry you went through this and still got through school? So you graduate this year? Keep me up to date girl.

      Delete
  2. Oh my goodness. YOU are blogging again. I'm happy to see you here posting.
    I'm SO sorry that you and your family are safe after those tragic tornados; that is scary and traumatic.
    I'm glad you are embracing the quaratine time and taking good care of your person.
    Stay safe, stay content, stay sane. XO

    ReplyDelete
  3. So thankful that all my friends in TN are fine.....now we are all weathering a different storm. We will be fine but wow, it's only been a week?? Sometimes it gets to me but most of the time I'm fine. May God be near to us all. (and he is ♥)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh my goodness, so many things happening in your world. I'm so sorry to hear about the tornado hitting your area. What a precious drawing from a child during the time of the tornado. And now with the virus going around, we in California have to stay home now.

    Stay well, my friend, and I love your new blog look. It's so clean and fresh and wonderful.

    Thank you for visiting. I really appreciate it. It helps me when I have to stay inside right
    now. I was a stay at home mom for many years, so staying at home is second nature to
    me, but we all like to get out and connect with people now and then, so I appreciate you
    stopping by.

    ~Sheri

    *the Psalm verse is beautiful, and I really needed to hear that tonight. And these are such sweet pictures of your grandkids.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spring into Spring

Anyone else ready to Spring Forward?  Oh my goodness! Just enough nip in the air to feel like an early Spring day. The trees around Georgia are beginning to bud. I've missed my babies so much the past couple of weeks but this afternoon  I feel a little lighter.  It will be Easter weekend before I get to Nashville but I found this sweet little idea to make with the kids. We can go on a scavenger hunt and each Grand can create their own unique design.  I've not done much in my booth for Spring. I had a yard sale and this is how the carport still looks. I may have made $40. Ugh. It was cloudy day so, oh well. I'll price it all and put it in the booth this weekend.  The littles are doing ok. Our youngest GRAND girl, Claire has to wear a patch for a weak eye.  I think she's gonna be fine. She certainly daddy's girl.  She was excited about going to his office.  Our oldest GRAND girl, Cora, made the All-star team in basketball. She's a natural.  She loves to FaceTime! 

Growing, Going, Gone

Do you ever consider how fast your children grew up? At the time, it seemed that the sleepless nights would last forever and the terrible twos would stay terrible forever, the pre- teens awkwardness and the teenage defiance would never end. And then they turn 16, you give them the keys and they speed off into the world...gone.   I expected that, somewhat, and I even learned to release my children as they grew. What I didn't expect was for the grandkids to go so fast.  2014 our miracle baby arrives. Our Christmas gift from above.  We enjoy the other two for our last Christmas in GA before moving to Tennessee.  2015 we enjoy our first Christmas after moving to Nashville in May.  2016 and we enjoy our first Christmas in our new house.  2017 the last Christmas the three will be the littles.  2018 new babies. 2019 the year before Covid and the last Christmas in our new home.  2020 the Covid Christmas gathering almost didn't happen. The kids considered not getting together. We were g

God Said Move

In The Summer of last year, I began to feel a restlessness in my spirit. I sensed that things were about to change.  One night in October, I had closed my eyes and was not asleep when I saw in my spirit a sign in the front yard. It was a red, white and blue sign like a Remax Realty sign. I heard the word, "Move." I knew it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me.  David had been unhappy living in the big city. He spent most of his time on the highways and interstates around Middle TN. He traveled anywhere from 375-500 miles a day. He talked of moving back home, and I always resisted. So, I said, "Okay, Lord. I'm not sure what this means. If it's means we will actually move, I'm willing. If it means, you're moving me spiritually, I'm ready.  The very next day, David said, "I need you to pray about something." I knew what he was going to say and I told him about my dream. He had a job offer. The market was a seller's market. Within a few weeks,