Caught in a fierce storm

This week it's supposed to hit 100+ degrees and you can be sure that I'll still be carrying an umbrella. You see, I learned that the hard way on the walk home on Thursday.

Halfway home I could tell that I was just on the front edge of an incoming storm cell, but I thought I could out-walk it. The first few drops came down yet I pressed on. I mean really, a little rain never hurt anyone. Next thing I know the wind kicked up, the lightening electrified the air and the thunder? Well, I felt it all the way down to my tennie'd toes.

"Must find shelter," I thought to myself as I wondered if I could survive gettin' struck by lightening. I sought refuge underneath an awning with several others. I was only about 1/3 mile from home and did not want to basically cancel out the GCF walk home by taking a taxi. So after waiting there about 15 minutes I decided to brave it and started walking.

Yes, I can be a blonde sometimes.

I made it about 500 yards before I sought shelter under a much smaller awning. Good thing too because what I thought had been a fierce storm had only just begun to unpack it's fury! The wind whipped first from one direction, then another, then it seemed to come from everywhere. The rain? Oh, so much came down and so hard it was like God let it loose from the deepest storehouses . The gutter puddle in the picture eventully swelled to meet the one on the other side of the street. [My camera battery died so this pic is from the beginning of the storm and doesn't really even show how bad it got.]

As I waited on I again marveled at God's power and the lyrics to a song by Mark Roach came to mind. And since no one was around to hear me (as if they could above the roar of the storm), I smiled at the irony and sang.

As the words and melody rose out and joined the storm it was like God Himself added His percussion and voice to it. It went something like this:

"So let the walls around me crumble"
Lightening flashes
"Let the wind and rain come through"
Thunder claps
"I can face it all as long as I have You"
Wind whips from all sides punctuated by more bolts
"Let the earth beneath me tremble"
Thunder rolls shaking windows and my heart
"Let the enemy pursue"
Rain increases in intensity
"I can face it all as long as I have You. As long as I have You."
All the above simultaneously.

Any fear I may have had dissapated as I sang for the One who made it all. It was really special. The storm seemed to fade into the background as there, in the middle of it all, I found myself alone with Him.

Then a bus drove right through the puddle in front of me and sent it like a wave in my direction. I jumped back with arms up and face turned sideways... and was able to miss getting hit. Barely. At that point the storm had been raging for about 45 minutes and I resigned myself to the fact I'd have to take a taxi home.

Sigh. And I was so close. Yet, to subbornly continue on foot in such a furious storm was folly and I knew it. And I also knew that next time I'd take the Boy Scouts advice to "always be prepared" and be sure to pack an umbrella! :)

If you didn't already click the link above, click here to link to YouTube and a video clip of Mark Roach singing his song "As Long as I Have You," the song I sang in the middle of the storm. Maybe the next time you face a storm either of nature or of life you will also be reminded of these lyrics and be able to find yourself alone with and resting in Him.

Thanks again for taking this walk with me and for your giving to the GCF that paid for that taxi-ride home. :)

Day 4: $12.63 and counting

****End note****

When I got home I found the streets surrounding my building were all flooded. Infact, it was so bad that once inside my building I was greeted with the sound of a waterfall! The garage level of my building had flooded and was draining down the stairwell into the basement! Wow. Not something you see every day is it?