This past month we heard much about the tornado that hit Moore Oklahoma. It appeared to have hit an area that was struck by a tornado once before. This tornado appeared to be in a far off distance to most people in our community. To us the storm appeared much closer.
We were on vacation and our plans were to head straight south to Oklahoma, and then turn east through the grain belt States, and over the Appalachian Mountains to our destination. Hearing about the oncoming storm, we changed our route and headed east before we continued south. That evening around 4 p.m. we pulled into our motel only to turn on the TV and find that we were at the outer edge of this storm. That night we had many emails asking us if we were safe amid the storm. We thank God for keeping us safe as we travelled on what was to be a great vacation.
Many people who were in this storm were not as blessed as we were. Some lives were lost, innocent children died, people were injured and many lives will be forever changed because of this storm. Many people asked, 'where is God in a tornado' or any other life changing event. If He is in control why do things like this happen?
The 'why" question came up after this storm. Why did this tornado happen? Why did innocent children have to die? To many of our why questions we have no answers. God never promised us a trouble free life, but he did promise to go with us and journey with us in life and in death.
Upon arriving at our holiday destination I read many blogs that people wrote in the aftermath of the storm. So many people spoke of how they prayer for protection and felt God's arms around them and kept them safe in this terrible storm. God was there amid the storm.
When things seemed hopeless there appeared hope in the forms of people coming to help: some were neighbours, others that were complete strangers. Injured people were pulled from the rubble; children were found who were so afraid and were crying for help. Everyone came together to help any way they could.
We were not personally affected by the tornado, but just listening to the media reporting on the storm moved us to compassion and concern for all who were in this storm. We can't help but be moved emotionally when life was lost. As we listen to the media, we hear of another storm that is brewing and we have no idea what that storm will bring.
Tornados come on all sizes and all shapes. Some are geographical, some are physical storms, and others are emotional. Some of us may ask, "Where is God?" amid all these storms we each have to face in life. We again must ask ourselves, how are we going to make it through these rough times?
Help comes in the form of the Creator's loving arms wrapped around us. Arms that hold us safe during troubled times. Many of us become stronger people, many of us are taught lessons of how to cope in our struggles and some of us have made friends along the way that will influence us for the rest of our lives.
We have learned that we can keep going, long after we think that we can't take another step forward.
Margaret Anne Yost nursed for 35 years. Returning back to school I completed classes from the Red River College in the areas of Gerontology, Bereavement, Death and Dying. For twelve years I worked in bereavement support at a funeral home.
At present I am employed as an Interim Parish Worker at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Melville, Sask. I also enjoy my role as homemaker, wife, mother and grandmother.
