Texas has the strangest weather. I will never get used to it. Last night I dropped off Braylon & his buddy, Andre (9) off at another church for their first Royal Rangers meeting (Andre’s first church experience ever!) & then Angel & I drove down the road to worship practice. It was 7pm, in the nineties, & the sky was half filled with dark clouds. I thought to myself, looks like a storm’s brewin’.
After practice, I picked them up @ 8:15-25 & by this time, we could see lightning all around us, but no rain or wind. I got a text from my neighbor, Evie, “Sure is pounding, isn’t it!” We piled in the Scion & took off for home. It was a race against the clouds. Hutto had been hit, & it was headed south toward us.
I thought I should take Toll Road 45 to 130 fromPflugerville to Hutto, but by the time we got to Gattis School Rd. exit half-way home, we were greeted w/a sudden downpour. It became so violent within a minute, that I thought about staying under the toll station…but I had to get Andre’ home to his mom & dad. So I called Rick & told him what was going on. I wanted to keep moving, but wisdom told me to just pull over like all the other drivers were doing. It was then that things got crazy.
It was like going nowhere in a pressure car-wash, with an insane car-wash operator that turned up the power 10 times as hard, adding hail. It was dark. Braylon was the only one crying, and his crying got louder, the louder the rain. I just turned up the worship music to 50 & prayed aloud while the winds came at us 50-60 mph, making the car sway. I actually told the kids I loved them – which they hear all the time, but honestly, I didn’t know if I’d have a chance to later.
Andre’ & Angel were quiet, aside from her occasional, “I see big yun yightnene!” & his, “Whoa! did you just see that transformer blow up?!” Braylon just kept saying with his hands to his ears, “It’s a tornado!” I leaned my seat down, touched his leg and tried to reassure him that no, it wasn’t…it was just a storm. “It’s just – a – storm, baby”.
But I thought a tornado could have been an exit away, and we drove right into its path. It looked like it. It sounded like it. It felt like it. So I kept praying, but then I’d picture us being swept up into a swirly sky ~ a modern-day Wizard of Oz scene.
By the end of the song, the rain let up to sprinkles. And I was confident enough to rattle off some great lil promises of God to the kids. “See? I knew He’d watch over us! The Lord is our Strong Tower! Our Shelter in time of need! Our Help! If God be for us, who or what can be against us?!” Sure, I could say those things. We were OK then. I knew… yeah right. I knew nothing, really. I only hoped. Like the man who told Jesus, “I do believe! But help my unbelief!” 40 seconds later, we were almost home, and there was not a drop in the sky. The storm was headed south to Austin. If we actually owned a TV, & actually watched the news, maybe this whole thing could’ve been avoided.
Then again, maybe my faith needed to be tested. Maybe it was a reminder to me that my God is able. He is more powerful than my senses…and I can trust him more than my senses, even when everything around me is chaos.
{For a really insightful message on getting victory over your five senses & believing that God is able…click HERE!}
Chelan 
Once, when my kids were small, we we also out in a storm and they, especially B who was only 3, started to get scared. I srarted singing a song to them to the tune of “I Believe”. This was something I did a lot and they loved, making up silly songs to the tunes of songs they knew. It went like this – I believe a storm is brewing in the sky, I believe a storm is brewing way up high, oh me o my, we just might die, Idon’t know why and I don’t don’t how WE COULD DIE IN A SILLY STORM. The last words were spoken in silly voice. They cracked up and start making up their own versions. Ever after that for years, during storms they would sing that song – not everytime – but a lot, and they were never again scared of a storm. Of course, Frank and I never showed any fear – just talked about how really cool the thunder lightning and wind were – how interesting and beautiful to watch. Your children sense it if you are scared and follow suit -so even if you are, it’s so important never to show it. Angel and Braylon’s friend had it right – look at all the cool things going on that you don’t get to see very often. I don’t know how you acted so I’m not demeaning your actions in any way, but I hope you didn’t ask them to ask Jesus to protect you or to pray – because that would only serve to make them, especially braylon, to think you were in real danger. anyway, sounds like an adventure and I’m sure it WAS scary. Just wanted to share my thoughts with you.
Thanks for sharing! That was interesting. I guess every parent is a little different in how they show or hide fear. I, like you, focused on how cool & powerful & beautiful nature is, even in storms. And personally, I feel fine about praying or asking Braylon if he wants to pray when fear gets overwhelming, as long as I don’t show panic. Over the last 6 yrs, I’ve found that when I pray aloud or speak God’s promises or Word when I’m freaking out, His peace & comfort (not added fear) is released. Sometimes even joy.
With kids, it’s a little different. Bray doesn’t quite understand the Holy Spirit yet & sometimes I mix prayer with some form of distraction for this reason. But to me, it’s ok for him to think he is in real danger if he IS in real danger. Then when it’s over, we can look back at the scariness & reality of it & boast all the more in how God brought us through victoriously. I think I may have let my fear show a little too much that night, but I want to strike a good balance of protecting them & showing genuine emotion, cause I want them to feel comfortable showing their genuine, unmasked emotions with me. I heard that all negative emotions stem from fear- anger, jealousy, bitterness, insecurity, loneliness, unforgiveness, etc, so i figure, if you can talk about / through your fears openly with someone who you know loves & supports you, they get pulled out like “fear-weeds”…& they don’t get a chance to branch off into other negative emotions. Nothing is sustaining them.
I just want to bring glory to God – seek Him, pray, & praise Him, whatever storms we drive into. I need a lot more faith when they hit, but I’m still growing. I hope my kids and their friends can grow in their faith too, right along with me.