Tornadoes---the finger of my God.

While it is a lovely day here today, tomorrow appears to have tornado weather written all over it. To this point in the year, I have been excited that we have had so little of the "bad" weather that we had the past year. To the local Tennessean, a day with "severe weather" is just another day on the calendar, but to transplants from Maine, it is a day to hide out in fear. Locating blankets, uncovering mattresses and hanging out in whatever corner is furthest from the windows.
Even when we were still in Maine, my oldest son would see reports of tornadoes somewhere in the country, and come to me crying, begging me to reassure him that, "No, we don't have tornadoes here." Then------the Lord brought us to the state of Tennnessee. Last year, the kids and I spent much of the spring and summer hiding in our short hallway. Not having a basement to go to, this was the next best place. It became quite an adventure with lots of reading aloud to keep ourselves occupied. All the time, I was explaining to the children that God controls the weather, and that He is protecting us. Calm and reassuring---that was the goal---- while all the time I was about to come out of my skin.
Now, with the first really severe weather on the horizen, I am forced to look at the truths I have attempted to instill in my offspring. God is in control of the weather. God is in control of where we live. God is in control of our health. God has the hairs of our heads and the days of our lives numbered. There is nothing else like a tornado. It appears to be the very finger of God. Destruction lies in its path, but then, Who controls its path? The finger of my God moves. I am in awe when I realize that there truely is no safer place to be than in His hand.
The Psalms are full of wonderfully reassuring verses. One such verse is Ps. 4:8 "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." Why do I so frequently forget this? Lying awake at night listening for sounds of storm. Ps. 57:1b states, "for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." We know He doesn't change, so I guess it is just my level of faith and trust. I have no doubt that I will again feel fear, and that we will again spend time in our "safe place", but I am going to pray that God will help me keep it in perspective and that the reassurances I offer my children will come from my heart.
In the meantime, I will have a cup of coffee (surprise), strongly encourage my children to complete their goals for the day, and attempt to tackle the housework that never goes away, regardless of the weather. With a God that knows the end from the beginning, I had best just get going on the things I know He has already laid out for me, and leave Him to control the paths of the tornadoes. I wouldn't be much good at it, anyway.