After the Storm

Whoosh! Crash! Banging sounds filled the air throughout the night, as Karen and her children slept off and on through the biggest storm that she had even experienced. Meteorologists expected the storm to be further away but now declared that people in certain areas needed to stay home rather than attempt to evacuate, including Karen’s home area. They had prepared as best they could with her husband away on military orders.

During the night, they prayed and read the Bible in the large closet where they stayed. Finally, Karen read about Jesus calming the storm, and prayed with her five children for God to stop the winds. Everything became quiet. The storm ceased. Her son Michael yelled, “You should have read that one first, Mom!” Laughter filled the closet.

Karen ventured out with her oldest children as the sun shone that morning. Water covered the first floor, along with broken glass from windows and fallen pictures. Outside broken pieces of orange roof tiles lay everywhere. Neighbors emerged from their homes to look around and find out how everyone survived. Karen’s house stood although damaged while everyone remained safe. Tweets and chirps of birds filled the air mixed with unusual bird sounds. Exotic birds in nearby trees that had escaped from the zoo celebrated the new day filled with sunshine and a bright blue sky.

Karen and her children thanked God for safety and asked for guidance in the adventure of restoring their
home. They bailed water out of the sunken living room, moved outside furniture back to the porch, and picked up broken glass and pictures that had crashed on the floor.

Today’s Mom Step: Live your life; let challenges make you stronger and stay in touch with your network.