storms chasing

Addi and I left Sarah's this afternoon with an addition for her family-Karat, a six week old kitten. The skies were blue and the weather, when I checked it yesterday, gave a 40% chance of rain at about 4pm both In Russell Springs, where we were leaving from and in Grayson/Russell, the direction we were headed. It looked like it would be an easy 3 hour and 18 minute trip. None of us had a drink for the car and I didn't stop to buy any, hoping to prevent a recurrence of Friday's trip with a bathroom stop every hour. Those stops, no matter how hard you try, never seem to be quick and it was too hot to leave anything living in a locked car.

I always keep an eye on the sky as I drive. I never know what beauty it will reveal. We were just over an hour into the trip and I wasn't liking what I was seeing near us. The awful sound of the emergency broadcasting system interrupted our KLove station. A very concerned, frightened 9 year old voice asked from the back seat, "Is that for us?" The audio quality was less than stellar but I was able to make out penny sized hail, wind gusts of up to 60 mph and Lexington. We were headed to a bypass around Lexington so I quickly assured her it was not, praying that I was not lying to her. She relaxed a little. Until the awful screeching broke into our music a second time. She again asked if the warning was for us. The hail size had increased to quarter size, same wind, same area, but the threatening clouds were still off to our left so I once again told her it was not. I pointed out where the clouds of concern were and had her take pictures of them for me.

Before we got to Russell we probably heard a dozen warnings. All with the same hail and wind warning. All areas that were close to us, but never over us. Because of the number, (she guessed we heard at least 80) we were giggling by the time we heard the last one. A few minutes before our arrival to her home I saw about 5 raindrops hit my front windshield. That was the extent of the storm we faced today.

In the midst of the trip a thought occurred to me, one I am still dwelling on. There was no denying the storm clouds behind and on both sides of us. The way ahead was mostly clear, blue skies and scattered, puffy white clouds. I had a choice to make. I could be distracted and worried by the threats surrounding us. Or I could focus on the path ahead of me. The danger all around us was real. But today, the storms were not touching us. Today we were spared of all but a few sprinkles. It reminded me of how important it is to concentrate on where God has me right now. Yes, I need to be aware of what is going on around me. Yes, I can feel sympathy and empathy for those going through storms. But I also am free to praise Him, without accepting feelings of guilt, for the days my path does not include one. Thank you God for today.