Stormy

A couple of nights ago, I was awakened at 2:30 a.m. to the shrill whine of tornado sirens outside my window.  Ah, springtime in Oklahoma.

Giant chunks of hail hit my window, and my daughter came careening down my hall in a fit of fear before I could even sit upright in my bed.  (My boys, incidentally, did not wake up.  I suspect that if the roof lifted off our house and some tree branches reached in and picked the boys up and shook them upside down, they might wake up.  Might.)

As I held my daughter and tried to awaken, I noticed the room was illuminated by the soft glow of our tiny television, and my husband was silhouetted, sitting at the foot of our bed.  His eyes were honed in to a scary-looking radar screen. 

"Shhhh," he whispered.  "Go back to sleep.  I'll keep an eye on things, and I'll wake you up if we need to go to the shelter."

For about 2.4 seconds I considered arguing with him.  Then I looked at my daughter, who had already fallen back asleep in my cushy bed, and I just nodded.  I was horizontal and sound asleep before I could think another thought.

The night dragged on, storms ravaging our city.  I awakened several more times to thunderous, howling noise, but my sleepy eyes always saw, first of all, my husband at the television.  And every time, I relaxed instantly, dropping back to sleep.

The visual image is staying with me powerfully:  my strong husband, quietly yet sharply keeping watch over his family, while the rest of us were sleeping too soundly to know to be thankful.  We just slept, because it's what you do at nighttime, and we left all the safety issues to him. 

And I wonder, as I navigate other kinds of "storms"--will the day ever come when I rest quite as easily in God's watchful care?  His silhouette may not be as visible--to my eyes, anyway--as that of my husband's, but He is surely perched just as soundly at the foot of my bed, on the hood of my car, on the shoulder of my children, on a dusty road in Uganda.  May I trust, and rest.

Comments

[TransitionGirl]

I pray that the Lord will give me such a great and strong husband like yours. :)

[Bethany]

What a great man you have. Like the young woman above me, I too am praying for a husband that will someday watch over me and our children.

[chrissie]

Love the analogy of God watching over us, of resting under his watchfulness. Of knowing He is present even in the storms.

[Kilikina]

i love that analogy

[Deidra]

I simply love this post. What a wonderful picture of love...resting in the knowledge that you are being watched over.

[Lorraine]

dude. Awesome.

[Minnesotamom]

Great analogy--I was thinking, "Man, I wish I would trust God that much" before you even got to your point.

Also, kudos to your husband for giving up his sleep to be his family's protector. You're a blessed woman.

[Elisa]

That was beautiful! Perfect image of what a marriage should be as compared to God's love & protection for us as well.

[mimi2six]

Just another reason why I'm so proud of my wonderful son-in-law!

[Jenn]

aw, great post and a great reminder about God's care for us :)

[Kim]

Thank you for that wonderful picture! Just thank you it touch my heart this morning!

[Georgia Mom]

I'm so thankful I have the Lord to protect and guide my family as well. But, I have to admit that I'm the offical weather girl in my house. I'm always the first one up to watch the weather and make sure we don't need to run to shelter. My sweet, wonderful, God-loving husband could sleep right through a tornado. At least we all have the Master Weather Man, keeping watch over us at night!

[Ladybug Crossing]

Amen.

[chocolatechic]

May it be so.

Way to go Mr. Dryer.

[Mary]

God is even more trustworthy than our human husbands. How marvelous to know it is His hand that sends our men to protect us. Ladies without husbands, when you look for your husband to be, be wise. Look for a man who believes what you believe and will have the same commitment you have to God and to marriage, not necessarily one who momentarily "turns you on." Hearts are deceitful as God's word says. Feelings change. Shannon, you and your family were in my thoughts and prayers as I listened to the weather reports. I also thought of my sis in Arkansas in the same path.

[Nikki]

Thanks for a beautiful post. Just what I needed to start my day.

[Jenni]

WAAAAAH!! This is a wonderful, powerful bit o' imagery.

*sniffle* Thank you.

[Richelle F]

That is beautiful. Thanks!

[April]

That was a beautiful post! I am going to link my readers to it. It is something we all need to be reminded of!!

[Judy]

Very nice...we all need to be reminded of God's ever-present care.

[We are THAT family]

You painted a beautiful picture. One I needed to see. Today. Thank you.

[Sarah]

Beautifully written!

[TZ]

Thanks so much for sharing your story...it was so touching.

[TZ]

Oh and I was looking at your reading list...I loved My Antonia, just the way she described the fields of wheat was poetic.

[Jennifer (Et Tu?)]

What a beautiful post. Wow.

I was actually praying for you Oklahoma folks last night. A big storm passed through here sometime in the middle of the night (don't know what time since the clocks went out). I used to love thunderstorms but now that I'm a mother I hate them -- they remind me how powerless I am against larger forces. I was actually thinking something similar (although less eloquent) to what you posted here, that I needed to turn to God and rest, but instead I went down to my computer to obsess about the radar and try to figure out when it would end.

I saw that we were only exposed to the tail end of the system, but that Tulsa and Oklahoma city were getting pounded. So, if you're near either of those areas, I was sitting at my computer praying for you in the middle of the night last night. :)

[Cassidy]

Thank you for giving me the images and thoughts that came from this post. It was exactly what I needed today.

[Lois]

What an awesome post! You built such
a wonderful word picture of a biblical
truth and promise. Yes...He is always there, ever-watching and ever-protecting.
May we continue to learn to rest securely
under His loving care, in the midst of life's storms. Thanks for this reminder!
I needed it today!

[Michelle]

Beautiful analogy. Thank you.

[canadacole]

What a beautiful post and a wonderful analogy. Thank you.

[Erin K]

What a great thought to start my day with. Thank you for sharing this!

[A&EMom]

That's such a beautiful story. In my family, I'm the light sleeper that keeps watch through the night. Last night was the 2nd time this week weather kept me awake. You know what I'm thinking? I'm thinking I'm exhausted - and that God isn't is an even greater testament to his mighty strength!

[Marie]

That is wonderful and strange that I had the same experience this morning. It is nice to know that we have a protector in our home and from the one that made the storm.

[Hope]

Phenominally written...Thank you Lord for loving, protective husbands! May we ALL find rest in You.

[Stephanie]

Awesome.

[ashlee]

What a beautiul picture of the Father! Watching over us even when we don't acknowledge it:)

[disty]

Lovely post. I suppose we all have to work on resting in Him. It's not second nature. But we'll get there with His help!

[Kim]

Your Mr. is a keeper!

[Anne]

We're in the Tulsa area and I slept through it all! Our electricity went out a while and I woke enough to notice but that was it. Dh woke up, though I think he was up worring about hail claims since he works in the auto insurance field!

[Laura ~texasokie]

I know what you mean. I'm from Texas and can't seem to get used to this weather here. Nothing like having tornados in the middle of the night. Great post!

[Heather]

Your husband is a good man. Awesome post.

[Shanna]

That was beautiful, and exactly the way my husband is with our family. I'm sure, when I tell him about this, he'll be honored at the comparison of his vigilance to that of God's protective hand over us.
Thank you.

[Mommy Cracked]

Amen and Amen!

[Mrs. Troop]

That's a beautiful picture!
Thanks!

[Heather Crawley]

I was awake too that night..we are north of you and we didn't get the tornadoes, but the wind, hail and rain woke me up. I got up and watched the radar worrying about my family's safety. I could have used that time to pray, but didn't. Thanks for the little wake up call.

[Tootie]

Loved this anaology! Thanks for sharing.

[Purvi]

Wow. I had to de-lurk. What an amazing post! You are so eloquent. Thank you for taking the time to post on this blog. I read your blog everyday. Your stories always move me and inspire me. Thank you.

[Amber]

i am crying and it's 10 a.m. thanks for a good word this morning

[Big Mama]

I'm in tears, Shannon. Beautiful.

[LeeAnn (AKA FrazzMom)]

I was just thinking that I haven't done my devotions yet today (I usually do them after I get all the kiddos off to school)... But I realize that I HAVE thanks to the beautiful image you painted of our heavenly Father... Thank you.

[Karen]

That was so lovely. Brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for such a wonderful, comforting visual.

[Emily]

What a good husband.

[Emily]

What a good husband. The best husbands remind us of God that way, I think.

[Stephanie]

Thanks for sharing. Easier said than done sometimes, but thanks for the reminder!

[Beth @ A Quest for Relevance]

Wow....

[sheila@momfessions]

What a great picture of our Heavenly Father!

[lovedandamazed]

I remember those Oklahoma nights. Now that I am one state over they do occasionally still come, but I do not miss them. Going to the basement in the middle of the night makes for the strangest memories when you get up in the morning.

This was a beautiful analogy. Thank you for sharing!!

[Susanne]

Shannon, this made me cry. What a beautiful post from your hubby taking care of his family to resting in the watchful care of the Lord.

[zoom]

Loved this.

[Susie]

Very sweet. I loved the picture you created in my mind.

[Elizabeth]

I must live somewhere near you because the exact same weather hit us a few nights ago and another one last night. My husband didn't stay up all night but we woke up a few times to check the weather.

Thank goodness it didnt result in a trip to the storm shelter.

www.elizabethandchad.blogspot.com

[Ginny]

I live in California and we don't have tornados, but we have earthquakes. For those there are no warning sirens or radar screens. But, I am sure that God is sitting at the end of the bed in the midst of earthquakes. What a great analogy you gave of your husband. What a great guy.

[jennielynn]

This was a perfect post.

[Melanie]

Can I just say that your husband is pretty awesome?

Seriously, though. I am kind of waiting for a storm right now. This post is what I needed today.

[jan]

What a wonderful post. Romantic, comforting and convicting.
Thank you....

[Shalee]

What a gorgeous analogy, Shannon. You're right. He is watching over every single minute of the day.

(Your Hubs... he sure knows how to make his wife feel safe an secure as well. Huge kudos to him. I suggest that you make his favorite dinner tonight, Shannon. With care like that, he certainly deserves it!)

[Cherissa]

Great post. I really appreciate the way you honor your husband here for how he cares for your family. In a society where husband-bashing has become the norm, your post is breath of fresh air.

[Lisa T.]

Great post! Thanks for the reminder

[GiBee]

Shannon, what a beautiful parallel! Thanks for giving us a birds-eye view into your heart!!

[Kris]

Great post! God's been speaking to me in so many ways lately, drawing near to me as I draw near to him. It's such a blessing to know that we serve a God who loves us more than we can think or imagine.

[Beth]

Thanks for this analogy. I often wonder what storms in life will come in this crazy world. I'm also thankful for faith in God and the wonderful, strong husband I have.

[Carrie]

That was a beautiful post, it gave me goosebumps.

[Kaye]

Incredible post. God bless your husband for taking care of his family and giving you such a feeling of security.

[chilihead]

That is exactly what happened in our house. Husband at the TV, me in bed with the kids sleeping--knowing that he would never let anything happen to us. Very well put.

[becky]

wow thanks for the visual.

[Mrs. Pharris]

What a wonderful illustration of God's love! And how some wonderful husbands take to heart His imperative to love us as Christ loves the church. Absolutely lovely. We are truly blessed!

PS: I started a giveaway yesterday, and plan to participate in the Bloggy Giveaway later in the month! I'm a long-time reader of your posts, and have loved them all.

[Stephanie]

Amen.

[Simply Sandy]

Lovely post! I've often thought the same thing when my husband travels. I have become totally neurotic about going to sleep at night without him in the house- I wake up at every little sound, double check all the doors, leave lights on that normally don't stay on, shut the cat in the laundry room so she won't scare the patootie out of me during her nocturnal adventures. But my kids? They're perfectly content because MOM'S in the house, and go to bed with nary a care. So why can't I be as peaceful, knowing that my Heavenly Father is standing watch over us all?

[Kelly]

What a wonderful visual of God keeping watch over us.

[Brandie]

Oh sweet mercy, this one had me in tears. I am so thankful that He is always there.

[diXymiss]

After reading this post, here's a shot of my radar screen...

eyes: misty
throat: big lump
thick head: trying to absorb

How great, how wide, how deep, how strong is His awesome love for us. I, too, need to learn to relaX and trust. ThanX for making me pause and reflect. Enjoy the blessing of that wonderful man you call husband.

Blessings,
diXymiss

[Andi]

Wow. I so needed this. I am not resting. And I need to be.

[Koala Bear Writer]

Wow, precious story. What a neat image.

[franticallysimple]

Thanks, I totally needed that today. Both for the reminder of God's watchful care and my husband's. They were each getting a mental "Where are you?" from me. And yet, they have remained constant. The real question should be, "Where am I?"

[Ashleigh (Heart and Home)]

This was a wonderful reminder to one whose husband isn't home this year to watch over his family... it is easy for my heart to be anxious as I'm home alone night after night after night with two littles. Thank you, Shannon.

[Terry]

That is a beautiful post. I too have a godly husband who shows me pictures of my Father in how he cares for me. We are blessed indeed!

[Pam]

What a sweet post....a sweet man.....for a thankful woman.....precious....God Bless, Pam, South Bend

[Angela (Dimplequeen)]

Wow, thanks for that post! I really needed it with all that is going on with our 3 1/2 year old these days! Keep her in your prayers, her name is Rachel!

Thanks,
Angela

[Leanne from Canada]

...He who watches over you will not slumber...Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep......Ps.121 Our Comfort in times of storm (physical or other!!)

[Summer]

Wow - what a great post, great husband and a wonderful God!

[Sarah@because of abigail]

Beautiful! And ever so true. I often trust so much more easily in the people around me than my Heavenly Father

[Ann @ Holy Experience]

Take away my breath, Shannon.
And I want Him to, that kind of love hovering close, watching. As He watches over the sparrow...

[kris]

Whoa, I just wrote a post on the same subject, too. What a good husband you have. Glad you are safe and sound.

[Kelly @ Love Well]

Beautiful.

Does your husband monitor snow storms, too? Because there's a whopper headed our way.

(Oh, who am I kidding? I a weather NUT! I'm the one who monitors the radar in our family. But it doesn't work as well for the analogy.)

[Molly]

Beautiful observation and parallels. That was an encouragement to me today.

[Jenny]

I am blessed by the watchfulness and care your husband showed over your family. I believe the reason that is so beautiful is because it shows the father heart of God for a husband and father to watch over his family as He watches over us.
I am reminded of many a mother who also keeps a silent, watchful vigilance over sick loved ones through the night. I'm glad God gave us families to go through life with!

[Nic]

Nicely put, Shannon.
Being from a country where we don't have tornadoes, I'd like to ask: do you have a shelter in your house? (Basement?) Or do you have to go somewhere?

[sara m.]

What a great statement you made in that final paragraph. I can just feel everyone exhale as they read that.
We all could stand to trust in Him more.

[Heather J.]

That is a powerful image, and so sweet.

[Kirstin]

WOW! I don't know that I'd fall back to sleep. I grew up in Ohio until I was in 4th grade and I do remember the tornado warnings. I don't miss them.

Glad you didn't have to retreat to the shelter. And I love the visual of your hubby standing guard for his family. What security that brings. You are blessed.

[richelle]

Beautiful.

I grew up in Okla - I have similar memories of my Daddy doing the same so that we could sleep.

Thanks for sharing this morsel of truth the Holy Spirit gave you.