After the Storm Passed By

(about 9:00 Sunday morning in front of Dollar General in Ripley)

"I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest."

(Psalm 55: 8)

Still praising God for giving us a refuge in the storms of the past two weekends! He has been so good. He doesn't owe me a thing! In fact, I'm sure if the storms were sent according to who deserved them most I would have been hit before some of the others who were! A verse from Matthew 5: 45 b came to my mind: "he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." What an awesome power of the elements we have seen as we looked at the devastation left after the storms passed by. Many lost some things. Some lost many things. A few lost everything, including their lives. So this week I am trying to be conscious of all the blessings, great and small, that God has given me. I don't want to be found taking anything for granted anymore.

Here are several pictures. The ones with a lot of water in them were taken early Sunday morning on our way to church.

These next pictures were taken as we came home a different route. This is where the tornado did some of the worst damage not many miles from where we live.

Mobile home where a young couple in their 20's was killed.

Two story house. Lost the roof. People inside were o.k.

This house lost the roof and everything inside. Only the shell of brick walls remained.

These next pictures taken were taken on Wednesday when the sun was shining. They are mostly of the timber that was torn up in the Holly Springs National Forest that joins the backside of our farm.

You can see where the tornado just twisted these trees off. They look small in the picture but they weren't.

Many huge trees were uprooted. I should have gotten out and had my picture taken standing beside them so you could have seen just how large they were.

Many, many thanks to all you praying friends all over the country ! I appreciate your love and concern so very much!

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah."

Psalm 46: 1-3

May God bless you every one!

Marilyn