Remembering 1974 Xenia tornado

Shoup Mill Rd. May 28, 2019

     When I was ten, I took a drawing class. Each week we went to a large house in town that was tucked back in a wooded area where we drew the house and landscaping. We were sitting outside there on a partly cloudy evening, somewhat out of touch with the world, when the sky got suddenly dark. My dad showed up; I didn’t know he even knew where we were drawing. He told everyone there was a tornado headed our way. I wasn’t too frightened because there had been tornado threats before that never materialized, but when we got home Mom was getting stuff together to take to the basement: a radio, some food, pillows and blankets. My parents had never gone that far for a tornado warning before, so then I was scared. The TV was still on in the living room. The emergency broadcast made an ear-piercing sound that stopped us in our tracks. It announced that a tornado had just devastated Xenia, Ohio. It was April 4, 1974.
     We drove through Xenia two weeks later on our way to visit my grandparents and it was the most haunting sight I had ever seen. Everything was flattened. I didn’t see any people. There was one large tree still standing, and someone had tied a yellow ribbon around it. I had a sinking, sickening feeling in my stomach; I felt shocked, and empathy. The imagery often kept me awake at night.
     I haven't been through every area hit here on Memorial Day, but where I've been, there are people outside working, cleaning up. On that day in 1974, I didn't see any people. The devastation was so great that there was nothing to be done. I've heard that parts of Trotwood are like that. I've heard that many of them didn't have homeowner's insurance. Let's pray that they are able to pick up the pieces of their lives and start anew.

God is our refuge and strength,

 an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

Psalm 46:1-2

*****

Please join me this week in praying for those who have been affected by natural disasters, particularly the latest victims from the Memorial Day tornadoes. This includes areas of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois also.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Memorial Day tornadoes

As you probably know, Brookville, Trotwood, Harrison Township, Celina and surrounding areas in Ohio were hit by a series of tornados (18 at last count) this past Memorial Day, ranging in force from an EF0 to an EF4. I can't even find the words sufficient to describe the devastation. One life was lost that night.

In our house, we went to the basement grabbing only our purses and watched on a cellphone as it was reported that a tornado was passing over us; it didn't touch down, thankfully. There were other things that I didn't take with me though, that, had we been hit, I would have wanted to have like prescription medicines, water, cellphone charger, batteries, a change of clothing (I had been asleep when they hit), a leash for the dog (I saw a man walking down the street with his dog, using a shirt tied to his dog's collar as a leash); necessary things that we don't think of in a moment of panic. I never prepared for a tornado because we've never had one here. I only remember one other time in my life that we even went to the basement and that was 1974 when the severe weather passed over us and hit Xenia.

We called loved ones to make sure they knew about the tornados, but few took it seriously because it had never happened here before. After this, they will heed the warnings in the future.

How often does God give us advanced warnings and we ignore them? He may not use tornado sirens, news media, and emergency alerts on our cellphones, but He does place things on our hearts and use His followers and His word to communicate with us. We need to open our eyes and our ears to what He is telling us.

God is our refuge and strength,

    an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

Psalm 46:1-2 NIV

*****

Please join me this week in praying for those who have been affected by natural disasters, particularly the latest victims from the Memorial Day tornadoes. This includes areas of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois also.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power