WAKE UP CALL!

I keep my cell phone by my bed and do not turn it off at night for several reasons.  At 2:00 AM Tuesday night (that would be in the VERY early morning hours of Wednesday), the alert alarm jerks me out of a deep sleep induced by a Melatonin at 11 PM.  Let's see---I had slept approximately three hours---JUST getting to the good part of a deep sleep.  Thinking it is an Amber alert, I  fumble for and slap at the phone three or four times before getting it to stop.  Why there is NO WAY I can help look for an abducted child or lost senior citizen when I can't see squat at night, and besides I am too sleepy to drive.  Settling down again and studying the back of my eyelids, I hear the tornado sirens going off all around me.  At this point, the lady in the burglar alarm box begins to send her alarming alarm signal.  FINALLY--it occurs to me---PERHAPS---I should get out of bed and check things out.  


Note-not the actual warning
I was not thinking of making pictures
in the midst of all the action.

Already I have heard the winds howling, but as I go to look out toward the street light it becomes a roar.  Across the way, I see my neighbor on his front porch and we both turn around at the same time to head for cover when we see what is happening. I actually love a good storm, and am usually not frightened, but instead watch the light show with wonder.  For one of the few times in my life, it seems prudent to act upon the warning.   I take Hero and head for the closet with pillow, phone, and flashlight in hand.  




As I sat for thirty minutes in the deep dark of my interior closet, surrounded by shoes, slacks and dresses, it occurs to me the iron is in the closet-hung on an ironing board rack--just over my head.  In the same closet are shelves of framed portraits and my luggage and somewhere in the mix is my handy dandy protection piece---HIGH over my head.  Here I am alone--with an eight pound trembling ball of fur and the winds are roaring all around.  It dawns on me, I am living a reenactment of Dorothy and Toto and hope I am not headed to Oz.



I settle down and begin to pray not only for my protection, my kids and grands protection, but all those in the Hood and the hospitals which are adjacent to the Hood.  The minutes drag by and the sound is deafening, but I have no control over the outcome.  I do have the sure and present knowledge, no matter the outcome---even if I am blown away to Oz--God is present with me.  In the midst of the deafening roar of the storm, His presence is real and tangible while huddled on the floor of the closet.  NOW, I truly understand the concept of a prayer closet.  My closet was anointed with the prayers of appeal.  The peace which passes all understanding settled in a tangible way over me and I knew that I know His plan is always best.  There is no need for fright, no need for panic, for He has me under His wing.  My God and my protector Who is the center of all my hope called me from a deep sleep and reminded me to WAKE UP!  and KNOW I am God.


 Yet when they cried out to the Lord in their troublethe Lord brought them out of their distress. He calmed the storm and its waves quieted down
Psalm 107:28-31


6 comments

  1. Lulu, I am not as technically minded as you. So there's a lot in your story I don't understand:

    " ... the alert alarm jerks me out of a deep sleep ..." Who sent you the alert on your cell-phone? The authorities? The Met Office? A friend?

    " ... Thinking it is an Amber alert, I fumble for and slap at the phone three or four times before getting it to stop. Why there is NO WAY I can help look for an abducted child or lost senior citizen ..." What is an Amber Alert? Who send it to your cell-phone? How are you meant to respond - e.g. what do you mean about an abducted child or lost senior citizen?

    "At this point, the lady in the burglar alarm box begins to send her alarming alarm signal." I don't understand this either. What Alarm Box? Is this a system you have installed at home which warns citizens of impending danger? I do know of burglar alarms that ring and contact the police if someone enters the property - but I don't understand what you say here.

    I guess we are very lucky in the UK that we don't have many (any) tornadoes and heavy storms. So we don't have such warning systems. The last storm we had here a few weeks back caused 59 cents worth of damage.

    Thank God you were well protected. God bless.

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    1. The wonders of modern technology, Victor! The National Weather Service sends out warnings which have a preamble like a siren to alert us of severe weather threat on all media- television, radio & I phones. An Amber alert & Silver alert are sent via our phones to alert us to abducted children and senior citizens with dementia who have wandered away. These alerts contain vehicle descriptions and license numbers. You are not required to do anything but asked to be on alert and report sightings. I have a burglar alarm which also sends tornado warnings via wireless connection. It would wake the deepest sleeper to hear a strange voice announcing a tornado warning AFTER the warning siren has gone off in your house. It continues to repeat the message until you get up and acknowledge receipt. Tornado sirens give out a high pitched wails in the area under the warning. There is a system of grading severe weather threats and a warning lets you know a tornado is in the vicinity. This is one example of Big Brother doing a great job! The latitude in the U.K. Is too high for tornadoes. They usually occur here in the Southern latitudes when warm moist air from the Gulf hits a fast moving low front from the north Last year's hail storm in March was a result of this weather phenomena. This concludes today's lesson in the US Alert System. LOL!
      Blessings, My Friend

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    2. Thank you Lulu for taking the time to respond. Here we have weather alerts on TV (Amber Red and whatever) warning of severe weather or floods. It is also repeated on radio. But I am not aware whether they send text messages to iPhones or not. Also, I don't know whether our home alarm systems do send weather warnings or not. I know that old people (I used to visit an old lady who had this) have an electronic gadget round their necks and should they fall they press a button and it alerts either the police, the ambulance, or relatives/neighbours etc. Some gadgets are clever. If the person falls and does not press the button, the gadget realises you are in a horizontal position and alerts the authorities.

      As you say, modern technology and Big Brother can be useful and helpful at times.

      Keep safe, Lulu. God bless.

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    3. My mother had one of those necklaces, Victor. She kept it on her bedside table since she didn't like wearing it. Try explaining to an 80 year old why this defeats the purpose!! It would help ONLY if she feel into her bed!! What's a little alarming is I am rapidly approaching that same age!!

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  2. After spending many years living in the land of the deep south, we learned to heed those warnings. We shall not discuss the tornado that destroyed Tuscaloosa, Al on April 27, 2011...anyways...as always, your posts hold many meanings and I certainty understand this one. smiles

    Have a lovely day and P.S. I am so glad we don't live anywhere tornado alley anymores, lololol.

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    1. AH, BUT, Linda, to date, I have not been buried in 3-4 feet of snow! We pick our poison.!!
      Blessings, My Friend!!

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Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!