Making Sense of the Oklahoma Tornado

I lived outside of Owensboro, Kentucky for some of my childhood. Owensboro is on the Ohio River and weather turns severe quickly there.

The summer my family moved there, I was eight years old. And I became terrified of severe weather.

Constantly the radio was interrupted with that eeeerrrrrrrrrrkkkkkshhhhhhh warning and the weatherman informed of tornadoes in the listening area.  (And that was before the movie Twister came out.)

After we survived a summer of tornado warnings, I grew comfortable with severe weather threats. The tornadoes never seemed to come.

Now, I'm an elementary school teacher and I get to spend my days with kids. So as a parent and as a teacher, the events in Oklahoma hit home.

We perform several tornado drills a year, just so the students and teachers will be prepared.

These drills involve taking the students out into the hallway to a designated area where glass will not hit them. They are packed side-by-side and have to stay on their knees with their heads to the ground while covering their heads. They have to stay in that position without talking until we get an all clear.

Our staff and students are great at these drills; I know without a doubt that our kids are as safe as they could possibly be.

But every year we have a tornado warning in our area and have to do it for real.

Tension is at its max in these times.

Much like the reports that stated the schools in Oklahoma kept the children later than normal because of the situation, we would do the same. 

While as a parent I understand the urge to come and get your child and hold them tight when the threat of danger is looming, the reality is that the huge steel beams and block walls of today's schools are tremendously safer than the majority of homes the children would be going home to. 

Not to mention the danger of parents traveling in the severe weather to and from the building. Yet, we always have several parents rushing in and checking out their children which adds to the stress of the teachers and administrators to try and find the student in a sea of little ones covering their heads and the panic of the other children still crouching in the hallways beside them. 

It's awful. Kids are terrified and you can hear scared children crying. I've had to ease quite a few of their fears. I comfort them by saying, "Don't worry until you see me jump down."

It's that thought that breaks my heart for all the tornado victims in Oklahoma yesterday.

It's unfathomable what those students and teachers went through. Or how those communities affected by the tornado are feeling now.

And for what? Because bad weather does happen.

This isn't God's judgement. God isn't trying to get our attention because of political or spiritual issues.

It was bad weather.

Someone will try to comfort a mom who lost a child. They'll tell her, "It is God's will. He has a plan." They will do it sincerely, but their incorrect view of God's sovereignty won't bring her peace.

Instead, in moments of loss, the best thing you can do is be there for that person. A simple hug and tear-filled eyes will say more than words.

More than likely you do not know any of the victims or their families. In that case, pray for Oklahoma. Pray that those hurting will experience peace that only Jesus comforts with.

To any of Gravy Oklahoma readers, we love you and are praying for you.