The day of the tornadoes

On Sunday, November 17, we received a phone call after lunch.  The caller wondered if we were planning to have our Gospel Meeting in Winslow that afternoon.  We were planning to, we replied.  Was there a reason we shouldn't?  Perhaps we should check the weather report before venturing out.  So we did.  As it turned out, we were under a severe storm warning for the rest of the day.  Tornadoes were predicted, some had been spotted, some had touched down, people should stay inside and take cover.  We decided to cancel our Gospel Meeting.  (Turns out it was a good idea.)  After making the necessary phone calls to let all our potential comers know that there would be no meeting, we settled in to see what the weather would do where we were.  No tornado swept us away, though we did see a funny cloud or two.  Others weren't so fortunate.  Upon hearing that a tornado had touched down in Washington, IL, I spent some time on the phone with my parents making sure they and other friends in the area were okay.  They were.  Many lost homes and possessions that day, however.  Makes you realize how small and powerless you are in the grand scheme of things.  And makes you want to have your greatest treasure in a place where nothing can touch it.

After the storm

Couldn't get to my camera in time, so this is just after the rainbow disappeared!  If you use your imagination, you might be able to see a hint of it left in the clouds.