My first time experiencing a hurricane and Ian did not disappoint. I was in a tornado when I lived in New York, back in 1995. I was seven years old and eating a piece of chicken when it happened. My mom rushed us down stairs as soon as the big tree in the front yard started heading towards the house. Since then I have been terrified of thunderstorms, especially ones with a lot of wind. Hurricanes are all wind, but I was ready to brave it with the dogs. Sent the wife and kids to refuge on the east coast and I was ready to ride it out. I made sure we were ready for the fallout by shuttering up the house and went out to get some extra gas for the generator.
Now, my wallet was taken from my truck over the weekend. Like my wife said, my fault for not locking the truck, but how is it my fault when someone goes into my truck and steals something. Yes, I could have locked the door but I’m spoiled after having a car that locked itself so I’m not yet retrained to pushing the locked button. Anyway, off I go to get gas with the credit card my wife gave me, I also have cash but who uses that when they have credit cards. I got to my moms house to pick up the other two gas cans and make sure the house is ready for the storm. My wife has already tucked in the outdoor furniture and it was pretty much ready to go. Grab the cans and off to the gas station. Circle K down the street out of gas, but the guy behind me said Sunoco has gas. Why he stopped in here when he knew Sunoco has gas? Guess to let me know. Get to Sunoco, no line, go inside to get some snacks first, don’t want to fill the cans and leave them outside this is Mad Max time. Inside I grab a bag of flamin hot Cheetos and Starbucks double shot.
In line to pay, I spark up a conversation with a gentleman about the storm. I’m not really paying attention but the cashier bags up my items and I say God bless to the man behind me, off I go. Excuse me! Says the cashier. Do I still need to sign? No says declined? What, no run it again. Declined! I’m lost now. Had to walk past everyone and put my items back on the shelf. Defeated I pull out my phone ready to call chase and give them a piece of my mind for this card not working in the middle of a natural disaster. Told myself “ No go to the truck and call this is going to get ugly.” Get in the truck, called chase and I hear “this account has been closed”. My wife gave me one of my own credit cards I thought was in my wallet that I cancelled. Good thing I had the cash.
Head back home, get the cash and back out to the gas station I go. Go inside, grab my same items but this time added two gatorades on top, stay hydrated. Go to pay, explained the whole debacle to the cashier, who was completely unamused. Paid up and out to get gas. Met a man by the pump who need a little help, I got you brother. Told him the whole story and not much more of reaction, he was pretty consumed by the hurricane. He has been through three already and they all were not fun. I didn’t think so but what is “fun”
Anyway. Gased up and heading home.
I got home and relaxed in for the night. Started my call assault on everyone in the contact list. Always lands on the person I need to hear from at that moment. Right place, right time. Always with God. Had a great talk and felt at peace with the pending doom of Ian. After a lot of debating I made my peace with it and leaned on God for strength and protection. Until the next morning, when I woke up to texts at 2:48 am and it’s Mr Martin with the death update. Sustained winds 125 mph heading right for me. Appreciate the update but I haven’t had my coffee yet or even a second R.E.M. cycle. The death updates continued until about 9:45 am when I made the decision to leave. Wife said hotel had dogs and now the last worry I had keeping me here was gone. Packed up the dogs and ran from Ian. God protect my home but I am not going through Cat 4 on my first try. Took the longest route, which most won’t take but will sit in traffic in the short cut for the same amount of time. Got to the family at about 2pm and was able to relax, somewhat.
Updates about the storm started coming in. Pretty scary storm surge and winds. I prayed and went through the rollercoaster of emotions. Tried to put all my trust in God but faltered and worried at times. I decided to wake up early and head home to check on the house before the family got there.
Up at 5am felt like it was time to go. Kiss the wife good bye, let her know I’m heading out. Packed up the dogs again and headed for home. Anxiety knocking on the door. What is this going to look like? Should I try to imagine what my house will look like? Should I picture it destroyed so if it’s not I’m surprised? But if it is I’m “relieved?”. I’d rather be right about it being destroyed than trusting in God and knowing it’s going to be good. That no matter what the house looks like, it’s going to be good. Having hope that whatever I’m about to go through, is exactly what I’m meant to. Faith. I built a lot of it through this, Thank you Jesus. I drove home seeing wreckage and destruction. Trees down and highway signs twisted up like tin cans. Pushing that picture of what my house might look like out of my mind. So much destruction, praying people will look to God for strength and comfort in the mist of such chaos.
I finally, after repeated turn around due to road closure ( one being three doors down from my house), I made it home. Left the dogs in the truck (it’s a cool day and windows down), and walked around to access the damage. Right side, fence gone, debris everywhere, but no major damage, Glory. Surveying the roof, a few missing shingles on one corner, Glory. Back yard loaded with debris and so is the pool, Glory. The lanai screen is gone from branches of a neighboring tree, Glory. Go inside the house and nothing has moved, Praise be to God. No water damage, no wind damage to the house and we made it through our first hurricane, blessed.
How can one feel blessed in such a time? Shouldn’t I feel angry for this to happen? Moved down to where I thought I’m suppose to go and got hit with a 500 year storm in my first 9 months. I can’t be angry, it happened and now I look for why and the good that will come out of it. The blessings out of a tragedy. I feel blessed to only have lost power and no lives. Blessed to have time away from electronics to clean the yard together. Blessed to have nights sitting outside in awe of the amount of stars in the sky. Clear nights after a storm front and lack of light pollution adds up to a beautiful night sky. Glory be to God.
He can turn storms into blessings. No matter what the situation is, if you focus on Jesus, you can walk on water. We get mad or resentful when we lose things. Children don’t like getting their toys taken away. A child that knows their Father loves them and will be there to take care of them no matter what, is a child that can conquer this world. That child can be born at any moment, in any person. As soon as that child decides to trust in their Father, our Father, that He knows what’s best for us and what we need more than we do, beyond what we do. He’s taught us how to live, we only have to listen. We won’t be perfect at it, but He knows that too. Hard to imagine this Love because it is so rare.
Things I began to love again from this storm: love for watching the nights sky, love for putting chips on sandwiches, love for helping others, trying new things like syphoning gas out of a boat, love for meeting new people, and love for life in the hardest of times. Grateful for finally meeting my neighbors and having time with my family. Everything will get fixed and figured out when it’s suppose to. At least we are alive to figure it out. I pray for everyone affected by the storm to look to God for strength and peace in a chaotic time like this. Strength to get through the coming storm after the storm, and peace to get through knowing you have a purpose to still be here. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
33 and a Third 