He Hid My Keys!

We are in the second part of ‘severe weather’ season here in Arkansas and the above picture is a storm cloud recently spotted over the Kyzer Compound. I heard a statistic recently that stated we have had over eighty tornadoes this year. The average is about twenty-something. It reminded me of another small miracle.

I have always been a bit frightened to spend the night at home alone. I’ve traveled all over the world and stayed in hotel after hotel until they blended into one homogenized brand. Never once was I afraid in those places filled with people. But…put me in my own house, out in the country, all by myself, in the dark… the dogs start barking, the cows bellowing, the owls hooting, the coyote’s howling…and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. Needless to say, I have had some serious prayer sessions during those few times.

Several years ago Jimmy was traveling a lot between Ester, Missouri and North Little Rock, Arkansas picking up plants for wholesale. It must have been around Spring Break because on this particular trip he decided to take Jake along with him. I had been working grueling hours on a new marketing campaign was looking forward to some alone time and peace and quite. I stopped at a drive through on my way home and after checking and locking all the doors and windows headed up stairs to eat, read, and watch television.

I must have fallen asleep quite early because at ten o’clock I was startled awake by the weather alert system on television and the weather man describing a tornado touching down in Little Rock...just twenty miles west and it was heading my way! “Stay calm, stay calm…first thing is…I have to get to safety. Do I hide in the stairwell closet? What if something happened and no one found me?” So I did what any “good southern girl” would do…I called Daddy. My parents live half a mile away and if anything happened at least we would be together. I grabbed my purse, briefcase, shoes and sweats and headed downstairs.

By the time I reached the kitchen I was finally dressed and reached into my purse for my keys. They were not there! I rummaged through my briefcase, not there either. Most who know me, know I have this thing about my keys…they are always in my purse, always. You know…everything has a place and everything in its place. Wasting precious time, I headed back upstairs to see if by some remote chance they were on the night stand. Not there either, hummmm.

All of the sudden, the lights went out and the winds were still…eerie silence crashed down…as if all sound had been sucked from existence by some giant, cosmic vacuum cleaner. The only sound left was the pounding of my heart as the cherished minutes drummed on…I slid down the stairs step-by-step on my bottom praying the entire way. As I reached the landing, the wind kicked up again…this time with a vengeance. It sounded like sand blasting the windows as twigs, dirt and other debris slammed into the front of the house. I hit the kitchen floor face down, sprawled out and started praying…the louder the storm…the louder the prayer. It was over as quickly as it started.

I sat up trembling and lit a candle. I was trying to decide if I should stay home now that the tornado had passed or go to my parents. I looked outside but couldn’t really see any thing. I needed to go to Mom and Dad’s…but first...I had to find my keys. Absent mindedly I opened my purse and there they were…right on top.

I was still recovering from the fear of the storm and joy of the answered prayer when my little brother began frantically hammering on the door. I’ll never forget the fear in his voice as he repeatedly called my name. I stood on wobbly legs and let him in. He had come to rescue his big sister and take her safety.

Heading out we surveyed the damage and were shocked at what we saw. The worst was my truck…the driver side was smashed…door caved in, windows broken, fender dented so bad it couldn’t be driven. We picked up pieces of the trampoline for months and have yet to find the grill.

I know that night God had His hand of protection upon me. I never saw those keys in my purse until after the storm. If I had, I would have been on the road when the tornado hit. I truly believe the Lord kept me from seeing them so He could keep me safe in His arms until the storm calmed.

Are you in the middle of a storm right now? No matter what you are facing in your life…if you will simply call upon Him and trust in Him…He will hear…He will answer…He will deliver you…

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”