The Eye of the Storm

I don't know about you, but I've always been fascinated by weather.

I'm not particularly good at predicting it, unlike my husband. Mike has a sixth sense when it comes to weather patterns, especially when he's trying to figure out whether it's going to be a good day for fishing. I guess when you've spent that much of your life on the water, you learn to recognize things the rest of us wouldn't notice.

Me? I'm just fascinated by the whole thing.

In fact, I have two things on my bucket list that most people probably think are completely insane. I want to chase a tornado, and I want to ride in one of those Hurricane Hunter planes that actually flies INTO hurricanes.

Just saying, in case any of you know somebody who can get me a seat. 😊

Now, don't misunderstand me. I don't enjoy seeing people lose their homes, their belongings, or, God forbid, their lives. But there's something absolutely mesmerizing about the power of nature. And maybe part of my fascination comes from realizing how little control we actually have over it.

When Storms Were an Adventure

One of my favorite childhood memories involves a tornado warning when we lived in Decatur. A tornado was coming through the area, and Mom gathered us up and tucked us into the hallway closet with pillows and helmets to ride out the storm.

Somehow, she made the whole experience feel more like an adventure than something to be afraid of. Looking back, I realize she was doing exactly what a good mother does. She was protecting us while keeping us from being terrified.

And it worked. My memories of that particular storm are actually pretty good ones.

Years later, when I was working in Dothan, Hurricane Opal came through. It caused quite a bit of damage, but at that stage of my life, we were young, somewhat oblivious, and apparently thought a hurricane party was an appropriate response to a major weather event.

Funny how you can be completely irresponsible and still believe you're making excellent decisions. 😊

But eventually, I moved to Mobile and learned that hurricanes aren't always an adventure.

When the Storm Gets Personal

Hurricane Ivan changed my perspective.

My wonderful aunt and uncle, Linda and Ivy, lived on a canal in Orange Beach, not far from Tacky Jacks. We had spent so many wonderful summer days at their home, enjoying boat rides, sunshine, and time with some of our favorite people.

Their home wasn't just a house. It held years of family memories.

And then Ivan came.

Their home flooded, and they lost so much. The power was out for what seemed like forever, and as they began sorting through the damage, they discovered just how many irreplaceable things the water had taken.

You can replace furniture. You can replace flooring. You can rebuild walls.

But there are some things that no amount of insurance money can ever replace.

And speaking of insurance, that was another storm entirely.

Suddenly, the people who had faithfully paid premiums for years found themselves dealing with questions about wind damage versus water damage, what was covered, and what wasn't. I tried to help as much as I could through my Real Estate experience, but it was heartbreaking to watch them navigate the aftermath.

Apparently, surviving the hurricane was only the first battle. Then came the insurance company.

And if you've ever been through a major claim, you probably know exactly what I mean.

That experience changed how I thought about protecting our homes and the people we love. It also made me much more mindful of helping my clients understand their insurance coverage before they ever need to use it.

But it taught me something else, too. You can do everything you know to do, and life can still knock you flat. At least trust that it is temporary.

The Illusion of Control

I think most of us like to believe we're in control of our lives.

I certainly do.

Actually, I've been struggling with that reality since my babysitting days, when I discovered that small children do not necessarily care what the person in charge tells them to do.

That was probably my first lesson in the limits of my authority. 😂

Later, I learned that an employer could decide to change directions, eliminate a position, or make decisions that completely disrupted someone else's future. And with no apparent love lost about it.

And of course, I've learned that no amount of planning, preparation, or wishful thinking can convince a hurricane to turn around and go somewhere else.

There are simply things in this life we cannot control.

But here's what I've also learned.

There are things we CAN control about the things we CAN'T control.

I know. That sounds a little confusing.

But think about it.

We can't stop a hurricane, but we can prepare our homes, review our insurance, and have a plan for our families.

We can't guarantee that our jobs will always be there, but we can live within our means, save some money, and prepare for the possibility that life might change unexpectedly.

We can't protect the people we love from every hardship, but we can build relationships, develop our faith, and create a foundation that helps us weather difficult seasons.

And we can make ourselves available to help others when their storms arrive.

Because it's pretty hard to throw somebody a life preserver when you're drowning right alongside them.

Finding the Eye of the Storm

There's something fascinating about the eye of a hurricane.

All around it, the winds can be absolutely ferocious. Rain is blowing sideways, waves are pounding the shore, and everything seems to be coming apart.

But in the center, there can be an almost unbelievable calm.

Of course, that doesn't mean the storm is over. The eye passes, and the winds return, sometimes from the opposite direction.

But I've always found that contrast amazing.

And lately, I've been thinking about how much life resembles that storm. Sometimes everything around us feels completely out of control. Our plans fall apart. People disappoint us. Jobs change. Money gets tight. We get an unbelievably unexpected diagnosis or someone we love gets sick. Something happens that we never saw coming.

And we start scrambling, trying desperately to fix everything. But, honestly, some things simply aren't ours to fix. Some things are for us to wait patiently for, or lend an understanding ear, or just pray through. And sometimes it’s trusting that He’s got this, no matter what the circumstances look like. And in just recently reading the story of Job, it can seem like an eternity sometimes before the light begins to shine through. But it will. And He will.

That's a hard lesson for somebody like me, who would much rather figure out a solution and get on with it.

I believe God expects us to be responsible with what He's given us. We should plan, prepare, work hard, save wisely, and take care of the people we love.

But I also believe He never intended for us to carry the responsibility of controlling everything.

That's His department.

And thank goodness, because I haven't been particularly successful at it. 😊

Preparing for the Storm, Trusting Through It

I don't believe faith means sitting around doing nothing and expecting God to handle every detail.

If a hurricane is coming, board up the windows, secure the boat, check your insurance, and get out of harm's way when necessary.

Praying for protection doesn't mean you shouldn't also use the good sense God gave you.

The same goes for the other storms in life.

Save for the unexpected. Take care of your health. Invest in your relationships. Teach your children to pray. Love your family while you have the opportunity. Be generous when you can, and make decisions today that will help you stand tomorrow.

And when you've done everything you reasonably can?

Trust God with the rest.

I don't particularly want my faith tested by life's storms. I'd be perfectly happy with a long stretch of sunny skies and calm seas, thank you very much.

But I know that's not always the case. (But currently I am always thanking God for the calm ahead! Praising Him in the current storm!)

Storms come.

Some we see building on the horizon, and others seem to appear out of nowhere.

Some pass quickly, while others leave damage that takes ages to repair.

And sometimes, despite all our preparation, we still find ourselves standing in the middle of circumstances we never imagined.

But our goal isn't to live a life where the storms never come.

It's to build a life with a foundation strong enough to withstand them, and a faith that reminds us we aren't facing them alone.

I think back to my mom, sitting with us in that hallway closet surrounded by pillows and helmets, and most likely a homemade Rice Krispies treat. She couldn't control the tornado outside. She couldn't guarantee what would happen next. But she had prepared the best she could, gathered the people she loved, and created a little place of peace in the middle of uncertainty.

I didn't understand that lesson at the time. I just knew I felt safe. And I want to create the same sense of security around my kids and grandkids. Goodness knows we all need a safe space.

And maybe that's what I'm still learning all these years later.

We may never be able to control the storm around us, but we can prepare for what lies ahead, protect what matters most, and trust the One who can give us peace in the middle of it.

Because sometimes, the greatest blessing isn't avoiding the storm.

It's finding peace in the eye of it.