TOR-NAY-DOE

At 5:05am on 09-09-09, I awoke suddenly to a very strange, very loud sound. Eventually I recognized the sound to the tornado siren. It's different than the noise I've always associated with tornadoes (the one that beeps TOR-NAY-DOE TOR-NAY-DOE). A million things ran through my mind: are we really in a tornado warning? What's protocol for tornado warnings? This building doesn't really have a first floor (much less basement). What do I have to do now? I don't hear a stampede of people or emergency instructions from the alarm (apparently we like talking alarms around here... ask me about our fire alarm sometime). My morning alarm is going off in two hours. How about I just duck and cover right here in my bed? If someone comes pounding on my door or for some reason I have to move, I will, but until then, I'm staying here. I reach over my head, slam the window shut (it was raining, too), say a little prayer asking for my safety and the safety of campus, roll over, and go back to sleep.

In the morning I mentioned the rude awakening and most people never heard it. Perhaps the fact that my open window was within arm's length of my head had something to do with it or perhaps not. Even people who insist they were up at 5am did not hear it. Of everyone I've mentioned it to today, no one heard it but some heard about it. (Apparently, it wasn't campus' siren but rather the town's siren, hence was there was no talking).

Am I crazy? Did I dream it? (I did record it in my dream journal this morning before talking to anyone). I'm pretty sure I heard it. That window didn't close itself. I just don't know exactly what happened at 5:05am on 09-09-09, but I do know that for some reason, I needed to pray for my safety and the safety of my campus. Why God chose 5:05am I may never know. Why He chose the tornado siren, I will also probably never know. Yet it happened. I know it happened. As annoyed as I was this morning, I realize I wasn't disturbed for no reason. There was a point and purpose (no, not a porpoise), but I will never know it.

Let God use you for some unknown point and purpose today. It doesn't have to be anything big. Maybe a simple prayer because of a tornado siren in the middle of the night or a smile to a stranger.

Also, don't be so caught up in your own world that it takes a tornado siren for God to get your attention. Yesterday I wrote about always being able to hear Him as clearly as a cicada... well, this morning I heard Him just as clearly. Although, I think the cicadas are a more peaceful sound.

In Christ,
<>< Katie

PS. Does this make any sense?