New Hartford Tornado Devastation June 2008

Just a few of the homes and cars destroyed by this tornado. It even ripped the crops out of the fields in a swath that reached for miles from Parkersburg to New Hartford to Janesville to Dunkerton. The President declared us a national disaster. Two weeks later the floods ravaged the rest of New Hartford that wasn't severly damaged by the tornado. Even now to drive past all that gone in seconds is so humbling. Whole houses were just gone, lots of them! Most of these were Huge homes all built in the past 10 years.

We were on way home from Missouri, visiting family and our car broke down 1 hour away. If it hadn't we would have been right there an hour later. I remember as we pulled in a gas station and the fan belt broke. We coasted to a convienient stop and called Hope and Joel to come get us. We looked at our broken car and said, "Well Lord. Thanks for whatever you just spared us from." Then one hour later we heard how this huge tornado wiped out so many towns, one of them our road home and hour away. It was humbling. These pictures barely show any of the devastation! It makes me sad as I see this nation walking away from God and his precious protections and love afforded his children who choose Him. So much is lost when we turn our backs on God. He just waits hoping we will return. I am so sad as I look at these things in our nation now. It costs us all so much. Its so grievous.

Tornado Warnings on the way home from Indiana and Charlottes Wedding 2008

As we drove back from Indiana, across into Iowa, there were tornado warning ahead. The skies were pitch black like sitting in a pitch black tent. It was unnerving. We prayed and asked Jesus to rebuke the storms and bring us peace or grant us place of respite to ride out the storm according to His Will. Immediately the clouds began to break up so quickly that the sun began to shine through in the first two spots shown above in picture one.
Then the clouds began to break up further.
Above the light there was swirling, heavy pitch blackness in the clouds but within about 10 minutes it was cleared and we received gentle rains. It was amazing!
Three times this last month we have asked Jesus Christ to rebuke tornado winds and storms and he has immeditely done it and given us amazing skies to witness. This was the most amazing and I was glad we had a camera this time to show how amazing the Lord was. Knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and healer and protector and friend is the most precious gift we have on this earth. Thank you Lord for 1st loving us even when we were wicked. Thank you Lord for you kindnesses to your children!

These are a few of the pictures that were taken out our car windows as we drove toward the storms ahead at 65 mph. There were 75MPH winds and hail the size of tennis balls ahead of us according to the radio.
We missed it all as we drove on in faith.
What is amazing is he has done this for us three times this month!~ Praise God. Thank you Lord! Even the Iowa tornado in New Hartford missed us and that 1 1/2 mile wide tornado destroyed several towns and subdivisions. It's aftermath was the most devastating and humbling thing I have ever seen.

There is power in the Promises and Word of God to His Children. All the Glory to the Lord of Hosts in Jesus Christ.

Traveling home from Vicki's Wedding

The 7 hour trip home due to flooding. This huge snapping turtle decided he was going to cross the highway so the men moved him to a safer place. He didn't seem very thankful, in fact kept trying to eat the men all the way across the field to his safety. Oh well. Not everyone we help is thankful! Ha~
The kids slept while traveling it was so much driving in one weekend; then slept some more when the men rose to go fishing at 4 AM then tarried before heading out.
We stopped to read about Chief Oscalusa.
Hope was delighted to see Grandpa and Grandma. We all were.