this morning, in the south, our eyes are watching God

They sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against cruel walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His.

They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God.

– – Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

Back in April of 2011, when the nightmarish tornado outbreak hit my state, we were watching our local coverage and we SAW the beast of a tornado that came through Tuscaloosa as it passed Bryant-Denny Stadium – where we spent many of our weekends at the time.

We just could not believe the scope of it.

We immediately left our then home and went to our church nearby as it has a large basement.

We sat huddled with friends and our minister and his wife.

The beast passed within a mile of us. We heard it. We felt the pressure and the lift as we were terrified.

We were praying and clinging.

Our eyes were watching God.

We came out to news of so much death and destruction. It was both surreal and just heartbreaking.

It left scars on everyone.

So, earlier this week, when our trusted weatherman James Spann began warning us that storms were coming today and we are in the enhanced risk category for severe weather and this line looks serious? The alarm bells began going off.

And the reports haven’t changed.

And the line is now entering our state.

And the wind is kicking up at the cottage – but the sun is still out, which isn’t helping anything.

So, it’s going to be one of those days most likely here in the Deep South.

We’ll be weather-watching and praying hard.

Our eves are watching God.