By Verda Norville, Tulsa, Ok

Since July is bad for tornadoes, I woke up the other morning remembering a true story that happened when I was sixteen years old. Dad had warned me about the terrible destruction tornadoes do and the weird things that can happen. He had lived through one when he was a child that he'd never forgotten. I suppose they were in their cellar, and when they came out their house was gone. But a table on which his mother kept dairy products, ended up in the yard upside down with the same items sitting on top, as though they had never moved. So, Dad had told me, "If you ever see a funnel hanging from a cloud, or even if you just think it is, call me immediately, even if I'm asleep."

On day in July, when Dad was taking his siesta, as many farmers do, I looked outside and saw this black cloud with a funnel hanging from it. I couldn't tell if it was touching the ground or not, because it was behind a hill about half a mile away. Reluctantly, I woke my Dad. As soon as he got up and looked, he said, "Verda, help me round up the rest of the family as quickly as possible. Tell them to drop everything and run to the cellar!" All eight of us did!

Before Daddy could anchor the door properly, the wind hit with such force, he could hardly hold the chain. We were afraid the wind would pull my Dad out along with the door, so some of us held on to him. Soon we heard the noise of hail pounding on the tin covering of the door, and the wind settled down. We breathed a breath of thanksgiving.

I always hated to go to the cellar, because of the varmints that showed up when a light was on. I'd seen scorpions and spiders, and once I'd even seen a snake. But today I was glad that I felt safe.

When the roar of the hail stopped, and Daddy looked out, he said, "It's all over. We can go out now." The ground was as white as snow from all the hail that had fallen. My Mother had been concerned about a mother hen and her baby chicks that were scrambling for cover when last seen. As far as I can remember, there was not much damage, except for the loss of a few baby chicks. We were safe, and we thanked God. And Daddy thanked me for being obedient to wake him.

Ephesians 6:1-3 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise; 'that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.'"