Preparation (faith & doubt)

My husband is scared-nay, phobic of storms-especially tornados. This has been fueled by his witnessing lightening strike the tree outside of his bedroom as a child, and his insistence on watching the tornado chasers documentaries as an adult. Needless to say, when there is a tornado warning, he wants to follow the safety protocol to the letter. Mattress in the hall and all.

As for me, well, of course I know they are dangerous and I certainly do not want to be on the business end of a tornado, but I guess although I know it could hit, I really don't think it will.

So, I wasn't bitter when my husband woke me from my glorious sleep holding our 3 year old son to "take cover" with the kids at 3AM when the tornado sirens were going off. Not bitter at all.

Don't get me wrong-if it's going to hit, I want to be under that mattress in the hallway, but on the chance that it won't, I'd rather be in my warm comfortable bed.

This scenario struck a familiar cord with me.

I have battled faith and doubt, and am currently reading the book, appropriately titled, Faith & Doubt. It hit me today that preparing for a tornado is just like preparing for eternity.

I think everyone would all agree no one wants to be on the other side of saved at the end of their life. No one wouldn't choose heaven.

However, there are those actively preparing for eternity and those who are are not.

What was I waiting for? For the tree to actually come through the roof? For the house to blow away? Then, it would be too late. I mean, I had been warned to take cover. The sirens had been sounding for an hour.

Just like with faith. We are given the warning, and some will be ready and some will not.

I love this portion of the book Faith & Doubt:

"I'd like to know. Not just trust, not just hope. I'd like the skies to part sometime. I'd like my own bona fide miracle-like my own burning bush or magic fleece or the Cubs winning the World Series in my lifetime" John Ortberg

I love that part. It resonated with me because, I'm a "show me" kind of girl.

However, one thing that we can know with absolute certainty is that the end will come. There is a sense of urgency. We don't have the luxury of time. We don't have the luxury that allows us to know and then decide. Then, it will be to late.

Just like waiting to take cover after the tornado hits.