Hurricane Season for a Native Floridian

As Issac eyes Florida, it reminds me of all the days me and my family spent tracking and preparing for summer hurricanes. Being a military brat, we lived all over Florida, New Orleans and New Jersey so hurricanes were a part of our lexicon.

I know it seems odd but I miss those days and the excitement that went with preparing for something that was bigger than ourselves. We would stay glued to the TV as the reporters warned viewers that the storm, anywhere from 74 mph winds to well above 150 mph winds, could make landfall in our area. Mom would load all of us kids (four of us) and head to the grocery store to fight for water, potted meat, peanut butter, Little Debbie treats and bread. We would scrub the bathtub and disinfect it so that it could be used for water storage.

Mom would test all flashlights and check for candles, fill the cars up with gas and tape up windows when we lived close to either the Gulf or Atlantic. This process usually began about a week out because grocery stores would quickly sell out of the necessities.

When we lived in Key West, a hurricane threatened a direct hit, the first since the early 20th century. My stepdad, being in the Coast Guard, was required to take the boats to sea to avoid the storm leaving my mom and the kids on their own devices and to decide what to do ... stay in a shelter that was built in the 1940s and faced the very ocean that would carry the storm to our door or try to fight the traffic the 100+ miles to the safety of the peninsula or stay in our duplex. Mom chose to stay in the duplex that was our home. The Shore Patrol was not happy with the families that chose to stay in their homes. But, hey, I wouldn't mess with my mom in that day.

In the end, that storm went around Key West and it was spared once again. The weather was awful but we road it out at home. She always made these times fun with games and eating junk food. So, I was really never scared. I think that is a wonderful gift she gave us. In the midst of uncertainty, she never let us know that she was scared or that we may be in trouble.

Today, I see so many parents that share with their kids the problems of the day and the uncertainty takes it toll on the children. What I learned was that you take as many precautions as possible, you pay attention to what's going on and prepare but you make sure your children feel secure. In situations where you don't have any control, you have to trust God and know that He will bring you through whatever comes your way.

I still feel this and live my life in such a way as to make all the preparations that I can and trust God to bring me through it. I pray for all the people who are facing down Isaac and that they will find strength in the storm and God's blessings in all.