My dad and I had plans to spend the morning together-we left the house about 9:30. We headed to the bank 15 miles from our house, so he could make a deposit. When we pulled out it was 10:00 he asked if I was hungry and I said of course!
I suggested this new place in Clinton he suggested a hole-in the wall in Jackson. I am always up for an adventure so thats what we did! We ate some yummy hamburgers in a place that has a sign that reads, "be careful with this door-if you pull to hard it will fall off"
We got in the car at 10:45 and headed down Hwy 80 in Jackson-towards Clinton. At the last minute-my dad turned off Hwy80 and said-"I know you've wanted to go junkin at this store-lets stop in."
The next hour was a blur-one minute I was junkin-the next Todd called and said a tornado hit Clinton near the girls school-he was on the way to check on them. We flew down Hwy 80-all the red lights were out. When we entered clinton we saw this
this is literally a few hundred feet from my children. Todd called as my heart started to swell, "They are fine. I am taking them home"
To give you a glimpse of this tornado-here is a video from youtube taken by stormchasers.
Todd works on Hwy 80 and I work right on the other side of that bridge on the frontage road-It has been an emotional day to say the least.
I have lived in this town my entire life. 26 years. Never-EVER has this happened. We are all still in shock. Banks were destroyed, a hotel had the roof ripped off, popeyes is a skeleton building. Cars were tossed like tin cans across the interstate. Thankful-No one was killed.
Here is how I saw God today.
1)If my Dad hadn't of turned off of Hwy 80 to go to the junk store-we would have been driving into the tornado-literally we were driving straight towards this
2)2 schools (my daughters and the 4th&5th grade) were in the MIDDLE of the most destruction. Neither had major damage and no one was hurt.
If you aren't a believer of God being with you all the time-Ask the HUNDREDS of Clintonians that experienced this today. He was here. We all saw Him.
Tomorrow we start the clean up process. Trees down, houses in shambles. People are in good spirits. Everyone I spoke to today said, "This can be replaced-we were spared".
If you would like to see more pictures-follow me on twitter @SarahBroadus-I tweeted about 15 today and will have more tomorrow during the clean up process.
God was so clearly evident through this whole weekend! He is making Himself know both through the power of a storm and the direction His hand provided to give protection to everyone. Praise His Name!
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