Our local weather guys were admittedly speechless when the severity of the system became apparent.
It's not a comforting thought to see concern bordering on panic on the faces of professional TV sorts.
God blessed us. We were right in the middle of two severe Tornados, and came out virtually unscathed.
One went to the east of us over our county seat and caused severe damage before heading on it's destructive way towards Virginia. Another was further east, passing over Greensboro, and Seymour Johnston AFB before hitting Greenville and heading North.
And one went just to the west of us.
All we had was vertical rain. Not a branch came down at our place.
The Western one followed US 1 all the way through the middle of the State and into downtown Raleigh, leaving a trail of death and destruction in it's wake.
People lost everything they had in some cases.
And the poor and lower class suffered the most.
Many lived in mobile home parks, which looked like bombs wiped them out.
A lot of these folks had no insurance to replace their losses.
Saturday night, almost 200,000 had no power, including 19,000 here in Johnston County.
My heart went out in particular to one man about my age in the county.
He had lost a beautiful farm that I had viewed many times while driving up I40 not far from here.
Every one of his 11 Turkey buildings were destroyed, and the roof of his home was pretty much gone.
He had yet to even find his horses, as their barn was blown away.
Ditto his pigs and their enclosures.
Neighbors said "He's the hardest working man in Johnston County. He built that farm up from nothing over decades."
I saw the face of a broken man, whose soul had been crushed in the span of 10 minutes.
I put myself in his place, and my soul ached for him.
He and his wife were alive, and they were thankful.
As most Americans do, I know he will pick himself up, dust himself off, and like a true Southerner probably cuss a bit.
Then he will go back to work.
I also so a marked departure from some of the images I remember after Hurricane Katrina hit.
As they interviewed people who had suffered, their neighbors were in the background stretching covers over the holes in their roof.
They were going door to door making certain everyone was OK.
They were already clearing fallen trees off of driveways and roads.
Those that had power were asking in those that had none.
Supplies were on the way while the winds were still swirling.
Our pastor told us this morning that the North Carolina Baptist Men were already on the scene with tools and strong arms to help.
They were also the first in New Orleans from outside, and one of the first groups in Haiti and Japan.
This one was at home, and their appearance was immediate.
The absence of people screaming for FEMA and the Federal Government was noticeable.
Before the storm even hit, I got a call from FRG (Family Resource Group) from Ariel's unit, Delta Company of the Second Battalion.
They assured me that "Your soldier is OK. But there was an incident yesterday." A young Specialist, 25 was lost, and two more soldiers were severely wounded.
We knew that he was OK, but the call was still terrifying.
It's the kind of call every parent of a combat Soldier or Marine dreads.
Ariel was able to call us today, after they lifted the Comm block.
He was lifting weights after his duty day, and heard the firefight.
It was an ambush very close to the FOB on another platoon's patrol outside the wire.
One soldier is so seriously wounded he will be sent home. The other will probably be back at the FOB in a month or so to resume his duties.
He kind of knew the young man that we all lost, but in a company of almost 200 men you don't know everyone personally.
But they are truly a Band of Brothers, and each and every loss affects all of them.
If our politicians won't let them fight, then we all need to start a relentless fight to bring them home and out of Afghanistan.
We are in yet another Vietnam, with no political will to win, no distinct military objective, and no strategic reason to be there that affects our National Security or interests.
We also have no plan, and no exit strategy.
Ten years is enough!
Please pray for the young man's family that gave his all for his country and for those who bled for it.
And pray for the poor souls here in the Southeast who were devastated by the Tornado's of yesterday.
