I do not like thunder and lightning. I never have and don’t have any plans to change. I realize it is created by God, and it serves a very useful purpose…but I do not like it. I do not like to hear it. I do not like to see it. I do not like to even think about it. However, because I care about my blogging buddies, I am forcing myself to blog about this. But, this is a one time deal…you better take notes. I know you have heard most of these things before, but it never hurts to hear them again. I am using information from a USA Today report by Jack Williams, and from the National Weather Service.
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Lightning kills close to 100 people in the US every year. And most of these are at this time of year when thunderstorms hit quickly and often.

A typical lightning strike can heat up the air around it to 50,000 degrees, which causes it to expand and contract which in turn causes sound waves. You hear this as thunder. So, even if you do not see the lightning…THUNDER MEANS IT IS THERE! Thunder should be thought of as a wake-up call. If you can hear the thunder, the lightning is within 10 miles. Thunder rarely travels further than that. A lightning strike can travel over 5 miles.

Remember this:

IF YOU HEAR IT…..FEAR IT…
IF YOU SEE IT……FLEE IT…

So, friends, if you can hear the thunder…the lightning is close enough to worry about!!!Now, I did not realize this. I always thought that the thunder just meant a storm was coming…not realizing thunder actually means the storm is here!

A permanent building is a safe place to be. But, you must be aware of these things:
***Stay away from windows…people have been killed by going to a window to look at the storm.
***Do not talk on the telephone…lightning can follow the telephone wire and strike you.
***Do not take a bath…and stay away from plumbing fixtures. In other words…just ‘hold it’ til the storm is over.
***Do not use or stand near electrical appliances…the lightning can follow the wiring inside. NO BLOGGING!!!!

A car can offer some protection…but it has nothing to do with the tires. If the car is struck, it will follow the metal path to the ground. Therefore…if you are seeking shelter in a car during a storm, DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING METAL. Also, be sure all the windows are rolled up. You’re only safe in a metal roof car.

If you are caught outdoors, do not seek shelter in: carport, dugout, tent, picnic pavilions, under a tree, etc. If you are driving, stop. A flash of lightning can blind the driver.

I know you have all heard these warning signs hundreds of times, but maybe you are like me and did not realize that you should seek shelter when you begin to hear the thunder.

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I used to be bothered by the fact that thunder and lightning seemed so useless. Why could it not just rain with out all the lights and noise? Then one day I was preparing a lesson for some preschoolers, and I got my answer.

Eighty per cent of our atmosphere is made up of nitrogen which is essential to vegetation. But, it is floating around in the air…when the plants that need it are on the ground. Isn’t it just like God to have that in His plan all along? When the intense heat of the lightning streaks through the sky, it dissolves the nitrogen into the rain which carries it to the earth. Have you ever noticed that sort of acid smell after a thunderstorm? Well, that is the nitrogen that has fallen…God’s fertilizer!

This world did not just happen by accident. Every single thing was thought out and planned by a most magnificent God. Every little thing in our vast universe is here for a reason and a purpose.

Even so, I still do not like the lightning. And you can be sure that I will not be where it is. In fact, if possible, I will not even be where I can see it. But, I thank Him for it anyway…though I am not sure He believes me!
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“It is His voice that echoes in the thunder of the storm clouds. He causes mists to rise upon the earth; He sends the lightning and brings the rain, and from His treasures He brings the winds.” Jeremiah 10:13