John and I awoke to a huge bang and loud crack. We looked out our cabin window and saw a huge pine tree crash to the ground. The cabin filled with smoke. We got out of the loft, fearful our cabin was about to burn to the ground. I told John to grab our baby's clothes and I grabbed a photo album from our honeymoon. (I completely forgot about my camera sitting on the floor!) With the storm still ranging around us, we fled to my parent's house.
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Through time and measuring, we have discovered how graciously God spared us. The 80 foot pine tree struck by lightening, was only 45 feet from our cabin. Instead of falling toward us, it fell away from our cabin. The electricity then followed a jagged 52 foot trail to our cabin, blowing dirt and forest covering 10 feet high into the trees above and hitting our bedroom window. It then sailed up some downhill skis John had resting against the cabin and into a screw on our cabin's exterior. From there, it came inside, melted a screw, and blacked the wall where an extension cord was. Our microwave and toaster were plugged into that extension cord. That is where the smoke came from. Unbelievably, our microwave, toaster, fridge... actually everything plugged in still works!!! The only lights that don't work are our LED Christmas lights we had on the outside of our cabin.
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The electricity moved from our cabin to my parent's house, throwing two 100 amp breakers. So far, the only things discovered to not work are: my mom's computer (which has been giving her grief), the Internet router, and two cordless phones.
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The Tree
The Tree
John on his cell with a *Smile*
The tape measure follows the lightening path
The damage to the cabin
