Woman Hit by Lightning while Praying

A news item from WSB television, Atlanta:
Worried about the safety of her family during a stormy Memorial Day trip to the beach, Clara Jean Brown stood in her kitchen and prayed for their safe return as a strong thunderstorm rumbled through Baldwin County, Alabama.

But while she prayed, lightning suddenly exploded, blowing through the linoleum and leaving a blackened area on the concrete. Brown wound up on the floor, dazed and disoriented by the blast but otherwise uninjured.

She said 'Amen' and the room was engulfed in a huge ball of fire. The 65-year-old Brown said she is blessed to be alive.

Firefighters said its likely she was hit by a bolt of lightning that apparently struck outside and traveled into the house yesterday afternoon. She was found lying on the floor by her 14-year-old granddaughter.

Fire officials think the lightning likely struck across the street from the couple's home and traveled into the house through a water line. The lightning continued into the couple's backyard and ripped open a small trench.

You know you’re having a bad day when you kneel in prayer and get hit with a lightning bolt. As an Anglican, I’m one of the world’s worst at free-style praying, but at least I’ve never elicited that response from the Lord. If I were her, I think I’d stick to a prayer book from now on.

A family member said he will no longer assume it is safe to be indoors during a lightning strike.

Huh? Where the heck else are you going to go? If it's not safe indoors praying, I don't think outdoors is going to be a whole lot better. "Ever since mama got zapped in the house, whenever there's a thunderstorm, I go stand in the rain and hold onto the flagpole."