Saturday, September 13, 2008

Confirmation

It's 5:45 PM CST Our neighbor was able to get a call out to us - PRAISE GOD we did not have flooding!!! Not even in the yard - my neighbor is across the street and his yard always fills up when mine doesn't. He said he got about an inch inside but it receided pretty quickly. He reported that we have a few shingles missing and he did not walk around to the backyard where we have two large trees over a deck that could have hit the roof - but the trees are large enough to be seen from the front so I'm sure if there was anything to worry about he would have checked.

As I'm composing this I just got a text from my girlfriend that had to move across the street due to water...said they got 2-3 inches in all the rooms but the quilt room! God must be truly answering the prayers of all the quilters out there praying for us quilters here in the storm.

I know soooo many quilters in this affected area - I am eager to hear from my friends.

Since we now have power here we are glued to the TV. Right now they are showing "my stomping grounds" I can't begin to discribe what I'm seeing. Many of the areas I know people that live there. I know many of you are watching on national TV, but when you see the local mall you shop at with it's roof off, or you see the resturants just 5 miles north where you frequent still under water and with massive structural damage...it's just indescribable and then to realize that for some unknown reason God has spared my little home when all around us is still underwater. It's more than humbling.

One of my friends says I sometimes over spiritualize things, but I don't know...I find it hard not to recognize the miracelous around me. The biggest miracle is the answered prayers for God to spare lives!

In the days ahead you are going to see and hear stories of neighbors helping neighbors, it's going to be amazing, I know I'm a "proud" Texan - but we are a hard working caring folk and the nation will see witness to this. I can't help but recognize that since we won't be focused on ourselves since our home didn't suffer that we will be able to help others and do our part.

Our area (home not here where I'm an evacuee) is without power and no telling when it will come back on. They are asking folks not to come back to the evacuated areas until the "all clear" we are hoping to go home tomorrow. My husband's parents have a built in generator that runs off natural gas when the power kicks off so we would have a cool place to sleep at least. Of course that means I give up the computer here (sigh) but that's okay. OH! we are suppose to have a cool front in a day or two - those of you in other parts of the country will laugh at this, the news media is calling 80 degrees with no humidity a cool front! But believe me, to us it will be!!

I don't take it for granted that we were spared. I don't want to minimize the massive damage done to this area. It is wide spread. So many are displaced and will be suffering through the clean up and rebuilding process. I know "seeing" things on TV won't be the same as when I'll see things in person. I'm trying to prepare myself for the shock of reality, but I don't know if you ever are truly prepared. I'm just trying to remain optomistic, and I want to be of service to my extended family and neighbors during this time. Its not going to be a fun easy journey, but with God all things are possible. He still hasn't left us, even those who have no home to go home to - He is still on His throne. My desire is to share His love to those hurting around me.

2 comments:

Jeanne Turner McBrayer said...

Karen, it sounds like your home is in pretty good shape considering, but I know you are anxious to get home.

When we got back to town after our area was ravaged by a hurricane, the worst part was the rotten food in the refrigerator and freezer. Homeowners covered all but the deductible, but what a stinky mess. After that, finding ice was a daily task until the power came back on. We were not even supposed to take showers although the water was on because it was not purified...and it was in the nineties with no AC. I hope you will find things in good shape when you return.

Randi said...

As a fellow longarmer, I couldn't help but be relieved to hear that your A1 is dry! I know that is insignificant compared to human loss, but still...I kept thinking "let her longarm be ok". :-)