Lessons From the Flood

Before we moved from the Hawkeye state we went through a terrible flood. The worst circumstances in 500 years the experts were saying. It was heartbreaking to drive through the most affected parts of town when the waters receded. I went for an appointment afterwards and when the doctor asked where i wanted the prescription filled and I replied "Walgreens on the Coralville strip" we both remembered at the same moment that they were under water at the moment and thus not filling anti-inflammatory medications. Yeah, it was really hard on me to have to find another place to get my meds that day....(and yes I am being sarcastic.

In my calling as primary chorister at that time a favorite wiggle song I liked to do with the kids was titled "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man." It's all about building your house on rock and not sand for "when the rains came down and the floods came up the house on the rock stood firm." I often thought about the situation of these poor home and business owners and how they handled (and are still handling) the trials being thrown their way. It would seem that most of them were the type of folks who built their 'houses' on rock. When life rained down on them they stood up to things and went on with re-building, didn't complain, didn't steal from one another, many reached out to one another. Community members supporting each other any way they could. Opening their homes to the homeless. Sandbagging night and day. It was inspiring and you couldn't help but want to join in the cause.

Now as I face the storms that life has brought my way, I ask myself "what kind of stuff am I made of, and will my house wash away or stand firm?" I hope it will be the latter. Yesterday may have been good but today the kids threw me some curve balls that had me wondering what I would come up with next. When the Relief Society President (our church's women's organization is the Relief Society and each ward will have one woman president) heard of the stitches in Little Girl's head she responded I am told with a comment like "She better gird up her loins for the future because she will have more than this to deal with" So gird (or is it girt) up I will. As soon as I learn how to spell it... For the rains are coming down and the floods are comin up.