When the floodwater comes, you are in shock. But, when it starts to subside, you find yourself saying “thank-you.”
With 12 feet of water in the basement of my rental house, I felt such gratitude when I discovered a neighbour had an extra pump. Who has an extra pump? It was surely God’s provision.
Similarly, God’s hand was so clear when my cousin came from out of town with a generator, and a friend with a smaller sump pump came when the big pump was no longer useful. Without these tools, we would have felt helpless.
Gratitude followed my prompt meeting with the adjustor, the clear information I received at the command centre and the plates of food handed out for all the exhausted workers. Friends and strangers embraced, cried and encouraged each other—all strong expressions of God’s grace.
On day eight of the cleanup, I was waiting for some scheduled volunteers to help remove the furnace, water heater, washer and dryer from the still mud-covered basement. These are heavy appliances and the stairs are steep and narrow. No volunteers, so I carried up more debris. Still no volunteers. “God,” I said. “It would be really helpful to have those volunteers now, or at least today.”
No more did I voice that request, than a truck with five strong men pulled up. They said they were just driving around seeing if they could be of help. And help they did! They emptied the basement and carted it all away in no time at all. Believe me, they had wings stuffed in their shirts.
I was very fortunate, as were my tenants. They were evacuated but are fine. Our office is still closed and employees are also displaced, but everyone is cared for and computers allow our work to move forward.
My heart goes out to those whose homes and small businesses are destroyed beyond repair. God has promised to be there when the floodwaters subside (Genesis 8) and the silt evidence disappears. It is then His people must continue to care for those who were so severely impacted. The days ahead may well be frustrating, but I pray there will still be times that the first word that comes to mind is “thanks.”
