Going, Going, Almost Gone

Day 320 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

I guess the flood of 2011 is "officially" over, as far as the Ohio River goes. The City of Paducah removed all but 3 of the flood gates today. You can see by my 2 pictures today that the highest point that the water achieved was really high. I have a screen capture from when the workers were removing the flood gates from this location and had a dump truck parked in frame. I can transpose one picture of another and by doing that it showed that the dump truck would have been covered with water.

I think I will venture down to the flood wall soon to see the water mark and see for myself exactly how height the waters reached. I just know that I'm glad the river has given up its grip and many people can now try to rebuild their homes as well as their lives. One hindrance to that here is that FEMA has not granted individual assistance for McCracken Count Kentucky, nor any other county in Kentucky that I know of. Parts of Tennessee, Mississippiand Missouri down river have been granted individual assistance and help from FEMA, but not our immediate area yet. I rally hope it is soon, partially for selfish reasons as my mother needs to get her house repaired. We have no idea the extent of water damage yet under the floor. We do know that it was under her house for a few days and soaked into the floor in some areas which still had particle board as the sub-flooring. Throughout the other part of her house she had just had new flooring put down, including plywood and not particle board. But the floor joists may be damaged and that does not even mention the mold issues that may be flourishing around the house and in her storage room.

I do know that everything is in the Lord's hands and He will do what is right and what is good. This may not always be what we think is right and good, may be painful, but He has promised to always sustain us. This is a large trial for my mom ans she has been through several in the past few years. I do ask you to pray for her, that she will see God in this and not be focused on herself. Pray that FEMA steps in and does what they did in 1997, when the waters were nowhere near as high as they were this time. I love my mom and I don't like to see her as frazzled as she has been since being displaced. What she needs now is God and I know that He will be there if she turns to Him.