May 25, 2015

Texas Tragedies Continue With Floods

May 25, 2015

It is difficult to imagine the amount of water that has fallen across our beautiful state in the last few days.  One place got 3 inches of rain in 30 minutes.  Another got over 7 1/2 inches in about 6 or 8 hours.  Over 16,000 lightening strikes in a 15 minute period around Austin.  All the statistics are overwhelming, but behind those statistics, are lives and livelihoods. This is a 3 day holiday weekend for many people and lots of them had traveled to lakes or rivers for a few days. 

Four families from Corpus Christi were vacationing together in the Wimberly area.  The house they were staying in was washed off its foundation when it was hit by a wall of water.  One man was found severely injured.  Today his dog was found.  His wife and children and his friends have not been found.  Homes have been destroyed.  Businesses destroyed or financially damaged by not being open for a big business weekend.  Travel interrupted.  Graduations.  Weddings.  Vacations.  Conferences. Surgeries.  So many things that people had planned; but they all pale in comparisson to the missing people and those who are known to have died.  A firefighter trying to rescue someone was swept away.  A boy and his dog were found dead in a drain pipe.

For any of us, death can come unexpectedly.  A friend sent an announcement out to his friends this weekend that said, according to his doctors, his time on this earth will soon end.  He doesn't know the exact time, but he knows his time is short.  He has time to create a few last memories for his family.  He has time to make any necessary preparations for his wife and family.  The most important preparation is one he made long ago and that was about where he will spend eternity.  This man accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior.  He has spent his life living for the Lord, serving Him in amazing ways.  But he did not serve the Lord so he could go to Heaven.  He served the Lord because of his overwhelming love for the Lord.

The families who were in the house that washed away I think had made the same preparations.  I do not know them but family members who live in Corpus Christi do know them.  From all I can tell from what I have heard, they were all serving the Lord in their daily lives.  They loved the Lord.  They had made the decision of where they would spend eternity, but they didn't think that time might come this weekend.  Hope is still being held that they will be found alive.

This holiday weekend is a time that we honor those in the military who have given their lives to keep our country free.  Normally there are a few small parades around the country, but for the most part, people think of picnics and a weekend at the lake or the beach.  This weekend has been more subdued throughout the state of Texas as we not only think of service men and women who have died protecting us but in dealing with the catastrophic weather events.

Much of my day was spent around the television, watching for updates on the weather in areas where our children live and where friends live or travel.  I was up early for allergy shots.  Then I made biscuits for breakfast.  Ron was gone much of the day and I spent the morning working around the house.  I did some laundry and baked a pineapple upside down cake.  I cleaned some in the kitchen and I reloaded the cabinet under the kitchen where Ron installed a new faucet this weekend.  We had been having a small leak and now it was time to put all the things back in the cabinet that came out.  I spent 45 minutes or so working in the yard mostly pulling weeds and taking care of the bird feeders and birdbaths.  I cleaned the windows on the outside of the sewing room for taking photos, but there were not many birds out today when I had time to take photos.

It was late afternoon before I got around to doing any sewing.  I experimented with a new pattern and I like the way a block looks when made by the pattern, but I don't see a good layout for the blocks.  The company that posted the pattern on line was asked about the layout and their response was to make a few blocks and play with them on the design wall.  I tried that and am not pleased with either my ideas or their attitude.  Oh, well.  I will find a use for the four blocks I made.

Ron did grill fajitas for our supper and they were pretty good.  We had not had any in a while.  I fixed some beans to go with them and then there was the cake I baked earlier.  I tried to take a photo of him at the grill but the camera lens fogged up with the temperature change from inside to outside.

After supper I found this quilt in progress that I had been looking for this weekend.  I think it may be the next one I want to finish.  Much is done, but it will still take a while.  I started this one about 16 years ago.  I have worked on it off and on over the years and need to get it finished!