Flood.

I apologize for the lack of posting. There's been no lack of things to write, but time is at a minimum right now. This week has been full, mainly divided by two things: trudging through feet of flood water to salvage our neighbors' belongings, and painting.

When I posted the pictures of the flooding in our back yard a few days ago, we still had no idea that the worst of the flooding was yet to come. Thankfully for us, the water in our back yard drained off quickly into the Harpeth River. But when the Harpeth River filled up, it poured into the Cumberland River, which had nowhere to go except the streets of downtown Nashville. This happened around Monday afternoon, which was ironically sunny and humid without a cloud in the sky. The Opryland Hotel is now under 10 feet of water. Opry Mills mall has neck-deep water in its halls (and piranha are loose from the aquarium restaurant! Ha!). Many roads are still blocked. Clean water is running out, and we've been asked to reduce our water consumption by half. Near our house, the water ripped up parts of the road and there are sheets of asphalt hanging over the guardrails. The damage is almost unfathomable, and can't be comprehended until you've seen it in person.

I spent much of yesterday in a condo in West Nashville that had accumulated water up to your thighs throughout the whole thing. It just happened to be for sale when it flooded, which is one of the most heartbreaking parts. The carpet, tile, and parts of the bathroom had recently been replaced. And now, water covered the entire thing. Not just rain water, but muddy, toxic water with an oily surface and the stench of sewage. As it receded, there was even a water moccasin snake that had washed up onto the porch. The power was out, and we went in with flashlights, boots, gloves, and masks to save what we could and trash what we couldn't (which was most). What amazed me was the owner's attitude. She was looking for things she could possibly donate, knowing others were even worse off than she was. Her outlook was inspiring.

All that to say, I'll be back with my normal posting and some flood pictures soon. It has just been a little consuming as of now.

Please pray for those who have lost everything. I don't know of anyone who had flood insurance because have never had a flood like this before and they don't even live near a river! We are praying for government assistance for those who will literally be homeless without it.

One wonderful thing I've seen come out of this is how the church has stepped in. There are more than enough volunteers - almost all from local churches - in every neighborhood I've worked in so far. People are receptive to their help when they may not be otherwise. Pray for the Lord to use this storm to open their hearts to the Gospel.