Rain

In January 2007 while living in Watseka Illinois, we had a rainy spell that lasted a few days. When I looked out our front door one morning, this is what I saw. In my mind this was pretty extreme and probably the extent of the flooding we would see. I was wrong.

That night we had a knock on our door to get out as soon as possible. The water did not stop rising. 

This was the view from the porch after the water crested and had gone significantly down. 

We could not even get to our street during the height of the flooding. Water is powerful stuff. There is no stopping its path.

During the worst of it, the water was about 12 inches above the top of the porch. We found a new home across town, but in the thick of it, you really began to wonder what things in life were really all that important. Earthly possessions began to lose their value and significance. All that mattered was our safety.

It has been raining in Salt Lake County for the past month. We've had a few days of sunshine, but the clouds have shrouded the valley constantly for days and days. The future looks a bit frightening, but in the midst of events such as this, men and women rally together to help each other. Bonds of friendship are formed. 

The saints in Iroquois County Illinois worked tirelessly to help their neighbors during this terrible disaster I witnessed. It was wonderful to see the community come together and support one another. Even though disasters can cause heartache and great loss, they can also bring a renewed sense of faith and hope.