If you live in Oklahoma and recall anything about summer 07, you will recall the rain. That's pretty much all it did that summer, rain. And then it rained some more. After that, it rained again.
We live on a
bout 5 acres, and I love every inch of it. I love to hold events at my house to enjoy this space. When our homeschool group halted it's summer meetings, I offered to hold, not meeting, but get togethers at my home each month. This way, we could still take a break from the meeting style setting, but still enjoy the fellowship of each other. Just days before our first gathering was scheduled, it was raining...go figure. Our yard was so soggy that we had to cancel the get together. I was not happy about it. But there was always next month!
bout 5 acres, and I love every inch of it. I love to hold events at my house to enjoy this space. When our homeschool group halted it's summer meetings, I offered to hold, not meeting, but get togethers at my home each month. This way, we could still take a break from the meeting style setting, but still enjoy the fellowship of each other. Just days before our first gathering was scheduled, it was raining...go figure. Our yard was so soggy that we had to cancel the get together. I was not happy about it. But there was always next month! The soggy mess continued and for days we couldn't open our garage door because of all the water rushing by it. There is no ditch or drain out near the road by our house. Water and more water runs into one of our fields from I don't even know how many acres to our we
st. All of this water then runs down and pools beside the driveway. After it levels with the driveway, it runs back up towards the garage, fills the cement driveway in front of the garage, travels down the sidewalk and out across the front yard. As if this isn't enough, while the rain is coming down, it can't make this journey fast enough so the water also spills over the driveway from the 'pond' and takes out across the front yard from another direction. After running through the yard and taking a significant amount of dirt with it, it spills down under the fence...where erosion has removed several feet of earth and there it forms a creek. Behind the mini barn thing and out into the south east field and its on its way towards the lake.
st. All of this water then runs down and pools beside the driveway. After it levels with the driveway, it runs back up towards the garage, fills the cement driveway in front of the garage, travels down the sidewalk and out across the front yard. As if this isn't enough, while the rain is coming down, it can't make this journey fast enough so the water also spills over the driveway from the 'pond' and takes out across the front yard from another direction. After running through the yard and taking a significant amount of dirt with it, it spills down under the fence...where erosion has removed several feet of earth and there it forms a creek. Behind the mini barn thing and out into the south east field and its on its way towards the lake. When we moved into this house, I decided this place needed a name. Between Scissortail Landing and Deer Run, Deer Run stuck. On the phone with my husband one afternoon, letting him know the extent of this particular day's flooding, I said "Well, I was thinking of changing the name from Deer Run to A River Runs Through It." Once, Stephen called to say he was on his way home and I told him that at the bend of the driveway, it was likely that he would have to abandon car and swim for it. Other days I told him to stop by Academy and pick up a canoe so that he could get to the house! While those are obviously just exaggerations, our family thrives on the humor that comes out of all situations. Not everyone would appreciate the way we see some things as just plain laughable.
It was beyond wet. No shoe could survive a trip to the van, even it was parked in the closest spot. There w
as no way you could park in the yard to shorten the trip, it was so soggy the van would have been our new yard flamingo, but more expensive and less vibrant. On days that the rain didn't pour down from the sky all day long, we were never dry. Our pond remained filled and we had three ducks. Really, we had three ducks that came here every day that we had water to swim in. The kids enjoyed to 'pond' too and they had a great time chasing those ducks around. We also had our very first time witness of wildlife love in action. "Oh honey, that duck isn't hurting her (on our porch)!"
as no way you could park in the yard to shorten the trip, it was so soggy the van would have been our new yard flamingo, but more expensive and less vibrant. On days that the rain didn't pour down from the sky all day long, we were never dry. Our pond remained filled and we had three ducks. Really, we had three ducks that came here every day that we had water to swim in. The kids enjoyed to 'pond' too and they had a great time chasing those ducks around. We also had our very first time witness of wildlife love in action. "Oh honey, that duck isn't hurting her (on our porch)!"
Many a days did I stand on the porch watching the water rushing by wondering if it would overtake us. It was so close on a few occasions. Had the water reached the top of the porch, it would have been right in the house, as the porch is tilted. Had the water reached the house, it would have been in my living room, as it is sunken.
When we investigated the flooding in the garage, it was, well, wet. Really wet. We rented a giant dumpster an
d our LifeGroup came over and helped us clean up the soggy mess. As we sifted through the moldy puddles and soaked boxes, we realized the water went much further into the garage then we thought it did. In some places the water went all the way up the back wall. The dumpster was filled with damaged stuff from our garage. Lots of it was junk. I mean before the flood! After it, nearly everything was junk! It was certainly a way to lighten our load and for the most part I was okay with it. When we found things that were special I was upset. I had to throw away moldy photographs and lots of artwork that my children had made when they were very young. A box of my oldest sons stuffed animals got ruined and he did not take it lightly when we had to chunk his things in the trash.
d our LifeGroup came over and helped us clean up the soggy mess. As we sifted through the moldy puddles and soaked boxes, we realized the water went much further into the garage then we thought it did. In some places the water went all the way up the back wall. The dumpster was filled with damaged stuff from our garage. Lots of it was junk. I mean before the flood! After it, nearly everything was junk! It was certainly a way to lighten our load and for the most part I was okay with it. When we found things that were special I was upset. I had to throw away moldy photographs and lots of artwork that my children had made when they were very young. A box of my oldest sons stuffed animals got ruined and he did not take it lightly when we had to chunk his things in the trash. Large black stains marked the floor in each place a moldy box was pulled up. I learned that nothing should ever be stuck in a cardboard box. Even though the water was only a few inches high, the cardboard just soaks up the water and ruins everything inside. We tossed yearbooks, birthday cards and momentos of all kinds. We lost clothes and Christmas stuff, computer parts and more. As I think back about it, it saddens me remember what we had to throw out, but I remember that they are just things and my memories do not require tangible items in order for me to enjoy them. That was a lesson that I know will benefit me forever, as it has come in very handy during the past year.
It's amazing how, so many times, we can see God's hand all over our messes 
that are so much more than just messes. Did that make any sense? I mean, being able to look back and see His purpose for our mess. The Lord gave us humor to deal with lots of soggy, smelly, ruined shoes. He reminded us that we have our memories as we sifted through garbage bound keepsakes. He gave us ducks to enjoy while our house was all but floating away. He even gave us a rainbow to remind us He has all things under control.
that are so much more than just messes. Did that make any sense? I mean, being able to look back and see His purpose for our mess. The Lord gave us humor to deal with lots of soggy, smelly, ruined shoes. He reminded us that we have our memories as we sifted through garbage bound keepsakes. He gave us ducks to enjoy while our house was all but floating away. He even gave us a rainbow to remind us He has all things under control.
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