Sideroads

While we waited for the water to go down on Saturday morning, we watched a snake wiggle its way through the muddy water.

A big fish jumped out of the water. Darren said it was a carp and went for his fishing rod. He fished for a while but caught nothing. I guess the big fish ended up in Tug River.

The water went down almost as fast as it had risen. The sights and the foul-smelling odor the flood water left behind were not pleasant.

As soon as the water receded, all the flood victims began to survey their losses. I think most folks were in shock. I know I was.

Power was out. Phones were out. But we began to hear from surrounding communities ... places like Belfry that were hit really hard. Very few homes, businesses and schools were spared in Belfry.

In my neighborhood of Jerry Bottom, Pond Creek travels in an arc. Houses on both ends of the arc were badly flooded, while several in the center of the arc were spared.

Saturday afternoon, after the water receded, I went to check my apartment. Our landlord was already there making clean-up preparations.

All around the apartment and surrounding houses, mud lay spread out like a brown blanket. It was a thick layer and it clung to your feet like glue. I had to walk across about 10 feet of it to get to my door. About halfway to the door, the thick mud put a suction hold on my feet that would not let me go.

I began to lose my balance and at that very moment, two pairs of strong hands grasped my arms to lift me out of the mud. Two men had come to my rescue and lifted me right out of my shoes. I think it was amusing moments like that and Darren’s carp-fishing that helped us keep our sanity.

Even though I had helped in floods in years gone by, I wasn’t prepared for what was in my apartment. I pray I never put too much value on material things, but it was a hard experience.

My apartment has two bedrooms upstairs, so I still had my sleeping area and most of my clothes. Most folks don’t have upstairs in their homes, though, and they were left precious little of their belongings.

The water had gotten about four feet in my apartment. Except for a couple of items that were wood or metal and a few things above the reach of the water, all the furniture, appliances and carpeting, plus a lot of smaller items, were ruined.

Early Sunday morning, the clean-up really began. Our landlord came with his family and some other helpers. Anthony and his crew carried everything out of the apartment and spent hours shoveling mud, tearing out carpet and hosing down the walls and floors.

All around us, in surrounding homes, our neighbors were doing the same. And the heaps of mud and water-soaked belongings grew outside our doors.

I remember looking at the muddy pile outside my door. To many people in this world, it wouldn’t have meant much, even in its best condition ... but it represented a lot of hard work and a little physical and emotional comfort in my old age.

And I thought about Job as I looked at the heap ... about how he sat on a heap of ashes. He lost everything he owned in this world ... houses, lands, family, health ... but he didn’t lose his faith in God.

I looked beyond the soggy discarded heaps and mud around me. The sky was still blue. Flowers were still blooming. Birds were still singing. People were still helping one another ... And the Lord will provide all we need.

Except for a few personal mementos, I hadn’t lost anything that couldn’t be replaced ... my family and my friends are with me and my faith in God endures. I know that He never fails and if we but trust Him and ask Him, He will see us through any hardship or heartache.

I continue to pray for you all and I want to say ‘thank you.’ I wish it were possible to name all of you who have blessed me so very much these past few weeks.

Your prayers, cards, notes, monetary gifts, cleaning and scrubbing, your visits, smiles and hugs ... just for caring ... what a blessing you have been ... I appreciate and love you all – very much! God bless!

(c)copyright 2009 Leona Baldwin