Because sometimes I whine about stupid things.

On Tuesday, Langley's class went on a field trip to our local college. They toured the jelly kitchen, the mill, the museum, the Star School, and the dairy.

It was during the dairy part of the trip that I whipped out my phone to take pictures of the cutey dairy cows in an effort to woo this amazing blog friend to pack up her family and move to B-Town. Her husband is a veterinarian who works with dairy cows and I wanted to prove to her that we have us some COWS.  As I was texting her pictures I had the fleeting thought that maybe I depend too much on my phone. 

Addicted??

Nah.  That's crazy talk.

Two hours later my phone broke.

Lord?  Is that you? 

I have now been without a phone for two days and feel like I want to whine mightily about it.  I was all set to do that until I drove around town yesterday.

Nothing like a trip just mere miles away from my comfortable home to realize that THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WORSE OFF.

Our small town is flooded in many parts.  People have lost their homes and businesses with more water coming our way.  The surrounding lakes and streams are full.  The dam is releasing more water than ever recorded in history.

I had my camera with me. Even though they aren't great pictures, they show the devastation our area is experiencing. 

This dock was half a mile from my neighborhood.

Half a mile from my comfortable life.

A park in my grandma's neighborhood.

It's amazing to see in person.

Water takes over everything.

There was flooding in my grannie's neighborhood.  Thankfully, her house was spared.

View of the kamp my kids go to in the summer.  Lower fields completely under water.

Zipline course at the summer kamp.

Goose wandering the streets looking for food.



Someone's backyard.  Their front was worse.  House completely under water.  Only in the Ozarks would there be a broken down house boat in someone's flooded backyard.  We might be rednecks.



Back yards and front all taken over.  This is where the police asked gawkers like me to move on.

A look at the swollen lake.

The force of the water coming off the dam got us completely soaked about a mile away.  Nothing compares to the power and majesty of water.  Devasting and beautiful.

Looking at these pictures makes me sad.  It makes me realize that NOTHING IS FOREVER.

Not our phones.

Not our homes.

Not our cushy lives.

The ONLY thing that is forever is Jesus!  Our rock.  Our fortress.  Our safety in times of struggle.  With HIM, nothing can hurt us.

Not even the floodwater.

I am humbled.