"Floods came and the wind blew"

We are still cleaning up from hurricane Helene, but the Pewster-in-law's place in Florida is in the bullseye for the next storm. They are snow birds and are only there in the winter so they are safe in their summer primary home. My friend on Sanibel Island has evacuated. 

I was born on an island that was wiped out by a hurricane over a century ago, and I grew up in hurricane country riding out many in my childhood home which was seriously shaking during one storm. My father taught me how to prepare, and to never buy a house in certain flood prone areas or to own a beach front home. 

I feel for people like my friend who live on or near the beach, but I remember my father's advice as well as the words of Jesus, 

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27

Still, we build on sand anyway, and the floods will come some day to wash it all away.

So as to not leave you on a sour note remember,

"Many waters cannot quench love,

    neither can floods drown it." - Song of Solomon 8:7a

Let the floods come, God loves us and watches over us. We just would do better if we followed his advice.