Trying week and Crisis Prayer

So most of you are aware of my flood issue.  We woke up Saturday morning at 5 am to find a pipe had busted in our upstairs bathroom.  By the time we found it, there was 2 inches of water upstairs and at least 2 inches of water downstairs.  It was BAD.  After a frantic call to our maintenance person (we rent), a trip to church to grab the shop vac and dehumidifier, and lots of wet nasty mess we have headed this week through a very yucky road to hell and back.

I don't want to get into all the gory details of dealing with landlords, water, ruined belongings and just not fun stuff but more how it has changed me... or will hopefully change me.

I am a drama queen.  I take things way too personally and overdramatize situations.  We all do this to a certain extreme.  Bizarrely, I have kept a level head since early Saturday morning.  It is very overwhelming.  It is very disconcerting to have the problem not really being taken care of by the people that should be taking care of it.  Lots of anger, lots of frustration and lots of uncertainty.

Currently I am working on increasing the quantity but more so the quality of my relationship with God through prayers and devotions.  When emergencies like this happen in your life, your prayers change drastically.  We find in our lives that we are so much more open to God when we are crying out to Him- Oh God help me! God I need you now! God, give me strength to get thru this disgusting mess!  Often our prayer life greatly increases when we "need" God most.  But don't we always need God?  Don't we always need God's strength and support?

This crazy week of disasters has led me to several truths in my own life --

God is there for me. -- In the midst of all this, I see glimpses of God's grace encircling and holding me.  It is often not easy or explainable but God's love is in the midst of this and all things.

I have so many people that love me.  -- On Tuesday I snapped and yelled at my mother.  She was giving me some bit of advice that I was not in the mood to listen to right then.  MANY people have given me "advice" throughout this mess.  As much as I want to be left alone, everybody puts their .02 in.  I love everybody for it.  I love that EVERYBODY loves me and my family to want to help.  I love that everybody wants to make sure I do not leave anything out so that I come on top.  In those times, when we think we want to be left alone, that is often when we most need to know that someone cares.
Also in that people loving me, I happened thru church on Monday and was given a card "to add sparkle to my day."  In it was a gift card to Gattis.  It was totally unnecessary, but that simple gesture was so welcomed and appreciated.  Words cannot express how that made me feel inside.

This leads me to my third truth -- blessings and gratitude.  I have so so much to be thankful for.  I am blessed by a family who even through some tense moments this week, we will come out of this stronger than ever.  I am grateful to those who have helped with fans and leads on dealing with our water.  It is a blessing that we did not lose much in the way of personal belongings.  The flood happened in such a way that only minimal personal stuff was damaged (the house however got serious damage).  I am blessed that no one was injured.  We are sure to have some faulty wiring in the fixtures that were affected by the water.  Thankfully these have not blown.  Our upstairs is VERY soggy.  Thankfully that has not caused injury.

Mostly, I have learned that in all I do, God surrounds me with all that I need.  God provides me strength to get through the trying times.  God provides me friends to love and support me.

It is truly an awesome feeling in the midst of chaos.  AMEN!

Here is a little taste of the water damage.  This is under the sink that had the broken flex line.