community and a flood

Today we had a pretty bad storm swoop through the state.  At first it was kind of cool, and then it got really scary.  After church this morning we went for lunch and it just started pouring.  I'm talking you couldn't see because the rain was coming down so fast.  And the streets were beginning to flood because leave clumps were clogging the drains.  I then went to a coffee shop to do homework with friends.  The weather really calmed down after lunch but then around 2:30 it started to get pretty nasty and the wind picked up and the rain started again and the sky turned a green color.  

Being the smart college students we are we went outside to look for funneling clouds.  We didn't see any, but we did come up with a fool-proof plan if a tornado did happen to strike down on us (basket cross-grasps and aerobic routines).  An employee of the coffee shop then came out to tell us a tornado had hit the ground and we went back inside and to the basement of the coffee shop.  It started flooding and the lights went out and for a second I got really scared. 

But even faster than it came, it cleared away.  Leaving a long trail of damage. 

The coffee shop was flooded and the street corner it sat on was even more so flooded.  The employees at the coffee shop and patrons quickly got to work mopping up the floor and moving furniture/rugs to prevent damage.  In the basement there was a really big leak coming in from outside and a group of people were trying to stop it from causing too much damage.  Then outside employees had brooms and were sweeping the water down the street and unclogging the drains to keep the road open.  It was so neat to see how quickly the community within the coffee shop came together.  Inside the coffee shop was all clean in a matter of fifteen minutes or so and those outside did a fantastic job of keeping the drains clog free.  It was so cool. 

Something not so cool: I read an article today after the tornado went through that read Tornado Delays NFL Game. What? THAT is the angle you choose for the story? 

I hate these natural disasters that keep happening around the world.  It sucks.  And honesty moment? I have purposefully strayed from any newspaper or online article or television program reporting on the hurricane in the Philippines.  I cannot physically or emotionally handle any more negative news.  It isn't  fair. Life isn't fair.  And it breaks my heart. 

My confession: I ask that you would continue to pray with me for those affected by all of these natural disasters that have been occurring around the world lately.  I know for me at least my first reaction is that I want to go and help with relief work in any way that I can.  But I often forget that God is more powerful than all of us combined, and our prayers can work miracle.  We serve a good God.  

ps: that first photo I took right before we had to go to the basement. and the second, the tree right outside of Abigail's window fell today.  we are so thankful it landed just that way as to not hit our house or our neighbors.