A Flood in my Desert

What do you do when God shows up on your scene and you can't even doubt it was Him? Well I blog! 

Yesterday was supposed to be a busy day, but my day got just a little too busy for me. I had prepared for a houseful of women to do a card and paper crafting workshop. The tables were set, the chocolate was all set out on the dining room table. Iced tea and lemonade were cooling out in the fridge. All the supplies were cut, sorted and prepped. The girls began filtering in with their own chocolates (Hey it was a "chicks and chocolate" workshop) and we sat down to our projects. There were two new gals at the tables so there was a lot of "getting to know you" going on. Happy chatter and banter continued throughout the afternoon as we nibbled, crafted and enjoyed the cool of the A/C and overhead fan buzzing in the background. We heard a popping noise but everyone agreed it was just the ice in the sink settling. (NOT!!!) Soon we heard a hissing and watery flowing noise. One gal assumed it was the coffee maker, but when she looked there was NO coffee brewing. I stood and walked towards the noise. It was then my mind began to shut down. I can even feel my heart beat racing as I write this!

As I approached the sound I could see at least an inch of water in the master bathroom. I could also hear a LOT of water flowing. As I got closer I could see a hole in the wall where the water had literally blown through the sheet rock. I began running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Again, when I look back I can tell my head shut off.

I knew there must be a cut off somewhere, but none of us could find it. There wasn't one on the water heater (the source of the flood waters). I went outside and could see that the water had been flowing long enough to flood behind the house. The house being a mobile home meant that things weren't "normal". I looked for a cut off and found what I thought was the top to the cut off box. I opened it and turned it, but to no avail. The girls were doing their best to stop the water in the house, search for the cut off and come up with some way to stop the destruction. I got on my cell and called the manager of the mobile home park. I screamed the problem and told her to come help me find the cut off. 

Normally my husband would be the one doing all the problem solving, but he just happened to be in New Mexico in the mountains fasting and praying. His cell is out of range of any towers so I know not to expect to hear from him until sometime Sunday. It was Saturday when all the chaos began and I knew I wouldn't be reaching him any time soon.

When the manager arrived she helped look for the cut off. By this time the water had flooded into my bedroom and was turning the blue carpeting into a soggy smelly mess. I wanted new carpeting, but this was not how I planned to get it. One of my friends was under the mobile home (after tearing the skirting away) and was trying to pop the PVC pipe loose from the connection to the water heater. The sheet rock had since fallen to the ground and exposed the culprit behind the mess; a broken coupling on the front of the water heater. The popping noise we had heard earlier was this plastic ring splitting under the high pressure of the water and hitting the sheet rock on the cover of the water heater panel. 

I had mentioned earlier to the gals that hubby was the one who plumbed all the cut offs for the park. It's just like this sort of situation to make one feel helpless and just plain stupid. I hear my husband talking about all the cut offs and how the home owners don't know where theirs are. Here I am in the same boat. Hey, wait I could have used a boat. I suddenly remembered that hubby has a helper in this fine art of plumbing; a guy named, "Joseph". Problem is I have never laid eyes on Joseph. The manager must have been thinking the same thing because the next thing I know is that Joseph is there and has found the cut off, turned it off, repaired the broken pipe under the mobile home and volunteered to use his "Unflood" van to vacuum the mess and left two huge drying fans. He and his wife graciously cleaned the whole mess up and refused to take a penny. Normally it would be my husband and me doing the "good Samaritan" thing! 

My girlfriends and I all looked like drowned swamp rats. I sat it a fog as I came down from the adrenaline high I was in and began to shake. The reality of the situation was just so surreal! 

All I can say is that the situation though not perfect is handled until Monday. I will be checking the moisture level at the house and calling Joseph to come get his fans as well. God is so good. He provided a flood in my desert and then provided the savior to the situation. Makes me think of the son of Joseph (Ben Yoseph) who became a servant and paid the ultimate price for our deliverance! If my Joseph's middle name is David I will totally freak out! I guess I'll ask him the next time I see him. 

Thanks Abba for providing every answer when I was so totally helpless in my own skin.