June 30 – “An Evacuation”

Hurricane Alex was the big topic everywhere today.  It was heading for Mexico, but we were getting band after band of the outer rim storms.  Tides were getting kind of high, so it actually looked like a storm was in the Gulf.  Just the kind of thing that used to excite me as a child growing up in Galveston.  But not so much since Ike.  Mom wasn't so happy about it, either.  She stayed glued to the TV pretty much all day.  At least that's what I was told.   After texting Chris again first thing this morning, I decided that I needed to make a trip to Bay City and see her.  She was OK, but the stress was beginning to overwhelm her some.  And it looked like today would be the day that her brothers would be able to come as well.  So I left around 8:30 so I could stop at the church and do some work there before I left. And since I was going to be in the Far West End anyway, I decided to take the beach road through Freeport to get to Bay City.  Figured it would be fun to see the high water, as long as it wasn't on the road.  Kel gave me one last warning as I drove away, "Don't drive through water on the road.  Turn around."  Seems that the people working on his house called and said they wouldn't be there today because they were afraid they wouldn't be able to get back to where they are staying.  Okay.  Ike scared us all.  But that was a bit much.   The trip was kind of fun.  The tide was up and the waves were angry, but it wasn't crashing over the seawall.  Guess every storm will get measured by Ike now.  I passed several places where the canals were full and creeping into yards.  That used to be cause for some alarm.  At a marina in Freeport the walkways to the yachts were all under water.  My all time favorite, though was just the other side of the San Luis Pass Bridge.  There was an evacuation taking place right there by the side of the road.  The water was definitely high.  It was already under several houses on the beach side of the road.  But as I turned a corner at an especially low point, there were four people evacuating.  From a fireworks stand set up on the side of the road.  They had a U-Haul trailer and a truck that they were loading up with inventory before it could get too wet.  Flooded out fireworks.  I wonder how FEMA would handle that claim?   I saw a sign at a little gas station/convenience store outside of Freeport.  It gave me a fascinating issue to ponder for several miles.  In case you are interested, this store is the only one I have ever seen make this offer.  How could I have ever passed it up?  Must have been the weather.  Or maybe my sense of urgency since I haven't seen Chris for several days.  But that little store actually had, and I quote … "Ice from scratch."  Please help me out here.  What does "ice from scratch" have that "regular ice" doesn't?  I thought it was just really cold water, but what do I know?   Kel called after I got there.  He wanted to know how horribly difficult my trip was.  The workers notified him that they had evacuated their Galveston host site and gone clear up to Dickinson to get away from the fast-rising water.  Hope they made it out.   Chris' Mom was really tired, even before the guests arrived.  She dozed off and on until everyone left and she could head on to bed.  Again, Chris said she didn't see how it could be much longer.  When I was leaving she walked me to the car and said it was the first time she had even been outside since she got back there after Micah's party.  I guess I'm a little concerned about her.  When I go back I'll make her go back outside.  She needs the fresh air.   Joshua 23:11 says, "So be very careful to love the Lord your God."   Father, I want to love you more like I love Chris.  And I want to love Chris more like I love you.  Amen.