 |
| Nothing is engineered for a dam breaking, so why did the Midland-Sanford area leaders fail to get the Wixom/Edenville Dam repaired? 11,000 were evacuated. Here are some stories. |
Norma Boeckler is back in her house, 30 feet above the river, but the entire basement is a muddy wreck again. She has repeatedly worked on preventing high water damage, but no one can hold back the destruction of a dam breaking.
The sloppy journalists are repeating the error that both 100 year old dams broke - Edenville and Sanford. That is not true. Sanford built in a soil plug that would dissolve in high waters without the entire dam letting loose. The plug let some water through but doubtless saved the Sanford Dam.
The Edenville Dam emptied Wixom Lake in one hour, adding to the all the water draining from excessive rain.
The 2017 flood should have awakened an area so well stocked with scientists and engineers. In 2018 the federal government withdrew the Edenville license and stated that it could not absorb another flooding event. The dam was going to be taken over in 2022 since the owner did nothing.
Fortunately, Norma will have helpers cleaning up today - already. The heartbreak for the entire area can only be imagined. Everyone needs help, temporary or new housing, appliances, transportation, clean clothes, food, and medical care.
When everything is going well, we take for granted the vast amount of work being done to keep life pleasant and healthy. When that is ripped away by natural causes or human failures, we see how fragile and temporary our peace can be.
Norma is as buoyant in this flood as she was in others. The photo below cannot hide that - I use it for the Creation Gardening page.
---
 |
| The Morris biography of Gerhardt is linked here. |
Luther wrote that the Gospel is not for the rich and secure, but for the poor and broken-hearted. Few Lutherans suffered as much as Gerhardt, and few wrote so beautifully for those afflicted with terrors of conscience, rejection, suffering, and persecution.
Tune - Warum sollt' ich mich denn graemen - linked here
"Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me?"
by Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676
1. Why should cross and trial grieve me?
Christ is near With His cheer;
Never will He leave me.
Who can rob me of the heaven
That God's Son For my own
To my faith hath given?
2. Though a heavy cross I'm bearing
And my heart Feels the smart,
Shall I be despairing?
God, my Helper, who doth send it,
Well doth know All my woe
And how best to end it.
3. God oft gives me days of gladness;
Shall I grieve If He give
Seasons, too, of sadness?
God is good and tempers ever
All my ill, And He will
Wholly leave me never.
4. Hopeful, cheerful, and undaunted
Everywhere They appear
Who in Christ are planted.
Death itself cannot appal them,
They rejoice When the voice
Of their Lord doth call them.
5. Death cannot destroy forever;
From our fears, Cares, and tears
It will us deliver.
It will close life's mournful story,
Make a way That we may
Enter heavenly glory.
6. What is all this life possesses?
But a hand Full of sand
That the heart distresses.
Noble gifts that pall me never
Christ, our Lord, Will accord
To His saints forever.
7. Lord, my Shepherd, take me to Thee.
Thou art mine; I was Thine,
Even e'er I knew Thee.
I am Thine, for Thou hast bought me;
Lost I stood, But Thy blood
Free salvation brought me.
8. Thou art mine; I love and own Thee.
Light of Joy, Ne'er shall I
From my heart dethrone Thee.
Savior, let me soon behold Thee
Face to face, -May Thy grace
Evermore enfold me!
Hymn #523
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 73: 23
Author: Paul Gerhardt
Translated by: composite, based on John Kelly, 1867
Titled: Warum sollt' ich mich denn graemen
Composer: Johann G. Ebeling, 1666
Tune: Warum sollt' ich mich denn graemen
