Hoping the Flagship doesn't sink ...

This is the Flagship Hotel, on Galveston Island, where Mr. Jones and I stayed (only one night) last April so that I could get up before the sunrise to walk the beautiful beach and take pictures. The Flagship sits on a 1000 foot pier that juts out into the gulf. I've been watching the storm crashing over this pier all day ...
I've become pathetically addicted to the Weather Channel! Following the progress of Ike. Wondering if Galveston Island will survive ...
It feels personal ... and I've only been there a handful of times ... I can't imagine if this was where I lived each day of my life, had a job, a home, a whole history here. Pictures today show tons of these pilings shoved up over the 17' storm wall and onto the road, the surf crashing in ... it's difficult to take my eyes off of it ... they say this is the worst storm to hit Galveston in 50 years and reminiscent of the great one that hit in 1900.
I'm thankful Nicolas, Rachel, Nathan and Nia moved from downtown Houston to San Antonio this past summer! They used to hang out quite a bit at Galveston Island and places like Kema, on Galveston Bay.

Sabrina called this morning and told me to turn on the news because the Flagship was in the background of the news coverage on Ike. She reminded me that when a huge storm came on the Sea of Galilee long ago, all Jesus had to do was to speak "Peace" and everything came to a standstill! Picture that happening right now with this hurricane! Sabrina also said she spoke by phone to Aunt Peg last night, invited her to come to Austin, only to have Peg state that she was going to stay at her house there in Houston and wait out the storm. She lives on high enough ground to where the storm surge shouldn't be a problem ... but hurricane force winds will be upon her all night. So, we are praying here for all of you down there in Texas ...