I came across the above photo this morning as I was scanning Instagram hoping to find images of my in-laws’ neighborhood in Orange, Texas on the Louisiana border (Google map).

Isn’t it beautiful, with the blue sky and clouds reflected in the floodwaters? The famous Shangri La Botanical Gardens (where our daughters often play) lie just beyond those trees on the right.

“It’s a beautiful day to save lives,” wrote the Instagram user, redbeard_mark, who took the photo yesterday. He’s a veteran who’s helping with rescue efforts.

Right now, as the Sabine River continues to rise and overflow into the surrounding towns, including Orange, Tracie’s parents are trapped by flooded roadways that offer no way out. And the floodwaters are only expected to rise through Sunday morning as the river level continues to get higher and higher.

We are watching the situation closely and I’ll post updates here and on social media.

But the nightmare of Harvey is far from over, I’m sad to say.

And my in-laws — like so many trapped families in Beaumont (where there hasn’t been running water since yesterday afternoon), Port Arthur, and Orange — may lose their home. Last night after dinner, Tracie told me that she can’t think of one of her high school classmates who hasn’t been flooded.

The storms get lots of coverage in the news. But the stubborn flood waters, which in many parts of Houston and Southeast Texas are NOT receding and in some cases are actually rising (like where Tracie’s parents live), don’t have the same “wow” effect that works so well on TV. But they are equally dangerous and just as deadly.

Please pray for them. Please pray for Southeast Texas. Please pray for Houstonians whose houses will be underwater for weeks to come.

Here are our recommended links for donating to aid efforts in Houston. I’m working on sourcing links for local efforts in the Golden Triangle (Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange).