DEAR EDITOR:

Your Wednesday coverage of local flooding included photos of Lynn and Clarence Stowe, whose home on Cochise Drive in Vinings was flooded by the Chattahoochee. Your readers got a glimpse of the destruction wreaked on their home, but there is more to their story.

The Stowes have lived in Cobb County for many years while raising their two children. They are salt of the earth folks - exactly the kind of neighbor all of us would want.

So as the flood waters receded on Wednesday, the Stowes were busy trying to salvage what was left of their once-beautiful home. We went to see if there was anything we could do to help. Most of their possessions were destroyed. The mud line on the walls indicated that flood waters had reached the five foot level within the home. As we worked, Lynn recounted how they had labored feverishly as the waters rose, overlooking more expensive items in order to focus on saving the keepsakes which tell the story of their life together as a family.

The Stowes are not victims of the flood. They are survivors of the flood. They will pick up the pieces and move forward. They will meet the challenge of re-building a home for their family. They have been through tough times before. Several years ago when Lynn was diagnosed with cancer, they pulled together and won that battle too.

But there is a reason the Stowes have triumphed in the face of such adversity in their lives and it became obvious as we stood together in the family room of their home on Wednesday evening. Amidst all the carnage of a flood, still hanging in its place on the wall was a beautiful piece of artwork. Unmoved by the floodwaters and untouched by the destruction, the four simple words pieced together in this art put it all in perspective: "Joy" "Hope" "Peace" "Believe."

You see, Lynn and Clarence Stowe believe. They believe in God. They believe He has a purpose and a plan for their life. This belief brings a peace that is present even in the midst of the storms of life. This belief offers hope even when the circumstances of life would have them give up. And this belief allows them to live with joy even in the midst of despair.

The Stowe family will survive this storm because they believe.

Randy Bennett
Marietta