Noah's Flood and the Geologic Layers (was Noah's shallow sea)

I may point out that the issue with the Bible as a valid source of truth and knowledge rests on the source of the wisdom. Here we have two possibilities:
1) Human authors wrote the book. This is certain. The book did not drop as a scroll from the sky. However, as to the source of the authors inspiration, we have two options.
a) Their own minds
b) Divine Inspiration
Actually, to be fair, we could add a third option:
c) Alien wisdom or fallibility, as the case may be.

IrishRockHound has a valid point and assertion when he asks As a believer, I now must ask myself the question of whether the flood actually happened or whether the idea of the meaning behind the flood story is true or not. Since I believe that the Bible contains essential absolute truth, I am naturally concerned with what it says.
I have not yet arrived at any conclusions but here is my thought pattern:
1) Is it possible that the story of the flood is a giant parable? That the truth of the parable is real, while the actual event may be a story?
2) Does God allow rational scientific processes to occur by natural law, or is it possible that He steps in to History and alters the natural laws? If He did that, it would seem as if He were tricking us. This argument has been expressed by others as saying something along the lines of "The Earth is 6000 years old and God made it that way 6000 years ago." I do not know if I believe that.

I want to hear from some of you who believe that the flood actually happened. Do you believe it because the Bible said it or do you have another reason?