This sight is what I came upon tonight.
This is about 10 minutes after I arrived to see the house glowing. Our dear neighbour Susan lives here, she is a strong and wonderful woman.
Here's my adventure, there is no sleeping tonight so I am going to tuck you in with my frightening bedtime story:
Dear son is watching a neighbours chickens and although I usually make him bike over, the little one and dear husband (who is away) encouraged me to drive him tonight. We left earlier than usual. God planned? No doubt about it!
When we left everything was fine. 15 minutes later while driving back, through the trees I saw a lot of light, I knew instantly it was a fire, I told dear son go get help. Then I started to honk the horn, I ran up the drive way to the house as I was dialing 911. We have bad cell coverage so I didn't know if it went through, then I heard a voice through the phone and told them what was happening.
OK now step back imagine me panicked screaming fire!! fire!! fire!! Now the visual my friends....I'm in my pink doughnut pj bottoms, black rubber boots...Darn.
We live in the middle of no where right? Who am I screaming to, and me with my pipsqueak voice is given her all I got. I'm sure I must of sounded like a crazy woman, and I was. I was so frightened that my dear neighbour was in that house with her company, and her sweet yellow lab. I just wanted to throw up, but there was no time.
It was too hot and too big, all I could do was run around the house screaming and looking.
I didn't see anyone and I thought I had better see if there was anyone in the cabin, so I ran back and pounded on the door still screaming. No one home. Thank you Jesus!
Finally I saw another neighbour, dear son the trooper has ran to every house on the street, alerting the whole road of possible spreading fire. At this point I snapped a picture and sent out an urgent Facebook post for prayer. So many people took time out of their day to stop what they were doing and pray for our situation. I didn't know it at the time but our neighbourhood was wrapped in the prayers of our friends all across the country.
O.K. did I happen to mention how proud of my kids I am? Poor wee one was with us and was so scared she ran home and hid, not the best thing to do, but the peanut was terrified beyond understanding. My strong middle girl stayed calm the whole time packing watching the peanut, collecting farm animals, and pets and hosing down the house and forest. My kids rock!
My next fear was the forest catching and spreading to our house.
We have been in a drought, and throwing a cigarette out your car window will get your car impounded right now. This was a whole lot bigger than a cigarette ember. So my next job was hosing down the forest, moving explosives, turning vehicles around, packing. Funny how when you are faced with loosing everything how clear everything becomes. What is important?
Tonight it was apparent to me without a shadow of a doubt what I hold dear. (OK not a saint here I looove my stuff and felt a teeny bit sad)
But really when I was packing I didn't care too much, I just wanted my kids, the dogs, and the pictures. But most of all I knew I needed God. Without him none of this "stuff" mattered. He was and always will be my everything.
In the midst of all the chaos dear middle daughter had the insight to stop us all and gather us around and ......pray......Did I mention I am so stinking proud of her?
When the world is crashing and pushing us in so many chaotic circles, it simply astounds me that simply stopping and praying can make everything stand still...and the peace settles. You know deep in your heart whatever happens, happens. God is there. He is bigger than the boogie man, the pain of the past and the uncertainty of the future.
So friends, that is my grand adventure for the day. Tonight I sit and watch, hoses at the ready for embers that my spark. Fully dressed, no pink doughnut Pj's.
If you think of it keep my dear neighbour in your prayers, she is living the reality of tonight's scary story and her nightmare has just begun.
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