I can't believe all of the wildfires burning right here in East Texas. You hear about fires fairly frequently. Usually in California, or recently in New Mexico and West Texas, but for me it's "wow, that's awful for them". It never occured to me that it could happen right here in our own back yards.
I came home last weekend to smoke about 3 acres from my own back yard. People, that was scary. The closer we got to the house the thicker the smoke got and it was nerve-racking. It wasn't a large fire, but any fire that close to your home causes you to get a little jumpy inside. I walked around thinking to myself, "if someone knocks on my door and tells me to evacuate, what will I take with me?" When it came down to it, what would you take with you? All sorts of things went through my mind. Pictures? That's sort of an unnecessary concept now. Almost every picture you own is backed up digitally isn't it? Jewelry? I don't have all that much. The most important piece I own is already on my finger. I realized I am more practical than sentimental. There are few things in my home that couldn't be replaced. Would I want to replace them? Absolutely not. I learned from Hurricane Katrina that starting over from scratch is expensive.
The first things that came to my mind were my sweet pets. I started planning in my head: we'll strap the kennel in the back of Cody's truck, put the dogs in there. I'll put the cats in the car in whatever I can find, probably a box. I'll grab the filing box with birth certificates, marriage license, insurance cards and phone numbers, take the one wedding album I have, not for the pictures but for the special way they were arranged by my brother, grab the laptop and pack a bag of clothes.
It seemed all I could think about for about an hour and a half. Then I noticed the smoke cloud wasn't growing anymore. It was actually decreasing in size and intensity and I could go to bed and rest well.
I think when you've experienced total material loss it gives you an entirely different perspective on your things. I also think that as a child of God I know what is and isn't important. I would be terribly upset to lose this home Cody and I bought together only 17 month ago. It's our first home. I would be frustrated and somewhat heartbroken to have to be displaced and "homeless". BUT I know that no matter what happens to my possessions God will make a way! He has before and he would again! As long as I have those who love me I'd never be "homeless".
The reason I talk about this today is that it is all around us. Smoke everywhere! Everytime I turn on the news or check my FB page, there is a new post about a new fire. I think we should stop and think about those people having to make those decisions now. What do I grab? What do I need? What can I save from the fire?
How many of those people don't have God's peace to say "if I lose it, I'll still be ok"?
It was hard for me 6 years ago when Katrina took all of my possessions. I left my rental house in Longbeach, MS with what would fit in a little Nissan truck, and let me tell you, with 2 dogs, that's not much. It didn't occur to me that I might not get to go back there and keep the things I had collected over the past 30 years. But I didn't get to do that. I tried to salvage what I could. What didn't get washed away or drowned in salt water. In 100 degree heat, there's not much to salvage in the water. I literally ended up with the clothes on my back. As scary as all of that was, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was living a life unpleasing to God in everyway. If He hadn't forced me to flee back to Carthage, TX, I would have stayed there and continued in my lifestyle, that in no way reflected Him. I would have never joined First Baptist Church. I would have never met the man of my dreams in Cody Williams. What seemed to be life ending was really life-altering in a mighty and wonderful way!
So think about those people you see on the news. Pray for them and their safety, but also realize this may be God's way of bringing them back "home" to Him! That's how it worked out for me.
God's blessings to you all and thanks for stopping by!
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