I believe one of the worst tragedies you can suffer is the loss of your home and everything that goes with it.
Unfortunately, we experienced that firsthand last Saturday afternoon when our home caught fire. I was at the country club playing golf when I got a call from Nancy. I could tell by her tone that things were bad. As it turned out, the fire had started in the kitchen and quickly spread up through the attic.
Magee Fire Department was soon on the scene and quickly took charge to save whatever they could. You could tell those fellows took their training to heart and were there to do their jobs with precision. They were as kind and as gracious as they could be and making the best of a bad situation. The Magee Police Department as well as the Simpson County Sheriff’s Department were there to lend a hand.
When I arrived, the road was blocked with all the emergency vehicles so I parked at Hill’s Windshield and ran to the house. I probably looked like I was having a coronary when I got there. Thank goodness my personal nurse, Angel Brister, was there to check on me. This was not the first time she has had to come to my aid.
Before long people were coming by to check on us and to offer assistance in any shape or form to get us through the dilemma.
When everything was safe and the fire was extinguished, the firemen asked us to join them in prayer. That speaks to the quality of these guys and the advantage of living in small town Mississippi. Wouldn’t trade it for nothing!
To give ourselves time to wrap our minds around our situation, we chose to get a hotel room and gather our thoughts. This is after no less than ten people had offered us a place to stay.
Friends offered to come help with clean up and everything else you could imagine. Our buddy Jenna Ivy opened her home to our pups, Fisher and Woody, who are like our kids. But when they are in her care there is no need to worry.
Sunday we opted to go stay with a friend who opened his home to us kind of indefinitely, but a few days is hopefully all we will need to explore our longer range options.
My preacher has checked on me as have a lot of buddies from church. That makes you feel good. I could have pouted about it a few times, but that would not have done any good. After all, Nancy and the dogs were fine, and we have insurance. But most of all, we have a lot of good friends and neighbors who have come to our aid. We were blessed that no one was injured in the fire. I don’t think there is much more you could want or expect.
Tuesday afternoon another friend from church offered to let us move into his home in that he is currently elsewhere.
Blessings come when you least expect them. As a former preacher put it “God is good all the time.”
