Ok . . so I just have to post about what has just occurred in the last 2 hours!!
Aaron is out of town on a 14 day hiking trip (about 4 of those will be driving, but he's still away from home those days!) So, he left on Wednesday and today was the last day we could talk to him via cell phone because he will be above the towers (or something) -- there won't be any kind of signal for a week.
So, this morning, the boys and I had a really rough morning together. I think just spending 24/7 together for the last 3 days really wore on us. I never knew how crucial that 5 o'clock break was when Aaron got home from work and for at least 30 minutes, I could gather myself!! =)
Anyway, so I had Nick and Jesse come over to watch the boys tonight so I could go to a crop at the scrapbook store. As 11:30 pm was approaching, I just felt like I was supposed to get home, but I kept trying to prolong it. But, I left the crop at 11:45 pm to head home.
I pulled in my driveway about midnight and Nick and Jesse left about 12:15 am. So, a few minutes later, Nick calls me and says, "Rachel, I don't think this will affect you at all, but I just wanted to let you know that your neighbor's house is on fire."
WHAT?!?!?!
So, I look out the kitchen window and sure enough, their house has flames BILLOWING out of it and smoke pouring out!!
Nick said, "There's a propane tank, out here, so I just wanted to let you know that it's probably going to blow up, so if you hear a loud boom, that's all it is." Nick said they were going to stay with the couple until the fire department got there.
Payton was still awake, so we went outside in the front yard and just watched as the flames got bigger. Pretty soon, we heard this small boom, then a whistle sound, then a BIG BOOM!! There went the propane tank.
I had Payton run to get our phone because I didn't hear any fire sirens or anything, so I called 911 just in case nobody had called. The lady said she had dispatched them, but she would do it again. So, we waited.
About 12:45, the first fire trucks showed up. By this time, the grass behind the house had caught on fire and the wind was blowing enough to make it spread. They had a back "shop/building" that had also caught on fire by this time.
So, as we're watching this, I thought it was a perfect time to go over the "what-to-do-if-there's-a-fire routine" with Payton. We talked about how he needed to call 911 and what he would do if there was a fire in our house and where we would meet when we all got out. He asked what if he got out, but needed to come in and save his toys. I assured him that God would take care of us and we would just have to get new toys because you never run back into a burning building.
Anyway, so FINALLY the onslaught of firetrucks showed up. There were 5 that came from Hamby and I have no idea how many came from Abilene. There were all kinds of lights and horns going on down there.
I came back in the house about 1:15 and I think the fire was just about out by then. The firemen did an amazing job putting it out. It was neat to see how someone fought it from the back and someone was fighting in the front and when they met in the middle, it would all be out.
Anyway, Nick and Jesse stayed there with the family and they were able to minister to them and pray over them. The family was understandably just shaken and in shock. From what I could see from my house, the house was probably a total loss. We really believe that God is going to restore that family and give them back everything they had plus some. What the enemy meant for evil, God's going to turn it in to good.
Now, of course, your mind wants to wander all over the place. If the wind had been blowing towards my house, there's not a doubt in my mind that my house would have burned too. Or it would have gotten REALLY REALLY close. Or what if I hadn't come home early?
When we first looked at this house, I laughed and said, "Well, let's hope there's never a fire, because it would take them forever to get out here!!" I really saw tonight that it only takes a few minutes for a house to go up in flames.
I am so thankful that I serve a God that had his hand upon our road tonight. Even though it might not look like it at the time, I am believing that God is doing to do something AMAZING at the house down the street. Please pray for them. I don't know their names or their situation.
Ok . . . it's 2 am and I need to get some sleep!!!
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