Change - Part 3, Transition

Transition

After the fire had been extinguished and the crowd cleared, we went to a hotel. For ten days, we had to wait until our insurance company found a place for us to live while our house is being rebuilt. The room was a suite which was nice and big. In a matter of a day or two, much of that spacious room was filled with some things we were able to salvage from the house, as well as things that people were so gracious to give to us. We were truly overwhelmed by the generosity of people we know, and many that we have never even met.

After the first night, the reality of being "homeless" really hit me. I could not control my emotions at all. The feeling of being displaced had overtaken me. Bill and Christopher were holding up so well! Why was I falling apart? I have never experienced the sadness that had reared its ugly head. I could hardly speak to anyone without crying, including the hotel staff.

After just a few days, we got a call from our insurance company letting us know they had found an apartment for us. So, we drove over and looked at some different units in the complex, and then made our choice. We had to wait a few more days for furniture and household items to be delivered from the rental company. They supplied everything from furniture right down to a toilet brush.

Even though the apartment is just a few miles from our home, we feel like we are in a foreign land.  Things are the same outside of the apartment complex but inside these four walls, is just not home.

Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 

Be blessed,
Dawn

Change, Christmas Eve

Well, today has been a difficult one for me. The tears started not long after I got out of bed. Some were from feeling overly blessed by all that has been given to us, and some were over the fact that the fire took away the comfort and familiarity of celebrating Christmas in my home.

My feelings of displacement today are probably based on the fact that I am not able to do the usual things I do on Christmas Eve like prepare the traditional foods for our meal for tomorrow. The recipe book that I had put together with family recipes was destroyed in the fire. I do remember some of them, but the thought of not having my binder any longer was a reminder of what I have lost.

Another difficult moment was while I was out doing some last minute shopping. As I watched people, I could not help but think about how their family traditions will carry on tomorrow and that mine wouldn't. While most seemed to be in a hurry to finalize their shopping, I was in no hurry at all. I had no need to rush back home and start on, well... anything.

Please don't get me wrong. I am extremely grateful for what I still have, my family, being the greatest, but the thoughts of what I have lost are winning today.


Despite it all, God is good!


Be blessed,
Dawn

Change - Part 2, The Aftermath

The Aftermath

The day after the fire, we were able to go back into our home to assess the damage. I was heartbroken at what I saw. So many things were destroyed; things that may not be valuable to anyone else, but were invaluable to us. 

My son's room was the only room where the ceiling did not collapse, however, a lot of his things were smoke damaged. The other bedroom held most of my pictures but thankfully, they were protected by the plastic storage box they were in while tucked away in a closet. 

There are things that we lost that I have been wanting to replace for a long time. But, being the frugal person that I am, I couldn't justify replacing them while they were still useful. For instance, Bill and I bought the washer and dryer set when we first got married, almost 24 years ago. I also had an ironing board for that long. But those things burned because they were close to the garage where the fire started. Needless to say, I am not sad about having to replace them!

While looking around, my son came across a small, record-able picture frame that had his picture of when he was about two years old in it. I had recorded him saying his name. At that age, Christopher was a big word for a toddler to pronounce correctly. He said it in a way that was just too cute. I will never forget the way he said it, of course, but realizing I still can hear it was an awesome surprise. 

Another item is a picture of Bill and his mother of our last Christmas with her. It was on the fireplace hearth, still standing even though it was covered in debris.  It was in a thick, glass frame that had protected it from damage. We cleaned it up and it is now sitting on the tv stand in the apartment where we are living until the house is rebuilt.

One other very special item that survived, believe it or not, was a ficus tree that was given to me as a wedding gift all those years ago. It had part of the ceiling laying against it and a small limb was broken off but it was mostly okay. The couple that gave it to us was very special to me, and have both since passed away. How I have managed to keep it alive, I'm really not sure. Although, there was one time that I decided it needed some sun and so I set it outside, in the summer heat. Even though it showed its disapproval for a while, I was able to nurse it back to health. It is currently serving as our "Christmas tree."

That little tree is a simple reminder to me of the following passage, which says:

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—    whatever they do prospers.

Be blessed,
Dawn

Change - Part 1, The Fire

I have learned that praying for change is like praying for patience; you just don't do it unless you are ready to go through the trials that will take you there.

For the coming months, I will be writing about the changes that my family is walking through. Please feel free to share my blog with others. My goal in this is that God will be glorified!

The Fire

On December 3rd, our lives were changed dramatically. You see, our home caught fire while my son, Christopher, and I were still in it. My husband, Bill, wasn't home at the time.

It had been a typical day; just the usual routine. That evening, since Christopher was in his room and Bill was not home, I decided to watch a little TV. Right after Wheel of Fortune went off, the lights in the house flickered and then went out. I looked out my back door and saw a red glow. (The blinds were still open, which is unusual once it gets dark.) When I started toward the door to see what it was, I could smell the smoke. I yelled for Christopher and grabbed the dog. As we were scrambling to get out, I heard a loud pop.

In a matter of minutes, the garage was engulfed in flames. Fortunately, we live close to a fire department so their arrival time was short. They arrived in time to keep the entire house from burning. The garage and everything in it was completely destroyed, including my vehicle.

The rest of the house suffered severe water and smoke damage. The ceiling collapsed from the weight of the water. Almost everything in the house was destroyed with the exception of a few things. We were able to salvage some important papers and mementos, including pictures. PRAISE GOD!

Needless to say, walking through the house the next day was very difficult. To see all that you have worked for and accumulated through the years just sit there, totally destroyed, was heart-wrenching.

But... through it all, God is good!

Be blessed,
Dawn