fire and the power of prayer

Apparently I blissfully slept through some high drama last night at my office. A lady was driving down the little highway in front of our office and her car was stalling out so she pulled into our side parking lot. The side parking lot is literally right up against the building - beside the sunroom/fileroom/employee break room (if any of us really took break here). When she tried to start her car back up, flames started shooting out.

Ginger got a call at home from her cousin who had been listening to the police scanner (who does that?) and he told her our office was on fire. She called Duane's cellphone and couldn't get him. She called his house and talked to Duane's wife, Didi, who was able to get in touch with Duane.

Shirley's daughter Kathy's husband was listening to the police scanner (apparently if you want to know what's happening around here, you own a police scanner) and called Shirley. She drove down to the office in her pjs. She called Theresa and she came over in her pjs. Then Ginger and Duane showed up. Pajama party at the office! Woohoo! Kevin and I were blissfully ignorant.

If anyone HAD tried to call me at this point (around 9:30pm) it wouldn't have mattered since I am scared to death of fire… and since I was already in ambien land by this point thanks to my self-imposed EBT last night (early bed time). I definitely wouldn't have gotten in the car and driven the half hour to the office.
The fire was contained quickly and only damaged a small portion of the side of the building, which is brick. We will have to replace a portion of the overhang of the roof, possibly replace the windows in the sunroom and maybe the storage shed door. There was some soot and dirt tracked in by the firefighters who were trying to get into the attic to make sure there was no fire there but that had already been cleaned up by the restoration people overnight. (Helps to know people in the industry!). There is barely even a smell of smoke.

The vehicle, however, was a total loss. It was insured by State Farm, but not through our office. I think the saddest thing for me is that the woman's son had all of his baseball equipment in the car and that was lost in the fire. I know that would have been a great loss to Cody!

Today, of all days, I left my camera at home so no dramatic pictures of the "destruction".

I can't help but think… this is an office that prays. This office is covered in prayer from so many angles every single day. We have barely cosmetic damage from this fire and no one was hurt, not even the lady who owns the car. Her car was a total loss, though, so keep her in your prayers. Hopefully she had comprehensive coverage on her car and it will be covered. God is good.

My friend Misti who has the baby who is not gaining weight (remember I mentioned praying for him on Mother's Day?) is in Louisiana now and the baby is not doing well. She was at the hospital with him last night. I haven't had an update since then but definitely want to keep remembering their sweet family. Her husband Jerry was really the first person to be able to reach Austin and get him excited about going to church when we first moved here. They are a precious family of faith and I know her heart is so heavy for her baby.

Being back online and back on facebook brings me back into contact with so many people - hundreds - and everyone has some "worst thing" that they are facing right now. The economy, illness, struggles with raising children and taking care of elderly parents and marriages that are in trouble and people who are just lonely… there's so much of it out there, just in my little corner of cyberspace… we really have to embrace the power of prayer and realize the need for a higher power and a stronger hand than what we can do on our own. God is good. He is faithful and just.

Back to work… just wanted to share that story… remember to pray for Jerry, Misti, Joshua and Josiah!