Fire Recovery Fund

Starting over? If anyone would have told me that I would be starting over this Christmas, I would have just laughed. Well we are doing just that,,, starting over. December 13 at 5:39 my worst fears came to life, I received a call from my husband stating that our house was engulfed in flames, and that our favored old hunting dog was gone for He was in the garage where the fire had started. As I drove the 17 miles from town to what WAS my home,  I watched the smoke climb into the cool blue sky the entire drive home.  All I could do was pray that John was out and he was not hurt, for all of the other items in the house were just material and can be replaced. I also prayed that our beloved dog didn't suffer. Then I thought about the years John had spent in this home, raising his daughter, along with the memories he shared with others within those four walls.  The visions of the items that have been passed down within the family, the stories that go with them, and knowing that they are to someday go to my step-daughter just made the tears start. For the realization that those items are irreplaceable just broke my heart and she may not get any of them. When I got to our flame engulfed home, I did find John safe but had reality hit me hard, everything is gone. I have to praise the firefighters for all of their efforts, hard work, and dedication to saving what they could, but
i also understand that with as big as the fire was, there would be very little if anything that we could save.

The next morning we walked through the remains of our home. My kitchen was destroyed, items melted to where they are unrecognizable, refigerator slumped from heat, glass dishes cracked from the pressure, the only thing that survives are memories of all the people who have come and gone to have coffee and cinnamon rolls. As we continue to walk from room to room, we look at all our items and note the devastation and count what will have to be replaced.  As we continued to look and dig, we find the pictures from John's youth untouched, the Tillman Family bible spared, and with a tender hand the Grandfather clock will be ok.  As we walk through and marvel at what we have found, we know that to move forward the only way we can, is to rebuild. The day brings a light drizzle which matched my mood, as if the good Lord is telling me that it is ok to cry. I leave knowing that 90% of our items will have to be replaced; clothing, dishes, cookware, beds, couches, computers, and too many others to mention.

We have what we need currently to get through, good friends to stay with and eachother. The hard times are yet to come when we have to bring the walls down on old memories, but new exciting times with new memories are inevitable as we rebuild. Our hope for what is to come is strong, our love for each other is stronger, but trust and faith in the Lord is the strongest.