No Replacement Cost

Our life is many things, but dull is not one of them.  Last night we awoke to the sound of a beeping horm and a lady yelling "FIRE"!!!  After a trip down the road to check it out, Chris phoned back to tell the girls and I to pack some things and leave the lake.  (It wasn't necessarily that he thought the fire would reach our house, but it had already reached the road that is our only entrance and exit.) 

I woke the girls and told them what was going on.  I quickly instructed them to get dressed and grab clothes and anything that was special to them.  I then began grabbing my own things.  I knew that I had to fit myself, two kids, two labs and little Jax into the the car.  That didn't leave a whole lot of room.  I had also already seen Cambrey go outside twice.  I later realized that she had quickly pulled every drawer out of her dresser and nightstand, dumped them into laundry baskets and loaded them in the car. I am actually quite proud of her quick thinking!  Unfortunately all her good clothes were crammed under her bed or in her closet, but none the less we would have had plenty of things to give to Goodwill when I finally found the time.

Caitlin on the other hand grabbed one t-shirt, an arm full of bracelets, and then started gathering the dogs.  She is always looking out for others!

I was not as responsible as either of the girls tried to be.  I didn't grab any important documents.  In fact, I didn't even grab my purse.  I had to borrow money from my Mama Pat just to get gas to get home.  In the five minutes Chris gave me I began to grab things that in my mind have no replacement cost.  Added up they probably aren't worth $100 dollars, but to me they are priceless.  Here they are:

The quilt made for Chris by his grandmother, and a quilt top made by my great-great grandmother over 100 years ago.

A Jim Beam bottle that belonged to Chris's grandmother.

A picture we keep on the refrigerator to remind us not to take life too seriously.

A hammered aluminum dutch oven that belonged to my great grandmother and was a gift from my dad just this year.  A lot of love has gone into the food made in this dish.  Especially the spaghetti!

A clock that belonged to Chris's great-grandmother and was given to us by Penny for our lake house.

The letter "T" made as a gift from my dear friend Staci.

And my Bible.  When I carried it in today I opened it to a page that I had long ago paper clipped.  It just happened to be on a page with a "Monday" (the day of the fire) devotion.  The words of the prayer reminded me of God's constance presence in my life, and the small and unconventional ways he sometimes uses to speak to His children.  "Give me, Lord, fervour of love, shame for my unthankfulness, sorrow for my sins, longing for your grace, and to be wholly united with you.  Let my very coldness call for the glow of your love;  let my emptiness and dryness, like a barren and thirsty land, thirst for you, call on you to come into my soul, who refreshes those who are weary..." 

So tonight as my children are snug in their beds and all my "valuables" have been returned to their places, a song from my high school days fills my head (and my heart).  So light the fire in my soul.  Fan the flames.  Make me whole.  Lord you know where I've been.  Light the fire in my heart again.