What If?

My girls always said I can come up with a song for any occasion. This time is no different. I couldn’t find the composer or lyricist so I’ll not print the words. The Booth Brothers sing O Lord Do It Again which calls for God to once again demonstrate His miraculous power, protection, and guidance as He did in times past. It certainly fits our situation. As the Lord provided for the children of Israel, He cared for us today in several ways.

Ronald was in the back of the house watching March Madness. I was in the kitchen but hardly ever look outside to that side of the yard. Our neighbors, like us, seldom go to that side of their house in the late afternoon or evening. Ricky just ‘happened’ to go to the kitchen to wash his glasses. He saw fire quickly spreading from our yard through his pasture and burning our neighbor’s fence. His wife, Connie, called 911 and rang our doorbell to alert us as Ricky and others started trying to damp the flames. Ronald went outside and began to hose down what he could. I grabbed the little fire extinguisher thinking I could make a difference. That lil’ ol’ thing wouldn’t even put out a kitchen fire! It sprayed for about 15 seconds!

Personnel from our local, volunteer fire department were there within minutes of Connie’s call. What could have been a disastrous situation was quickly and efficiently tended. The only casualties other than the neighbor’s fence were a few blueberry bushes and a fruit tree. The Lord was merciful for sure!

But what if? We all know of great tragedies that have happened because a spark unnoticed turned into great conflagrations that engulfed thousands of acres. In those cases, we grieve the losses of lives, property, and nature.

But what about spiritual lives that end in a fiery eternity because we fail to notice those around us who don’t know Jesus as Savior? Are we concerned enough to alert others to potential danger of losing their souls to an eternal inferno?

Jude 1:20-23 tells us, ‘Dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt, save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear.’

Something to think and pray about for sure!

My cousin, Linda, was a volunteer firefighter and offers these words.

Advice:
Several things you can do:

Wait a day before putting up the cooker.

Dump all embers in a fire proof container .

Or, extinguish your embers with water.

Reasoning:
Fires need three elements to be a fire:

1.Oxygen

2. Fuel (wood, pine straw! etc)

3. Source of Ignition (flame, spark, or extinguished embers)

Without any of the three, there is no fire.

P.S. The cool thing was, I got to spray with one of the firehoses before it was stowed away! I love power washers, and this was one on steroids!!!

Another thing I learned through the process, I need a bigger fire extinguisher!

Blessings

KB