Built on a Solid Foundation

 

 

After nearly twenty years of memories and renovations, losing our home to a fire was devastating. Despite the ups and downs we faced in life, our home was always a safe haven. It was a place where you could be yourself, a place where everyone felt loved. Our home was where we gathered to cook, to eat, to talk, to laugh and to work. It was where we celebrated victories and rallied in our defeats. Our home was the hub of our family… and it was gone. 

 

The aftermath of the fire was traumatic on a very different level. While still very much in a mental fog due to shock, there were major decisions which needed to be made regarding the reconstruction of our home. I could barely concentrate let alone resolve key aspects of rebuilding our lives, and yet the amount of information being thrown at us continued to pile up. As my husband and I attempted to wrap our heads around the big issues, we were struggling with a basic issue…housing. We were homeless. Our safe haven was gone and we had nowhere to go. 

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As a family of 5 adults and 1 dog, finding adequate housing proved to be a daunting task. In fact, our family moved 6 times within the first 4 weeks. Each move was a bitter reminder of our loss.  With only one plastic bin/person, our family was able to pack up the entirety of our belongings within a mere 20 minutes. Sometimes we were able to be together as a family. Oftentimes, we were scattered in various locations just so everyone could have a place to sleep for the night.  I desperately wanted to go to sleep and wake up in our home. I wanted to wake up from the nightmare we were living. 

 

While we had lost our home, we still had each other and we very much needed to be together as a family. The fallout from the fire was just too difficult to process alone. In these dire circumstances, we were able to see first-hand the power of family and faith. 

 

In the wake of the fire, each day had its own unique set of challenges to face, yet family and faith were our constants. Despite our nomadic lifestyle, we gathered each night to study the scriptures and pray together as a family. Even when we weren’t together physically, we would connect through facetime, so we could be strengthened by one another. This is a habit that we’ve had in our family since our children were born. Each night, for more than twenty years, we would gather to read and to pray. In the beginning, our children were too young to participate, so my husband and I continued the pattern as a couple. Eventually, our children were eager to say their own tender prayers. In time, they began reading the scriptures with the family, as well. Eventually, each person had their day to read, pray and share a take-away with the family. Regardless of work, vacations, or holidays, we maintained this daily pattern of family scripture study and prayer. 

 

 

This pattern not only forged our faith, but it also fused our family bonds. I recall the sweet words of a child praying for a sibling to do well on a test or for a parent to get better. Hearing those humble pleas through the years and through various circumstances truly reinforced the love within our family. Afterall, it’s difficult to be annoyed with your little sister or frustrated by your teenage son when they’re praying for you.

 

From unemployment to cancer, this pattern has been a source of strength for our family. However, following the fire, things were different for me. While  we continued to gather for family scripture and prayer, I was unable to see the benefits as I once did. My thoughts were fractured and I was unable to concentrate, despite my best efforts. I felt frustrated in every sense of the word. In time, the fog lifted and I was able to think more clearly. I finally felt like myself again. At that moment, my perspective shifted.

Rather than dwelling on the misfortune and misery of the fire I was able to see the miracles. Yes, we had lost everything, but I still had my wonderful family. Our precious children and our dog were protected. The events of that day could’ve played out very differently. 

 

Our home was built in the 1940s, yet after more than 75 years, the brick and mortar construction withstood the intensity of the fire. It provided a solid foundation of protection that remains intact today. Like the brick and mortar of our home, faith and family work in tandem to help us withstand the trials of life, no matter how intense. We have seen this firsthand as patterns we implemented years ago continue to strengthen us when we need it most. Together, faith and family provide a solid foundation of protection that can start today and last for years to come. 

 

 

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