Close Call but really a Miracle

I think I am pretty sure that I am glad I didn't witness the flames burning literally 50 yards from my home (the house you can see on the left). This is a picture of our neighbor's home across the street . . . or what is left of it. The wind shifted just as the fire jumped the road above our street (which is to the left of the image shown) The shift of wind resulted in the fire jumping 50 feet and igniting the property across the street from us. Miraculously the empty house at the top of the hill (only framing and exterior wood panels) escaped with only minor scorch marks. If the wind had kept blowing from the direction it was roaring down the mountain it would have ignited that house and the wind would have blown the hot flames downward, engulfing each of our homes in a domino like fashion.

The view from my in-law's home in west jordan was enough to convince me there would be nothing left of our home in the morning. When I left their home after dinner to go out and get some things before they issued the mandatory evacuation I wasn't too worried. Upon ariving at the bottom of our street only to have the police barricade tell me I couldn't go further, I was pretty shook up.

in this picture you can see how close it really was. The house circled in red at the top is a a vacant house. . . wood exposed. In all reality it should have burned, in turn catching the rest of the homes on our side of the street on fire. The wind was blowing strongly from the direct south. But just as the fire jumped the road above us (a 50 foot jump) the wind shifted and came from the south west, pushing the flames into the area to the east of us. Our home is the one circled in red at the bottom. the view is even more sobering from my upstairs window. Charred earth so close to the home we practically built ourselves.

I am greatful for a grounded husband. . . who happens to be in Michigan right now. He called to ensure we were far from danger. . . I went to bed that night calm. . . resigned that I would be having to tell my children we didn't have anything left. But not sad so much for the loss of the house, more for the loss of the things that were more than just things to my littles. Chaino, Big Fat, blankies, brand new bunk beds. The house was just a house. . . I wasn't even that attached to it. . . and now that we had done it once we could easily do it again and even better.

I was amazed in the morning to see the helicopter shots of our street, our homes still there. I know that our prayers were answered. . . so many more homes could have been lost if the fire had followed the path it was going. I know the Lord sent a saving wind that night.

We are very saddened for our neighbor's loss. And are anxiously awaiting the time when they are ready to allow us to help them. . .for now they have requested to be allowed some time, unburdened by visitors and do-gooders. I can completely understand.

The winds are picking up again, and thus the smoke that causes the painful burn in the back of your throat and the sting in your eyes. While I know the fire has burned all it can around our home (creating a natural fire break), there are still mandatory evacuations in place for neighborhoods to our east and west. The fire fighters will continue to work miracles with the hand of God aiding them.

We are going to leave again. . .the smell is getting overpowering. Thank you so much for all the prayers in our behalf. The Lord heard them and answered them. As always.

I will post more pictures later.