WHAT IF;? BUT IF YE ARE PREPARED YE SHALL NOT FEAR

BEFORE

AFTER

About 2 days ago, I thought that I had left an open burner on, in my house. I was on my way to work, early. I had cooked something on that burner, ( I hardly ever cook in the am, and I am sure I turned it off, but my brain decided to test me on it. I tried not to panic. No one would be home until my husband got there usually around 9 or 10. My dog was in the backyard, but he usually camped out on the back porch.I remembered that I left a fan on in the living room and hopefully (foolishly) the combined air conditioned air and blowing fan would calm any sparks that would try to ignite.( I am crazy). One of the first guilty thoughts in head was, "Where was my 72 hr kit?". and the the next thought was, "You haven't even started to organize your important documents, you don't even have a fire and water resistant/proof box to put them in." And where would I have put them? In the hall closet of course, because that is where the 72 hr (more like 36 hr) food kits are (in a plastic bin no less). I started to wonder if I had my fire and water proof box, would it withstand a blaze and could we find it in the rubble. Sort of like looking for the "black box" as it were. My next thought was that my husband would never forgive me if something happened to the dog. I found myself trying to find an explanation plausible enough to tell him. I was thinking that maybe the dog would move away from the porch and run into his own house. Its funny what your mind can do when you let it. I had to "talk myself off the ledge" and pray a foolish mans prayer for the safety of my home. God listened and obviously had a chuckle. I told my husband these things only after he walked into the house. All was well .

Unfortunately, all was not well for the owner of the house in the pictures. Its funny, I heard this on the news this morning. Ironically I heard it on the traffic report. Apparently a busy road that ran near the home was closed and/or blocked due to the fire and fire fighting equipment. The sad thing is that the firefighters were unable to properly fight the fire due to low water pressure. Some how I don't think that the house would have survived even if they had the proper pressure. The lady who owned the "mansion" was Peggy Cooper Cafritz. I had heard the name but could not place it. I remembered her, only because I read about her in Oprah's magazine. She was a prominent person here in DC. She collected "African American Art". I guess she thought of herself as the care taker of this art, she had it displayed all through her lovely home. I remember looking at the picture of the front of her house (the before pic) and I thought wow, I would love to come home every day to this house. I would sit out on the front porch and just enjoy the day. The owner was on vacation, and she had to be called in. What a home coming. I can't imagine how I would feel. Well I have given some thought about this. The scriptures admonish us and warn us not to become too closely attached to worldly things,

MATTHEW 6:19 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

I have personally struggled with my own ideas of "treasure". I have raged an ongoing battle with my husband for the past 10 years concerning the condition of my house. It has been a work in progress since we moved in. That is why I started the 72 HOUR RULE Blog. I am trying to work out my "salvation" as it were, and I see that I have a long way to go, but a short time do it. So many disasters have been happening.A metro train crashed,Michael Jackson died,one of Charlies Angels died. All these things have made me really pause and prioritize.

D&C 38-30

I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.