In the blink of an eye.

Have you ever stopped to consider how quickly your whole life can change? I mean, one minute you can be going along your merry way and then in literally the blink of an eye you find your whole world has been turned upside down. Today that really came home to me. I now realize how fast things can change and what it feels like to be totally helpless.

I was enjoying my Sunday afternoon nap when the telephone rang. On the other end of the line I heard Jennie Paige say "Have you heard what's happened?" I told her no and she proceeded to tell me that Steve and Mary Butcher's house was engulfed in flames. Mary and the kids go to church at New Life and we just spent the week with them at Hillsboro. They've really become active in the church recently and their oldest daughter, Angel, was baptized into Christ just this morning.

Darren and I immediately headed to Hester Ridge to see what we could do to help. When we got there it was pouring down rain and there was nearly nothing left of the house. All we could do was huddle together in the pouring rain and watch the fire rage. They literally lost everything. They didn't even get out with shoes on their feet. Mary said she had put laundry in and she and Karlee were taking a nap. Everyone was in the house and just enjoying an average Sunday afternoon and then suddenly everything they owned was gone.

As we stood there and watched the house that Steve had built and all their possessions go up in flames I felt completely powerless and so grateful that the entire family had escaped unharmed. I was reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 6:19, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." As Jesus said in v. 20 we need to be storing up our treasures in heaven. That's what it's all about. And this became even more evident throughout the rest of the day as we saw the love pour out from our brothers and sisters in Christ as everyone pulled together and came out to wrap this family in their arms, share their sorrows, and try to ease their burdens. This is the stuff that eternity is made of. Never take for granted the material blessings you have been given but at the same time always remember that it's just stuff and not what's really important at all.