Blessed by Fire

On April 8, 2008 our shop was completely destroyed by fire. At about 9:30 a.m. a spark went into a cup of lacquer thinner and the shop was ingulfed in flames. By the time the Fire Department showed up in 8 minutes the shop had already collapsed. They put the fire out after about an hour or so and they were able to keep the fire from reaching our home or any other car on the lot. At the time it seemed like it took forever for them to arrive and even longer for them to extinguish the fire but looking back at it they were AWESOME! They really did alot to ensure that the fire did not spread farther than it already had. As we watched our hard work and dreams go up in smoke we felt very depressed. We reached out to family and friends for moral support and received so much more. Within minutes the plan was set to rebuild. It almost seemed like no discussion, no thought, just the way it was going to be. The next 24 hours were hard. But by Thursday everything started to change. By noon, my father and my brother-in-law Brody were here helping us clean up the mess that was made. Jason's Dad and his brothers and sisters were there to help, too.

By Thursday night most of the slab was cleaned off and our entire shop was in a pile.

The rest of my family arrived Thursday night and by Friday it was getting harder and harder to remember what once stood there. An Amazing company, Top Knot Framing, ordered all the wood to frame the walls and the trusses for the ceiling and showed up Friday to frame the building. Now, we would like to pride ourselves in being a very hard working family that figures out how to do just about anything but having them there to frame the building was a BLESSING. They are amaxing at what they do.

FIRST WALL OF THE NEW SHOP

BACK WALL OF THE NEW SHOP

And yes, we had to take a moment to just look at what had been accomplished by Top Knot Framing in the short amount of time it took them and just say WOW!!!

I really like this pic because it shows the new shop all framed up and the old shop in a pile in front of it.

Then on Saturday Morning we probably had 30 people there to help with anything we need. So, we took advantage of their generosity and put up all the trusses and did some more cleaning.

Bill Nichols, Brody Robertson and Jason did Truss duty and we can not forget Jason Craig from Top Knot Framing showed up to help keep us in line.

Then by Saturday night, less thatn a week after the fire, the old building is down and the new building is up.

There are many times since the fire that I have thought back and cotemplated what has happened since. I am very comfortable saying that the FIRE WAS A BLESSING WRAPPED IN TRIALS. It was very difficult to go through but I would not trade what has come out of it for anything. There are a few lessons learned.

1. Heavenly Father loves us and does not give us more that we can handle. He also prepares a way for us if we but put our faith in him.

2. Family. I am extremely blessed to have an amazing family. Starting with our immediate family who dropped everything and came to our aid. And we also had some amazing friends who were there for us when we needed them.

So, the next part of the story is the progress since. We would have never made the decision to quit work and build a new building. But, we were able to build a beautiful, big new building in 3 weeks and be back to work. We were able to do it for a very reasonable price. The Lord has really blessed us since. Our business had never been better and beacuse of the new shop we are able to accomodate more jobs and do more things to expand our business. The lord provided a way for us to repay the debt that was incurred within 20 months. It really has brought us closer to our Heavenly Father in every way.

I would also like to add that Jason and I have sometimes wondered what if any impact this has had on any of the many people that dropped everything to come to help us. It has always been our prayer that each and every one of you were blessed in some way for your sacrifice. I hope you know that our gratitude is endless and could never be expressed with words.

Alma 38:5 .....I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of you trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, ane ye shall be lifted up at the last day.