Issac Watts
I’ve always loved that. I love it even more now. I took this picture of our yard the other day while out riding with the rugrats. It was an enchanted day. Sunday was also enchanted. We drove home from church just soaking up the colors that are brought to life by vibrant spring sunshine.
Have you ever been driving up to your yard and all of a sudden got a flutter in your heart and a frightened feeling about what it would be like to drive up and find your house burned to the ground? I didn’t get that feeling on Sunday but I have had it in the past. It is not a nice feeling. No worries, our house was still standing when we turned in the drive. We piled out of our vehicle and made our way into the house completely oblivious of the fact that merely two hours earlier a prairie fire had started at our neighbors yard and threatened to race its way across the field right to our little homestead.
No sooner did we set foot in the dining room and a frightening sight met our gaze. Our large picture window that faces south revealed a charred, black, smoking field where just that morning golden wheat stubble had warmed our view.
The stanza that I shared above came to mind as I watched the heat waves and smoke rise from the ashes oh so near to this place called home. If the fire trucks would have been 10 minutes later… if the person driving by who reported the fire hadn’t driven by… if, if, if….truly I don’t think it is silly to say that this little spot was enclosed by Grace.
Truer and more vital yet is the foundational cornerstone of faith. That if our terrestrial abode HAD gone up in flames, our lives would still be irrefutably enclosed by Grace, because home really is where the heart is and the postal code of our hearts has been eternally etched into a heavenly ledger.
No insurance necessary, no cause to fret, we’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop. But oh, I’m very thankful this little farm house still stands, enclosed by Grace.
21 comments:
I'm thankful, too. Today I am very aware of friends, including distant ones never yet seen in person. May the Lord continue to bless your home.
I am so thankful also for God's hand of protection upon your home... I have thought about what it would be like to come home to our house on fire... on our way to my favorite grocery store is a house that I have always thought was just beautiful and they had this wonderful huge back porch, it burned recently and made me so sad, even though I do not know the folks who lived there...
So glad your home is safe!
Blessings!
YIKES.
you know, we often "wish" our house would burn down (lol) but I think the reality would be frightening.
I didn't notice this today when I drove by on my way home from the docs - must look less burnt already. Very thankful with you.
So glad you were all safe and your house. God id good. That was a good post reminding us that this is not our home. When I was in young, the little white church that I had always attended burned down. I at first thought that 'the church ' had burned down. I soon learned that there was no fear of that... Christ's church was still alive and well... just a building burned down. That picture is so amazing. I am sure it will be green again soon.
thank God for His protection!!
I am giving thanks with you that your home is safe. What a good reminder that life is truly out of our control - but God is ALWAYS in control.
Just wait 'til you see how the burned area will green up now! You'll have to take another picture for us in a month or so.
Oh my, I'm so thankful for God's protection, for his enclosure of grace, and for your broader perspective on what Home is. You're a blessing.
Like Dawn says, you may have something incredible to show us in a month or so.
Beauty from ashes ...
OH! MY! GOODNESS!! You are safe! THANK HEAVENS!
We had something sort of like this a couple of years ago and it is terrifing!
I am glad you are SAFE!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Wow! That is something I had never thought of but guess that comes with prairie living. So happy for you guys too that the sweet home you have built with so much heart is fine:)
wow...me too!
Wow, that would be scary! Praise the Lord, He protects us from so much!! I am so happy with you that your home is fine!!
I'm praising the Lord for His hedge of protection around you, yours and your nest. When we lived in Ca. in the hills and fires would start I'd be aware of what it would be like to have only ashes. I'm glad you didn't find that! Blessings to you dear friend...love the new blog look!
Hugs,
Noreen
Grace beyond all measure! God's grace he is so good isn't he! Oh I am so thankful for you that God's unseen hand was upon you and yours!
And even better yes that no matter what happens to this outward temple..I am still enclosed by God's grace and I still have a mansion just over the hilltop in that bright land where will never grow old..Ahh I love that song!
I am thankful you or your home was not harmed and hope and pray you neighbors were not either!
We have much to be thankful for eh?
God's unseen hand is ever present!
Joy
I'm so thankful that your home was protected by the Master's hand of Grace.
Oh I so loved what you said here, "if our terrestrial abode HAD gone up in flames, our lives would still be irrefutably enclosed by Grace, because home really is where the heart is and the postal code of our hearts has been eternally etched into a heavenly ledger." That is so beautifully said P.C.
Just 3 weeks ago we stood in our back yard at about 9:30 P.M. watching a small apartment building on fire. Thankfully all tenants got out safely, but the building is now condemned. As I stood there in the blackest of night, I prayed for everyone who lived there and for the firefighters safety. That fire was too close to our home and I thank the Lord that He kept his hand of grace on us and our home. It was a somber experience to stand there helpless watching the fire blazing atop the roof and out the windows.
A few years ago we had a wood stove in our garage, which is very, very close to the house. It was in the dead of winter and my son had stoked the stove and left for a short time. When we pulled in the driveway there was smoke and a small fire around the piping leading outside of the garage. If we hadn't pulled in just then...it would have gone up in flames.
Oh you brought back some terrifying experiences for us. Thank you Lord for always watching over everyone of us and keeping us safe in Jesus precious name. Amen.
Sorry I was so wordy, but this hit so very close to home with me.
Love you,
Alleluiabelle
What a beautiful post! And a beautiful title. You drew me in with the stunning photos and gave me reason to be thankful again for my own enclosure of grace.
Thank you for posting this
Stumbled upon your blog...and loved this post, thanks for sharing!
Ah, Nichole, we are so thankful with you that your home is safe and sound. Thank you for your lessons about grace. Those are deep thoughts from a young woman. May God continue to use you as your raise your family and as your intereact with your friends and your blog community.
Love your new format. How do you set up such a pretty layout? I could use a few lessons.
Reread your post again, and once again it struck a chord with me. Very meaningful!!
oh...just...wow.
Was the wheat field yours or the neighbor's? That was a loss. But, the picture is a dramatic illustration of His protection over your comings in and goings out.
The fire came literally to the edge of our quarter but didn't cross over. It has been a very dry and cold spring, it was only last years wheat stubble that burned, seeding has just started up here in the past few days. It did feel amazingly like there was an invisible wall at the edge of our quarter.
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