When All is Lost, Faith is Found

Friday, June 17, was a horrible day for my husband.  Around 4 pm his new shop caught fire and burned to the ground.  Everyone escaped with not even a scratch, but much was lost.  Not only did he and his workers lose all their tools, but Ricky also lost his new iphone, laptop, and a bag full of cash that he was going to use for payroll.  Three vehicles were also burned to nothing including one that belonged to one of his best friends.  The place looks like a bombed out war zone.  That shop was Ricky’s pride and joy, for he invested everything he had into that place….blood, sweat, and money.   To make matters just a little worse, he had not put insurance on the shop yet.  He and his good friend, Frank, had been discussing quotes and such, but nothing had been etched in stone.

But my husband is an optimist.  I know it shocked the hell out of him, but he has been through a lot in his lifetime.  He has learned to persevere in the face of adversity, and it has made him into an extremely strong person.  The outpouring of support from everyone truly amazes me.  I always knew that everyone loved Ricky, and the community has rallied around him in such an incredible way.  Ricky said on Saturday that he wants to start going to church again and make it a priority.  The preacher discussed the loss and how an account has been set up to help Ricky (and his co-workers) get back on their feet.  Everyone in the church was just showering him with offers to help, and I know it made him feel extremely loved and appreciated.

Yesterday I watched as Ricky, Matthew, James, and Wesley worked to try and get back on their feet.  The shop at our house is smaller, but it will work in a pinch.  They were trying to clean some tools (to see if anything was salvageable), working on cars, and just doing a little bit of everything.  Ricky lost so much in that fire, but he did not lose his determination, pride, or hard work ethic.  He is a rock through and through. 

I truly believe that something good will prevail in this tragedy because God has a way of turning lemons into lemonade when we allow Him.

Proverbs 3: 5-6