9 Years Ago Today

Canon 30D
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Shutter Speed 2.5 Seconds
Aperture f/16.0
ISO 640
Manual Mode
Speed light

A very good friend of mine is a firefighter. It's his job to run into burning buildings and pull people out. He goes to the scenes of accidents before anyone else and dives right in doing his part to help. He even makes it a point to help people in need when he's not on duty. He does it for a living and yet I truly believe he lives to do it.

Today I've thought a lot about my friend and all the firefighters I've known. I have 2 cousins that are firefighters in Indianapolis. A very good friend of mine recently became a firefighter in South Dakota. My own brother is an aspiring firefighter. And while I was thinking about these guys something occurred to me that changed my feelings entirely. Society often elevates to immortal hero status those around us that do good and make us feel better. We also like to demonize the wrong doers and make them somehow less than human. It just makes it easier to love our heroes and hate our enemies. But the truth is that in both cases, hero or villain, they are just human, like you and I. They feel pain, happiness, loss, love, irritation, and elation. They have families with problems and skeletons in the closet, husbands and wives, children and dogs named Skippy. And precisely because they are so human, firefighters deserve our respect and admiration. Even though they stand to lose their families, feel immense pain, see unspeakable atrocities, and generally get involved with all the major turmoil the rest of humanity throws at each other, they choose to be there. They choose to be true first responders and run into buildings that have danger screaming from every wall. When the world makes no sense and chaos reigns they are there to start putting things right once more.

Nine years ago today, men flew passenger planes into The World Trade Center, The Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. These were men, human to the bone, performing an unbelievable act of terror. I will forever remember that day and so many of the details surrounding my setting. Where I was when I first heard and how I sat huddle next to a radio for most of the day. We all can tell similar tales. And we were glued to it because this was raw humanity at both it's darkest and finest hour. Those that chose to kill that day are not who I'm thinking about tonight. I'm thinking of those men and women that knew they were going to die and still chose to run into those places of absolute and unrelenting horror in the hopes that they could save 1 life. They were human, they were very mortal, they were heroes, and they still walk among us. And though 9/11 left a mark on my soul, I'm filled with faith and love of my fellow man knowing there are people like that out there, and I'm blessed enough to call several my friends.

This picture does not encompass what I'm feeling. I had hoped to try something a bit more profound and impactful. In the end, the simple image of a fire engine at night with lights blazing seems to reassure me that if I'm ever in need, they will be there for me, whatever time of day and no matter how dangerous. The same people that ran into The World Trade Center will come for me in my time of need. And that is humanity shining like a beacon.

I'll wrap it up by saying my friend that I mentioned initially is suffering tonight. Friday evening his father passed away after a lengthy struggle with cancer. It was a long hard battle and the family is emotionally drained. Please say some prayers and leave some words for him. He reads us everyday and it would mean a lot to hear some words of encouragement. After all, though he's a firefighter and a hero, he is very human, just like you and I.

Scott

Our Fiery Inferno

Yet again I am doing something a little different for my blog post tonight. Our family had a loss last Sunday of my husband Jonny's machine shop. The entire building was destroyed by a fire. Once I realized that all I could do was watch, I pulled my camera out to document.

I know that God allows things like this to happen for a reason, even if we don't understand it. But as in everything in our lives, even in this disaster for our family, we could see his hand in all of it. I have to Thank God for the fact that nobody was injured or killed in the fire. Jonny was not out in his shop working and Colton wasn't running around playing. I also have to Thank God for his timing because had it been a week or two later the combine would have been in the shop getting worked on for harvest. To loose the combine would have been a total disaster for our family as far as equipment and machinery goes. So in all things God is in control and his plan is in everything. I just wish he would send us the memo.

I am going to post several pictures in chronological order with the time above them to show everybody exactly how fast this fire happened. All of these were taken with a zoom lens from my porch. So here it goes.....

7:47pm the fire is going strong, fire engines have been called and already there is not anything we could do. We could feel the heat from our house about 350 feet away.


This next picture is at 7:49pm and already the fire has made it through the entire building and is now coming out the southside doors of the building.

Third picture is roughly a minute or so later at 7:50pm. This will help to show you the size of the flames.

Picture four is at 7:51pm and you can see that flames have gotten bigger and are starting to consume more of the building.
Picture five at 7:53pm you can see the flames consuming the walls of the building. All in a matter of about 6 minutes. Still no fire truck yet either.

Finally shortly after 8pm the firemen arrived. Yep we are very rural. It takes the firemen roughly twenty minutes to get to us. Several of our neighbors showed up before they were able to. In this picture the firemen are beginning to try and put the fire out.

After the fire had been mostly put out the firemen knocked over whatever remaining walls were still left standing. Probably so they would not collapse and cause any injuries. The entire machine shed gone in less then 45 minutes.

Clean up begins with the removal of the walls and then it is sorting through what we can salvage. But I think I will save those pictures for a later time. Until then.

Can anybody tell me what this is? Winner might get something if I can remember to figure something out to give you, haha. Speaking of adorable things in the grass and to show you that I have not completely forgotten the rules of 3ChicksandADude photo blog, here is my final picture of the post for your enjoyment.

Nikon D2x

Focal Length 55mm

F8, 1/60secs.

Natural Lighting

This would be our adorable puppy Nanook. I couldn't leave everybody on a down note now could I? So enjoy all the blessings in life and cute, furry puppies always help, no matter what. I just wanted to thank everybody for all the prayers that have been sent our way and for the help that we have received with the clean up. God is in charge and he knows what the deal is. I am now going to go and celebrate my hubby's birthday with good food and VERY yummy cake.

Scott you're up next!