We are still in Spokane, Washington and have had a very different experience yesterday. We have been parked at a small farm about 10 miles out of Spokane in the country. Most of the country side around there was pastureland or fallow fields with some of the beautiful tall Ponderosa Pines with some Blue Spruce. We love this spot and I have just totally enjoyed having countryside to look at out my windows.

On Wednesday of this week we had an appointment at a local RV dealer to get some needed warranty work done. So we left the farm and went into Spokane about a 18 mile drive. We have been parked for these past two night on the grounds of the RV dealer which even had electric hookup for us. so we could use our air conditioner when necessary. We were getting the work done that they could do, although they are referring us to a hydraulic dealer for the troubles with our hydraulics. The hydraulics are what power our slides and also the jacks under the unit. So it is a pretty important system to be worked on properly.

We will be moving to this other company this afternoon and see if they can help us with it.

Our weather has been pretty nice , although everyone form here was saying that is was hotter than usual at high 90’s. We were comfortable and at night the temps drop to a cool 60’s normally and so sleeping is very comfortable. Well on Thursday we awoke to some wind and in the low 70’s. But we noticed that the wind was getting stronger as the day wore on. 12 noon was pretty windy but not so bad but by 4 pm we were being buffeted so bad I was wondering if we needed to move to be safe. At 6 pm as I was trying to get supper ready I really wondered if we might be in trouble. We had turned on the TV as we had been smelling a smoke smell. Well there were several wildfires burning throughout the city already and the high winds(gusts of up to 58 mph) were pushing them and they were moving pretty fast. By 8 pm they had evacuated part of the city where the houses were in danger. We kept the TV on and kept listening although the winds had died down and by 11 pm the winds were back to about 11 mph. So we felt safe to go to bed since we were a long way from the evacuation area and the winds had almost stopped.

This morning we heard that NO ONE was hurt in this fire that has destroyed only 8 houses but about 1200 acres of grassland and woods. It is amazing to us to see how something can be so destructive but praising God for how everyone was protected or got out of the way of the fire. Of course we could have moved to a safer location if we had been in danger...but with those high gusts I wonder how we would have gone down the road. I am grateful that God allowed us to be where we could stay put and still be safe.

Some of you may know that as a child of 5 years old my family lost our home and all the furnishings. Our family always talked of what we wished we could have gotten out..we always missed the pictures. But no one was hurt and that was more important. It does bring this kind of thing a little closer to me though.

Sometimes God brings these kinds of things to happen to allow us to realize how blessed we are and that things are only things. The real treasure is the relationships that we have and are making for the kingdom...this includes our families and friends too. May you be blessed today in a new way realizing your blessings.

From the Roving Reimers Kent and Jan