When your email, phone, skype, and messages
start to light up all at once
and you're out of the country,
you know something major has happened.
My heart started to race.
And then the news came that one of the
Farnsworth Companies was going up in flames.
My Dad's Wholesale Plumbing Supply Warehouse
caught on fire and was
causing quite the scare because of
the explosions of the propane tanks
that were catching on fire.
The smoke was jet black. They had 40 firetrucks at the scene
and 200 firefighters.
The Lumber Company was right next door.
The wholesale office building and showroom was
right next to the fire and being doused with water.
I was able to watch it live from the mission home
on the Internet and Slingbox.
It was 112 degrees today in Mesa. It was a nightmare
for the firefighters.
The wind was whipping up but we were so grateful that it was
blowing in the right direction, away from the
other structures.
They interviewed my dad on the news and they asked him
how he could be so optimistic
and he said
"Nobody was killed or injured.
We are so grateful. We can replace materials.
We will rebuild and replace
and get going."
He has lived long enough and been through some tough times
and he knows that this is what life is...
dealing with problems... trials, tribulation.
You can be depressed and say why me
or you can roll up your sleeves and get back to work.
You have to make the best out of every situation.
He is a very optimistic person.
It's like the Mule that fell in the farmer's well.
The farmer decided that the mule nor the well was worth saving
So he and his neighbors started to bury the mule in the well
to put it out of its misery.
The mule was hysterical.
But then he realized that every time a shovel of dirt
landed on his back
He would shake it off and step up.
He did it over and over.
He fought panic and just kept shaking it off and stepping up.
It wasn't long until the old mule stepped triumphantly
up over the wall of the well.
What seemed like it would bury the mule actually helped him
all because of the way he handled his adversity.
If we look at our challenges with optimism
and fight back anger, fear and self pity
We will succeed and be better for it.
Mark and Bonnie our prayers are with you.
Hang in there.
Mark, Paul, Mike, Freddie, Devan...
Let's get 'er done!
WE LOVE YOU!
ps... This was the first time in two years that
I wish that I was home for the day.
You want to circle the wagons when something
like this happens to family.
But our prayers will have to do.
I am going to be optimistic and shake it off
and I know they will too!
pss... they found out that the fire was started by a cigarette.
10 million dollars worth of damage
from one little cigarette. Sad!
