What a week!

It all started last Friday evening, I was at my granddaughters softball game, the wind was unbelievable, anyway we got a call for an assist to the south neighboring department for a structure fire with flames showing.  It took me a while to get there, but did and I got to play this time.  My deputy was handling our department so I just grabbed an air pack, a 6' hook and headed in with the rest of the crew to pull ceiling and overhaul.  Not a lot of work to do, but felt good doing something other than talking on a radio. On Sunday, right after I left the platform in church, we got a call for a structure fire in our district.  Was a minor fire only because of the time of the day.  Had it been at night, would have been a lot worse.  My deputy was first on the scene so left him in command and helped with interior operations.  Monday night we had training and that went real well, we are making progress, slow but sure on getting our members familiar with where equipment is and it operation.  Tuesday, the madness started.  I had to talk a granddaughter to a doctor appointment, and just as we were to leave we get a call for a possible structure fire at the local vet clinic.  Quickly dropped her off, and responded.  We had 7 make the call, and after some searching found the problem.  Shorted wire.  Cleared and went to work.  Middle of the afternoon, weather turned bad with snow and sleet.  I was at the station when we got a call for a roll over on the expressway.  Responded with 7 firefighters again and cut a man out of his pickup.  He had some neck injuries and now has a convertible pickup.  Later that night, we caught a fully involved structure fire.  My deputy was first officer on scene and when I got there left him in command and took water supply. Some 5 hours later we cleared and had everything cleaned up.  Finally crawled in bed at 2:45AM.  Got up at the usually time and got a little work done, then called it a day.  Went to supper for the first time with some former classmates from high school.  They get together once a month, but due to distance this is the first time I have made it.  It was fun, most of us have changed alot.  On Thursday, spent good portion of the day digging out the fire from Tuesday.  Still no definite cause.  Ruled out some, but still not sure.  Will probably have to go out again with the insurance investigator.  Thursday had training again, went well.  Have decided that everyone who is not yet qualified on the rescue engine will do nothing but train on it until they are checked out. Found out our brush rig is down with fuel injector problems, translation, bring big money.  Not sure how soon it will be back. It is pretty wet here so its not critical yet, but could be in a hurry if it dries up.   Found out a friend died on Tuesday afternoon.  He was a business owner in town and had been in poor health.  Saw him last Saturday morning at coffee.  He was about a big as my dad, and reminded me a lot of him.  My regret is that not once did I mention anything to him about Jesus.  I have nothing that would lead me to believe that he was a Christian, and I think if I had said anything he would have passed it off,  but I don't know that for sure, and beside that I had a duty to do that.  I wonder if he ever saw Christ in me, I hope so but I think that I dropped the ball on this one.  Seems to me I do that a lot.  Went to the Good Friday service last night at church.  Glad we had one, as it had been a few years.   As we sang "The Old Rugged Cross", could not help but think of my dad.  It was one of his favorites.  It once again brought me to tears.  Miss him so even if it has been over 7 years.  Tomorrow is Easter, for a lot of people Christmas is their favorite holiday.  For me it is Easter.  Because of Easter and what it symbolizes, I have eternal life.  As I get older, this becomes so much more important than anything I can think of.   I watched a little TV the other day while I was waiting to have my new cell phone updated with the numbers from my old one.  I watched as mankind tried to put a worldly spin on Easter.  Rabbits that lay eggs?, spring?  That was in March, and have you seen the weather here.  No, they won't acknowledge that we celebrate the RISEN LORD.   For to do so, would require that they make a decision about Him.   My wife and I will spend Easter alone this year,  no family is coming home, I think we will go out for dinner.  Right know one of the songs that I want sung a my funeral is playing on my computer as I type this.  One of the lines is "there my burden soul found liberty"  oh how true.  I think that song "AT CALVARY"  is one of the best songs of what has happen in my life.  As the songs says, "Now I gladly own Him as my King, Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary"  Looking forward to tomorrow.   A friend once told me the Friday before Easter, to have a good Easter.  I told him "As a Christian, I don't think you can have a bad Easter".   He thought for a minute and replied "I think if you really believe in the resurrection, then you can't have a bad Easter."    Happy Easter