Pardon the interruption

Please excuse this interruption of Friday Fun. But in light of the fact that Michael, Amy, Rebecca and I were nearly blown to bits yesterday in our garage I feel the need to skip the funny videos and implore you to buy a fire extinguisher.

As previously mentioned, the Fiero is not running. Earlier this week, Michael ordered a part with the hopes this would solve the problem; when it arrived today, he installed it and just like that, the car started! Success! Of course, when I walked out to hear the Fiero rumble that I haven’t heard in weeks, it wouldn’t start. I went back inside, hoping and praying I’d hear the engine crank sooner rather than never.

Not long after, I heard Michael shouting; I figured the car had started, so I ran to the garage, ready to do a happy dance! Well, the car hadn’t so much as started as caught on fire. In my garage. Where gas had recently leaked. Where my children were either standing or playing nearby.

In a moment of sheer grace, I remembered the fire extinguisher I’ve kept under my kitchen sink. I grabbed it, pulled the pin and sprayed the first shot of the white powdery stuff all over my legs. I’d never looked at the thing, so it should come as no surprise I had no idea how to aim it. (Before y’all give me a hard time, please do NOT think it was one of those red jobs we see everywhere. See the picture.)

I gathered my senses, turned the thing around and put out the fire.

Y’all, if that fire extinguisher had not been nearby, our house would most certainly have burned down. Two containers of gas for the lawn mower were three feet from the car. There was a fuel leak in the car. There was gasoline on the garage floor. There is no good reason we did not go boom. No reason other than the grace of God.

I’ve looked at that fire extinguisher under my kitchen sink so many times, thinking about how much precious space it was taking. When was I ever going to need it, really? Yes, I have some cooking mishaps, but nothing that’s required a fire extinguisher. So many times I’ve thought of putting that thing in the basement to get it out of the way. But I never did; I always left it right there, under the kitchen sink, right next to the SOS pads.

I will be buying a replacement today. And I will never be without one in my kitchen again.

If you don’t have a fire extinguisher, please consider getting one. A decent one for home use goes for under $30. Definitely money well spent. 

Thanks be to God for keeping us safe. And please, get your own fire extinguisher today.

Friday Fun will return next week, barring any more near-death experiences. Or real ones, for that matter.