• ABOUT
  • Shop
    • Shop Our Amazon Favorites
    • Shop Our Presets
  • Contact
    • Sponsorships
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Oak + Oats

A Colorado Lifestyle Blog

  • Motherhood
    • Oh Baby
    • Mama Buys
    • Pregnancy
  • Marriage
    • Date Night
    • Wedding Anniversary
  • Lifestyle
    • Family
    • Friends
    • Holidays
    • Photography
  • Home
    • Before & After
    • Yard & Garden
    • Recipes
    • Hosting
  • Travel
    • Travel Tips
    • Snapshots
    • Disney
    • Colorado
    • Colorado Springs
  • Ask Elizabeth

July 12, 2013
Colorado Springs, Faith

Community Doesn’t Burn

Forest Fires – a natural event that I did not think much about until these past two summers. Most of you are aware of the Colorado fires that have been ravishing our waterless state. We are making headlines and my phone is blowing up with our of state friends checking in on us. Last summer the Waldo Canyon fire came right into the city that I live in, rushing down the mountain before my very eyes as I attempted to drive home from work to save my wedding dress and boxes of memories from my childhood. 347 homes were destroyed and two lives were lost. I wrote my journals of life as an evacuee here on this blog as I spent a week evacuated from my home and I was lucky enough to come back to it after the evacuation was lifted. Too many of my neighbors did not have the same privilege. That day was June 26th, 2012.

Less then a year later the unthinkable happened again in the city of Colorado Springs. The Black Forest fire began burning. 486 homes were flattened, two lives were lost, and countless animals were trapped in the fire. We didn’t think something as bad as the Waldo Canyon fire could happen ever again to our community – but it did.

COMMUNITY DOESN’T BURN

If you live in Colorado Springs you know this to be the case – community doesn’t burn. Natural disasters tend to bring everyone together for a cause – uniting us on a deeper, more authentic level. My office (Life Network) was greatly impacted by the fire last year as over half our staff was evacuated along with one of our two pregnancy center locations. This year it felt like the rest of our staff was evacuated and to keep it lighthearted, we joked that it was a requirement to work there. 

Community does more than just watch the news & “feel bad” for the victims – real community puts their heartfelt connection to action. Samaritan’s purse is a ministry that does just that, organizes and provides an opportunity to serve those affected by the fire (or the tornado, flood, hurricane, storm). They rely heavily on volunteers from the community and they train them to meet some of the needs of those impacted by the disaster. 

A couple of my co-workers & I took the time out of our schedules and volunteered to sift through ashes of the Black Forest fire, looking for anything left behind. We worked at a home sight that was completely destroyed. They lost everything they owned and you can see some of the devastation in these photos that were taken with the homeowners approval. The older lady who lived in this home panicked and left with nothing – no photos, no journals from her late husband, not her grandfather’s bible – nothing. We tried to come in and give her & her family some memories back. Things like her late husband’s coin collection that we dug up one by one and some china she received as a wedding gift. Sifting through the ashes is an overwhelming and daunting task for the home owner. It is such a blessing for them to get some of their memories back when everything was taken from them. And while we dig, we lift up that family in prayer and get to sign a bible to give them when the work is done. We pray that the Lord would make beauty from the ashes – in the ground and in their hearts.

You don’t have to wait for a natural disaster to get involved in your community. There are so many who are hurting. People who would be changed forever by your prayers, your notes, and your service. I encourage you to look for places to serve. To experience loving your neighbor by being the hands and feet of Jesus. 

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Matthew 25:40

Related

Previous Post: « Rockies & Wine
Next Post: local // brews + bluegrass + banjos »

Primary Sidebar

Hello + Welcome!

I’m Elizabeth, a Colorado photographer and blogger. I’m also a wife, mama, sister, daughter, and friend! Welcome to Oak + Oats! Here we look for the remarkable in the every day. We love photographing our daily moments, making memories, and sharing our favorite places here in this space.

Our happiest days are spent together – many of those with a camera in hand! My free time (ie: Nap Time) is spent behind my computer screen sharing our tips and stories with you! I’m glad you’re here!

stay up to date

READ MORE ABOUT

  • Motherhood
  • Marriage
  • Home
  • Colorado
  • Travel
  • Holidays
  • Ask Elizabeth

OLDER POSTS

My Word for 2021

Cheers! Themed First Birthday Party

2021 Photo Calendar

Looking back on 2020

Christmas Eve

Oh Christmas Tree

The North Pole

A Christmas Tour Of Our House

The Family Holiday Gift Guide

Creating Christmas Family Traditions & Being okay when they Change

New Mama Holiday Gift Guide

Unique Bible Verses to include in your Christmas Cards

Christmas Outfits for baby + Toddler Girl

Our Christmas Tree

BuybuyBABY Toy Gift Guide

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

Officially sharing my word for the year on the blo Officially sharing my word for the year on the blog today! You'll never guess from this image, but my word this year is..... CREATE! ⁠
⁠
#TheMayberryTileMat
Filler photo so that I can post another photo of m Filler photo so that I can post another photo of my Tile Mat and have them not be back to back on my feed 😜 But also just the cutest two-year-old on the block!
You guys know how much I love photo projects and h You guys know how much I love photo projects and how I love filling our home with my favorite photos so you should not be surprised by this post 😜 I love @ArtifactUprising and I've done several photo projects with them over the years, so when I saw this calendar I thought it would be a perfect addition for the new year to bring joy to 2021! πŸ₯‚ It is the prettiest photo calendar that I ever did see! Just hung this baby up in our dinning room and I have to say, this room is about complete. Like complete complete! It even has baseboards! Maybe we will even get baseboards up in all the rooms this year πŸ˜‚ More on that later, but if you are in love with this calendar as much as I am, use code OAKS15 to save 15% on your order at #ArtifactUprising!Β πŸ™ŒπŸΌ
My word for the year is create. So I took two hour My word for the year is create. So I took two hours of my weekend to create this! πŸ˜‚ CHEERS πŸ₯‚ #tilemat
Oh hey guys it's me! I've been in and out of Insta Oh hey guys it's me! I've been in and out of Instagram lately. A couple months ago I deleted Instagram from my phone for a little break. And I keep doing it because it is so nice. Sometimes I delete the app but still have photos post because they are scheduled and now you know my little secret πŸ˜‰ ⁠
⁠
But really, I just took another break and while I am committed to this place because it holds so many of my memories, I'm not like super addicted to it (which is really a healthy place to be!) HAHA. ⁠
⁠
I'm realizing I don't have unlimited time to post and share all the things I want to and so when I do have time, I want to spend more time of it creating blog posts and less time scrolling IG. It's not you, it's me! HAHA. If you want to to keep hearing from me, make sure you are subscribed to our emails!! Link in bio and also stories!
It's been too long since we had a #HildeintheAir p It's been too long since we had a #HildeintheAir pic. You're welcome!

Footer

MOTHERHOOD

Oh Baby
Mama Buys
Pregnancy

COLORADO
Colorado Springs

HOME
Recipes
Hosting
Before & After

MARRIAGE
Date Night
Anniversaries

TRAVEL
Travel Tips
Snapshots
Disney

SHOP
Shop our Amazon List
Shop our Presets

Copyright © 2021 Β· OAK + OATS