Trial By Fire

Last week was one for the books. I will not forget it anytime soon. The antique store where I worked one day a week, and sold the antique books I collected, was destroyed by a fire. Thank God no one was hurt, but it appears most everything is destroyed. Thankfully, on the morning of the fire, I was able to walk with a dear friend up to the smoking building, both of us overcome with tears as we saw our place of work covered in black ash and steaming from the inside out. We paused in disbelief as the reality of the situation became clear and the amount of destruction sank in. After the shock, the primary emotion we all felt was gratitude that no one was hurt in the blaze. We all couldn’t help but rejoice that God was merciful in this way. But as the hours slowly passed, it was obvious that we’d all still have to deal with the rising feelings of grief we couldn’t push away.

Neuse General Store wasn’t just a place to sell antiques and gifts, it was a home base for anyone who loved feeling nostalgic and sentimental. It was a place to find unique treasures that would spark joy. It was a weathered building constantly FULL of laughter. Those who worked at Neuse became a family who worked, loved, and played hard, even through trials. Our fearless leaders, J and S, never failed to appreciate and lift up all their employees and vendors. The day of the fire was no different, as they were far more concerned with caring for everyone else during the tragic time than focusing on what they’d lost. Uncertainties are overflowing, but our trust in Christ as He directs us all remains strong.

I will miss many things about the old Neuse General Store building, but most of all, I will miss being able to go there any day of the week and automatically find one of my friends behind the counter. I will miss knowing my local watering hole, supplying immediate community for anyone who needed it, has been taken away, and I realize now how I’ve taken its presence for granted all these years. The store was a reliable constant where faces and names were remembered. It was a place filled with people who loved old treasures and the hunt for special memories. I’ll miss helping customers shop for random items that meant the world to them. I’ll miss turning off 8,000 lamps at the end of the day. I’ll miss seeing cars pull in and wondering who I was about to meet. Most of all, I’ll miss the love sent out of those doors and into our community every single day of the week.

Don’t worry, God is working in all of this, and my bosses (who hate when I call them that) are the first to say they see God working in and through every part of their lives, even when there is fire, metaphorically and literally. I don’t yet know what will come of Neuse General Store; it’s not my decision to make, but in the meantime, I will cherish every lesson learned, every customer helped, every hug from a coworker or vendor, and every hard thing we’ve all faced together. I know God has bright things ahead for all of us. We’ll continue to send love to our community and one another, so thankfully, we’re still very much in business together.