I am an early riser.  I love the quiet morning hours to pray and get centered for the day’s events.  I always take a look out the window to see whatever I can see.  The morning of Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008 was no different…until I noticed a “new light.”  While watching this “light” I noticed that it flickered like a candle flame.  It was down by our propane tank.  From my window I couldn’t tell if it was a bush on fire or if something else was burning.  After a few seconds the flame grew exponentially!  It then dawned on me that a gas pipe was on fire.  To or from the propane  tank!  YIKES!  I decided that the safest thing to do was to awaken the prioress and alert her.  Rushing down three flights of stairs without waking the other sisters my heart was pounding and my mind was questioning if I should in fact wake my dear sleeping sisters. 

Some of us are not morning people…until we have our coffee.  This is true of Sr. Sean, our prioress.  But I have to admit, she responded quickly – calling the fire department, etc.  While she was doing this I ran outside to see what was going on and if there was something I could do.  Slipping and sliding on the 2″ of ice on the sidewalk I made it to a stairway leading down to the area.  By the time I could navigate the ice-encrusted steps the fire was gone.  I eked my way back up to the main walk and into the house to inform Sr. Sean.  It was only later that we learned that one of our workmen, Larry Jensen, had been on his way to salt our walkways and noticed the fire.  He turned a valve off and this is what extinguished the fire.  God’s providence at work once again in our lives.  The Fire Dept. did come and made sure everything was safe.  We all are awaiting the geothermal heating and cooling system that is part of our building renovation.  Until then I still look out the window to see what I can see.