One year ago, Jodi and Jereme Denning were in shock.

On the cold night of Dec. 7, a stove malfunction ignited a fire that gutted their Mary D home.The family fled into the street."I was barefoot," Jodi remembers.Daughter Destini, 10, says she and a friend were lucky to escape."We were playing upstairs and I heard my grandmother yelling," Destini says.The blaze ripped through their house and the neighbors' place, too."We lost everything we worked hard for," Jodi says. "We did a lot of praying and crying."When you lose everything, the smallest task becomes a daunting challenge.You can't brush your teeth without a toothbrush.You can't feed your family without food, or a table, or a kitchen.You can't get the kids ready for school without clothes.And what do you do when you don't have a bed to sleep in?Still, there was reason to give thanks. The entire family was safe, including son Jacob, now 6, and even Bubba, newly adopted family dog.Help came fastFamily members continue to deal with residual effects of trauma.The children occasionally have trouble sleeping. And for months, Jereme was drawn to the ruins of the house, where he'd simply sit and stare until Jodi would go looking for him."It was something you wouldn't wish on anyone," says Jereme, employed in the recycling industry at J. W. Zaprazny Inc. in New Ringgold.Jodi says the healing process has been gradual."I don't think it sunk in until later. We were in shock."But there was good news, too. Community support touched the family deeply."Our house was still burning when friends went out shopping for us," says Jodi, a medical assistant at Tamaqua Family Practice.Jodi's family lineage is tied to the Nelsons and Zieglers, well-known and respected families in town for seemingly as long as there's been a Tamaqua.That familiarity in the community helped to spark an overwhelming response for aid.For eight months, the Dennings stayed in Mary D with Jereme's parents.During that time, friends and businesses donated furniture, beds, clothing, toiletries, plates, dishes, money - just about everything a family would need to get on their feet."Our community is just amazing," says Jodi. "The love and support of family and friends kept us strong. Jereme and I talk about how can we ever give back."The family also absorbed good vibes spiritually, something that sustained them during weaker moments.They credit the Rev. Harold Hand, senior pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Pottsville, who showed up to comfort the family even as the house was burning.They're also grateful for support offered by the Tamaqua Area School District, teachers and students.In August, the Dennings finally moved into a spacious duplex located two blocks away.As they set up house, they were grateful for blessings of new furniture and supplies. But it was only natural, perhaps, they lamented the loss of irreplaceable items.Their wedding photos and albums were destroyed, as were baby pictures and all of their Christmas presents.Still, they knew they had received the ultimate gift - nobody was hurt. The family was intact and all of the firefighters escaped injury.Sign of hopeOne year after the tragedy, the family is beginning to realize that perhaps they were given an early sign that everything would be OK.One week after the blaze, friends staged a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at the Tamaqua Elks.The struggling family was on hand to thank everybody.Meanwhile, back in Mary D, members of Tuscarora Fire Company offered to comb through the ashes at the remains of the house to see if anything could be salvaged.Unfortunately, devastation was complete. The floors either burned or collapsed. So did the staircase."Our bed was found in the kitchen," Jodi says. "But they found the safe box. It had birth certificates and my mom's two diamond rings," along with other paperwork.And that was the extent of what could be salvaged - until a firefighter noticed something atop a charred bedroom dresser.A simple, decorative wall hanging.He picked it up and looked. It was a die-cut cross made of pressed cardboard. Looking more closely, he saw it carried the image of Jesus."I had it on my dresser," Destini says. It was a gift from great-grandmother Illomay Nelson.Everything else was destroyed by flames.But a cardboard cross survived, scarred just slightly with a scorch mark at the bottom."It's amazing," says Jereme.The family has placed the cross over a doorway between their dining room and kitchen at their new house.At that heavily traveled spot, it'll bless all who pass beneath.And it just might carry a timeless message.No matter how bad things seem to be, never give up hope.We're all in this together, joined by a bond of kindred love. As long as we stay close, everything will turn out fine.And that's the true spirit of Christmas.