Lift Them UP!

Hundreds of people were faced with this terrible image this past weekend.  The closest I have ever come to seeing anything like this was one Summer while sailing in the Bahamas.  We were out for six weeks, and it seemed like we faced one squall line after another.

One day as we were sailing along in what seemed to be fairly decent weather, I looked up from my reading to see a huge waterspout coming up behind us.  It required some quick thinking, and some fast maneuvering, but we managed to avoid any danger.  It was definitely frightening. 

I can not even begin to imagine what the people in the path of this destruction felt as they saw it move ever closer to their homes.  The children huddled in the floor of the high school.  A lady huddled in the bathtub of her tiny home.  Entire families wiped out by this destructive force.  As we go through our daily lives, and complain about the tiny troubles we have, we need to remember "but for the Grace of God."  These terrible events can, and do, occur everywhere at any given time. 

I don't live in tornado alley anymore, but there was a time when I did.  We were in the military at the time and lived in a place not much bigger than a large closet!  Every time those tornado sirens went off I felt like I might become like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, and go flying off over the rainbow!  It was absolutely terrifying.  I think if I had to live in tornado alley again, I would definitely have a tornado shelter.  But, even then, you could be out shopping and your kids could be at school and you and/or your husband at work.  There really isn't a "safe" place to hide from these natural disasters.

What we must do though, is as Americans remember how fortunate we are in so many ways.  Then we must reach out to those who have suffered so much devastation and loss.  We must be willing to not only pray, but to reach out and help wherever we can.  We complain so much about paying taxes, and government, but if we were on the receiving end of one of these terrible events, we are the same people who would be looking to that very same government to help us recover. 

Yes, it is tax time again.  I have already seen so many people complaining about how much they owe this year.  But, right now I am thankful that I have the money to pay whatever I need to pay.  I am thankful for my husband's job.  I am thankful that we were not in the path of a destructive tornado.  I am thankful that part of my taxes will be used to help those who are less fortunate than I.  I am thankful just for the ability to be able to buy affordable, healthy groceries and that I have a warm, cozy home in which to prepare them. 

Don't wait until the disaster hits to say thank you for survival or help.  Don't wait.  Wake up every day and be thankful for the things you DO have, even if you don't have everything you WANT.  Reach out and touch someone today whether it is just to share a smile or a kind word.  No one knows what tomorrow may bring, the people in the paths of those tornadoes certainly didn't.

God Bless - Peace, Love and Joy