Freedom and Faith

Today is The 4th of July, America's Independence Day. I hope that each and every one of you is having a safe and happy Fourth of July, while you're busy celebrating American freedom.

While you're going about your celebrations and cookouts, watching fireworks and spending time with friends and family... Give a thought to those who gave their lives for our freedom, give a thankyou to those who have served or are still serving .

Freedom isn't free. It can come at a heavy price. Never take it for granted. Have a safe and happy 4th of July and remember not to drink and drive.

Thank-you From Tornado Victims

On May 20th, 2013, our lives were changed forever as a tornado ripped through our town and devastated our homes, our families and our schools. Many of us lost almost everything, some of us lost everything, some lost loved ones. There were many who stepped in and brought us hope in wake of the devastation in our lives. The donations of clothing, were put to very good use. The donations of gift cards helped us to get the things we needed to replace and enabled us to put whatever cash we had towards the things we needed in the immediate.

All of us send out a heartfelt thank-you. Not simply for the donations of clothing, gift cards or other "things," but also for the hope that was sent with it. In the midst of a disaster, it can be extremely difficult to know which direction to turn, what step to take next or how to cope. Simply knowing that there were people who cared about us and were willing to put forth their time, effort and money to help total strangers brought a sense of hope and a sense of peace.

Thank-you all so much for all of the love and support that was sent along with your donations and your time. Because you not only helped us to move forward, you reminded us that we are not alone. Which is just as important as any tangible item or financial assistance that can be provided. Simply having someone to talk to after the disaster was a big help.
The volunteers from Red Cross and Salvation Army were absolutely wonderful... Bringing us snacks, bottled water and Gatorade, along with hot meals. These people worked tirelessly while we worked on cleaning up and getting ready to move forward, providing nourishment, emotional and mental support, and they can never be thanked enough.

A Precious Gift

Yesterday, my children and I attended a function for their school that they had attended before the May 20th tornado. The school is no longer there and they are in the process of rebuilding it.

A large local church hosted both schools that were demolished for this event. The children were all given a free copy of their school yearbook, new packages of school portraits, a handmade quilt or blanket and a teddy bear.

You see, those who brought this event about, realized the importance of closure and of trying to maintain a sense of normalcy in the wake of a disaster. The children were elated to see some of their friends again and to see their teachers, principal and other faculty members from their school.

For all of us, this event brought a sense of healing and a bit of closure to the day when our lives changed forever. There was laughter, relief, tears of joy, tears of pain for those lost and of course, the overwhelming sense of thankfulness that we were all able to attend this event and that we were all healing.

When my 9 year old daughter broke down into tears at one point, while signing a lost student's yearbook that was going to be given to the child's parents, I found myself on the edge of totally losing my composure. I found myself crying with her. And although for a moment I was concerned about "losing it" in public, I realized that no one there was going to judge my daughter or myself for showing those emotions - they all felt the same thing.

Which leads me to the point I was at when the children and I stopped to visit with some friends after we left the event. We found ourselves watching our children play and discussing our thoughts and emotions in the aftermath of the tornado. Each of us felt that we were all blessed to have come through the tornado safely, even though we lost our possessions.

"Lucky" isn't a word that comes even close to describing the emotions we feel. We were blessed, with the gift of safety and the gift of another day, another chance.

When the worst happens, we often wonder why we were spared when others weren't, we can feel guilty for surviving or we question why the event even happened at all. The truth is, there are simply no good answers for those questions, there are no explanations to assuage our guilt for feeling "lucky."

The conclusion that I've reached is that sometimes there are no good reasons for why things happen or why they happen to certain people. I have just realized that each and every day of our lives is a precious gift, something to be thankful for and that each day is a new beginning. Today is a gift that is too precious to waste, yesterday is another stepping stone in our past path.

This morning, I am thankful that my children and I are alive and safe. I recognize this day as another gift that's been given. What do you have to be thankful for today?