Be thankful.

Today I am thankful. I try to be thankful every day, but today I am physically reminded of how blessed I am. Not too long ago a big brick building downtown where we live caught fire and was destroyed. It housed many families and businesses. Every one of them whose lives were turned upside down that very night. Can you imagine? I can only guess what kind of loss you're dealing with after losing your home. All the memories, the personal belongings, sentimental and even not. I mean, I was sad when Eric broke my spatula last week...multiply that by oh, say a bazillion?

As I was driving home from grocery shopping yesterday, we made our way through town and got caught at a red light directly in front of the Columbia building. "Fire house!!!", Mason yelled...just as my children do every time we pass by...as if it were a punch buggy or something. So I sat at that red light and decided to peek my head out to take a look at what was left. I usually only glance over while passing through town and never really stopped to take it all in. A mattress. An actual mattress way up near the top lying close enough to the edge where I could see it. Wow. While I knew this place was home to many, I guess it never really set in until now. Someone actually lived there and slept in that bed every single night, until one night they couldn't anymore. Now their home is a giant pile of debris sitting downtown with their bed lying on top of it all. It still takes me a minute to process that. Can you imagine what it's like for the person who actually slept in that bed to look up and see it there? I wonder what they think when they do, if they've found a new home, a new bed, how they managed to get through all of this? I'm sure they must have, but the thought of them having to start over is heart wrenching, don't you think?

So today I'll take that mattress as a reminder of just how blessed I really am and be thankful for all that I have. I would be willing to bet that every one of those families never woke up that day with the idea that they might not have a place to come home to, so join me and appreciate today. Be thankful!