Earlier this week, seven children were lost in a devastating fire while their mother milked cows in a nearby barn and the father headed off to work on his regular delivery route. It probably began as a routine evening for the family in the quaint town of Blain, Pennsylvania, but what happened that evening will forever change their lives.
I believe each of us has had a moment in life where we ask God why and this is no different. However, my thoughts of why turned to those of amazement as I pondered what God has in store for the three year old who survived this horrific blaze. God must have a mighty plan for the small soul who managed to run from the home, to the barn and tell her mother that she smelled smoke in the house. While her journey may be rough as such a small heart deals with the loss of so many siblings, she still has so many life lessons to learn, so much growing to do, and so many more hills and valleys to climb, but hopefully the faith and strength of her parents will lighten the load; one way too heavy for a little one to bear.
We’ve all come through the fire and have lived to share our triumphs with others. With the world the way it is (natural disasters, man-made chaos, economic woes, religious strife and struggles for freedom and equality) long gone are the days in which someone can look you in the face during your moments of pain and say “just think, there’s someone out there worse off than you.” We are surrounded by crisis and are impacted whether directly or indirectly and this indeed shapes our views and impacts our ability to overcome challenges and let God intercede in our lives to help ease the pain.
I am at a point in my life where I make a conscious effort not to ask God why as much because my faith allows me to understand and accept that he has a purpose and a plan for me. As I navigate life’s winding road, I offer this to you. Look around you. Don’t compare yourself to other but do reflect on what you see, what you feel and how your community, society and the world at large impact your life. As your read the paper, chat with friends and family, watch TV or surf your latest gadgets for news and information, find a blessing in it all. Count it all joy that each day you wake up with the will to fight, look at yourself as a trailblazer and know in your heart that when the chips are down you too can make it through the fire.
