Sometimes I Forget ~ 2012-10-01

Sometimes I forget what a great place I live in:

In all I hear of scary world events, sometimes I forget that I still live in a place where I can walk from one side of town to the other at any time of the day or night without fear of getting mugged.

Burdened with an obligation to prepare people for the coming storms, sometimes I forget that I live in a peaceful little town.

I don't worry about someone breaking into my house or stealing one of our cars.

I can stand on my front driveway at night and hear nothing but a dog or two barking in the distance and the hum of the air conditioners kicking on.

I can see the stars; the full moon lights up more than the streetlights.

I can go about my regular business without being harassed by the government.

I can take my kids to the store without fearing that they're going to see something indecent.

I know my kids will learn some new words at school that I wish they didn't know, but at least I can count on them having the good judgement not to use them.

My house is a place of peace, where I can go without fear of being attacked or ridiculed.

When I go to a football game in the next town over and I don't have enough cash with me for the concession stand, I can ask the lady minding the stand (whom I've never met before) if I can just mail her a check, and she's ok with that.

Sometimes I forget how blessed I am:

I can go to church without persecution, teach what I feel led to teach, feel what I came there to feel.

I have a beautiful wife who loves me.

I can work with other people in town whom I know and trust, and who know and trust me. We can count on each other to get things done.

If I need help moving, there are people I can call who will come and lend a hand.

If I need to talk to someone, I have my family and I have people at church.

If I want to have fun, I have my family and friends.

If I want to sing, I have people who will sing with me.

If I need supplies, I have Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

If I need to buy anything they don't sell at Wal-Mart or Home Depot, I have the internet.

If I want to get off the grid, the mountains are only 30 minutes away.

Oh, I still worry about money and the future and how to raise my kids and a whole lot of other things; I have the weight of the world on my shoulders...

And I guess that's why sometimes I forget.