Fire Days

We live in Southern California where all of the fires are raging. Thankfully, we are not in any area that has been in danger other than the smoke and air quality. My kids happen to think this is one of the coolest things ever because school was cancelled today and tomorrow due to dangerous air quality. I have to say I have been too wrapped up in my own world lately to think too hard about all the people who have lost their homes. My youngest son threw a big complaining party tonight because he has 2 pillows to sleep on and his brother has 3. NO FAIR!!! I quickly reminded him to that ONE pillow is a luxury and to quit complaining because there are people right down the road from here that no longer have even a pillow to lay their head on. It makes me realize how bad my own complaining must sound. Whaaaaa our house is too small, we need more room, and on and on. God has given us a home of our own, great neighbors and more stuff than we could ever need. What must it feel like to walk up to what used to be your home and your stuff. One woman on the news last night said that they had to flee and she doesn't even have a baby picture of her son. Her husband said he keeps having flashes of some stuff he left and needs to go pick up - only the stuff is no longer there.

On a different note, an acquaintance of mine stopped me at the cub scout meeting tonight to tell me she is suffering from scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease, and will be starting a pill form of chemotherapy tomorrow. It isn't cancer but it is serious. She is a mom of 2 kids the same age as mine. She watches our kids on the playground at the elementary school and is the vice president of our PTA. A mom going through life like the rest of us only to be stopped short by illness that could affect any of us at anytime.
These are the things that make you stop to realize how temporary all of it really is. Our stuff and even our very lives. We know it but we don't really think about it until these things are in our face.
God is right (I know, amazing but true), it is loving him and loving others that matter. Knowing him, loving and caring about others. That is all that will last past this life. When will I get it?!