Being thankful for what we have

Something I have been thinking a lot about recently is, I wonder if the people who live in this area are really being thankful enough that we are not living in the areas that have been hit so terribly hard with all of the storms that so many people have had to live with recently?

Even though they have insurance, which, I hope they had and they are replacing the homes and such. It still will not be like they had it. I was just thinking about the house I am living in. I have it insured. And if it was destroyed and I replace it. It would not be like this one that dad built with blood, sweat and tears during the Depression. I have a feeling that many people complain about things, when they should be being thankful about many things. Here I am past 90, and am thankful that I can get out of bed, go to the bathroom, make my coffee and drink it.

There is nothing that I can do for the many thousands of people going through so many terrible problems but pray for them.

One thing they should remember is our government does so much for them that the government didn’t do years ago. I can still see my dad standing on the back porch, almost crying, watching his corn dry up and die. A terrible drought and the depression hit at the same time. Let me tell you the government didn’t send dad any check. But my dad was a tough guy and he never gave up. Just kept on trying and trying. I have seen times when he was quite low. Like when two of his sons were in the war. One in Europe and the other in the Pacific.

Yes, we have life so good. But I think so many are so busy complaining, they never see the wonderful things.

— Irma Houts Epps
Poplar Bluff, Mo.