bushfires and what’s really important

As I write today I am choked with emotion thinking of the hundred plus people who died during the weekend’s raging bushfires in Victoria, Australia. The horror of the tragedy is just immense. Everytime I think about it, I choke up with tears. My thoughts and prayers are with the many who have lost family, friends and everything they owned.

Each year during summer we make our home ready for the possibility of bushfires. While we live in a city, we are on the edge of suburbia, and only a street away is bushland. While a firefront probably wouldn’t make it to our house (though could under the very worst conditions) we are close enough that a bushfire could easily spot over and take our house.

I have thought many times about what I would take with me if we had to evacuate. My first priority would be my family, then my elderly next door neighbour. And basically that’s all, though I might grab my portable hard drive IF I had time. Yes, I have oodles of my needlework here, but I would leave it behind. These things are always replaceable, but people are not.

Sure, my needlework has taken many hours of labour, and I have certainly enjoyed it, but I want to live my life with open hands. Everything I have has been given to me by my heavenly Father, and I am only minding it while here on earth. I would grieve over the loss of my needlework, but I’m sure I’d be able to move on.

People are so much more important.

I’ll take this chance to add my thanks to the volunteer firefighters who give their blood, sweat and tears to help protect their communities. Without them, Saturday’s carnage would be far, far worse.