Craziness...

So much has been going on in my state these last few weeks. So many tragedies. First a house in my ward blew up. Yes, blew up, and the young mother and gas man were killed. This really hit home as this couple had just moved into our ward and it really did effect all of us. She left behind her husband and 18 month old daughter. It was so sad to watch all the newscasts and then see them at church. I can't even begin to imagine what that would be like. Then just a few days later a family in SLC was hit by a drunk driver and it killed half of this family, and yet the dad remained so composed and offered forgiveness and love to the boy who had killed his family. And last but not least a shooting at a local mall killing 5 people. Where is all this craziness coming from??? It really makes you look at life and realize that anything can happen. It just really made me want to hold my kids a little bit tighter and make sure I tell my husband that I love him. A lady in my ward really put it into prespective when she said that just that day that the house blew up she had been complaining to a friend that the new entertainment center she just ordered was the wrong color, and not 30 minutes later she looks out her window to see this couples home blow up. They lost all of their material posessions and his wife. It made her realize that the issue with her furniture was so miniscule in comparison. I find myself feeling this same way. Looking at the bigger picture and realizing the truly important things in life. It is my family. They are the world to me and I can't even begin to imagine what my life would be like if I were to suddenly lose one of them-or half of them. It is a sobering thought, and yet I gain such strength from the examples of these families who have lost so much and yet still have such faith and strength to go on. The compassion and forgiveness that they give to those who are responsible for their pain is amazing to me, and really inspires me to be a better mother, wife and person. I guess if anything good can come of these tragedies it is that others will try to be better and show more love and compassion, and hopefully that can impact someone else for the better.