It was just a hot shower and soap.  No small thing.  Although maybe not.  In many parts of the world–the poorer countries like Haiti plumbing and hot water is a big thing.  Many people there don’t have that luxury.  In fact, even a bar of soap, something we take for granted is, also, a luxury.  Disease is running rampart there because many can’t wash after themselves properly.  It is just basic hygiene and many are dying because they can’t afford one bar of soap.  It is so easy to take your life for granted and you do not realize how rich you are in the United States.  And how much you really have.

Tragedy befalls people everywhere.  I just came from my small church this Sunday morning.  I talked to a lady who was going through chemotherapy at least a second time:  her cancer returned again.

We were told that in our congregation a four year old boy’s brain tumor returned and he would be operated again next week.

You do not have to live very long to discover somewhere someone is dealing with some difficulty.  The only question is whether they face their difficulties with courage and honesty.

Someone is always coming down with something.  There are accidents.  There is illnesses and disease.  Tragedy happens every day to someone.

Every day someone lives, someone dies.  It is the same everywhere.  Though, that knowledge does not make it any easier, especially when you are that person.  It is something you have to work through.  And it takes time.

How out of whack you are:  You think the worst thing in the world is our four dogs coming in from the yard tracking mud into our living room rug.  You have no sense of perspective.

There are people in the world who are dying because open sewage is running into the gutters in the street spreading disease.  We spend more money for pet food and bird seed than some families’ yearly income.

There are many people in many places in the world who can not buy something as basic as Neosporin ointment and aspirin (both over the counter items).

There are many people dying because they do not have access to medical care:  they are too poor.  People are dying in this world from AIDS because they can not get the medications that are too expensive for them to buy.

The poorest people in the United States are rich by most standards.  No, I do not particularly want my dogs tracking mud onto my living room rug and will do what I can to prevent that from happening but if you think that is the worst thing in the world, you have no sense of perspective!!!???