God saw to it that I would live, even in light of the terrible tornado that roared through the southern part of Joplin, Missouri, which is where I call home.  So many others weren't nearly as fortunate: besides property or their livlihood, they lost loved ones.  Me, I am happy to say all my family is present and accounted for.  They may be shaken up (as I am), but we are alive.

Alive.  What a beautiful word!!  One ot the nicest in the English language! :)

Right now I am sheltering at a homeless shelter.  The Red Cross is seeing to my needs, so I don't have to worry about food, clothes, or even a place to stay.  It isn't easy, but every day I wake up breathing is a gift from God because He allowed me to live another day.  I give him all the praise for that! :)

And right now, as I write this, the sun is shining.  It looks like a diamond in the sky: never have I seen anything so brilliant, so beautiful!  And it isn't raining: it is clear with mild termperatures.  It is absolutely gorgeous outside; it is going to be a wonderful day!  I feel it in my bones!

I look around me and I see nothing but devastation or broken people full of despair and worry.  Me, I choose to be positive.  I have to.  I need to.  I can't live in negativity; my mom and my dad taught me to be like this, and now that they're gone, I choose to live by their ways, not mine.  Oh, I could very easily bemoan my lot in life, but as I said, I'm alive, and I have food, clothes, and even shelter, so even though I got smacked by an EF-5 tornado, I still have my life ... and my wits.

Color me blessed.  Very blessed!  

I don't know what is going to happen in the future, but I do know this: people have been so nice, giving of their time to make things just a little bit easier for us who got hit by the nasty weather, and if it were not for them, I don't know where I would be today.  All I can do is thank God for them and thank God for allowing me to survive the tornado.

~End of part one.~