Jingle, Jangle, Jingle...

Bingle
Originally uploaded by Gna42.

Well, I asked them. Re: my last post I asked my parents what they were grateful for this Christmas season. Fortunately for me they had just had breakfast with two of my sisters and had said Grace. They are thankful for, in my Mom's words, "Just being alive." Just being alive. Life. So precious!

On the phone today my Mom and I shared a laugh over "The Katrina Diet." She's lost 22lbs. and looks great! She also joked that she'd always wanted a front porch and it only took a hurricane to get it (No, they couldn't afford to buy a house... they're living with my sister).

I was cheered to hear that my Dad was wearing a Hawaiian shirt I had bought him and which he had salvaged from the old Arabi house (It's strange to think of salvaging things from one's family home, isn't it?).

I too am grateful for life. The life of my family and cousins and old family friends. And especially children. Children in our Church and children in our neighborhood. All DRY and safe from the coming hurricane season.

I'm also thankful that many of my relations have moved out of New Orleans, bought new homes, put their kids in school, and are living new and better lives. What better way to say to one's kids, "This will never happen again," than to move them out of harm's way?

It does me good to know that people who have lost everything still have the faith to be thankful... I'm still a new Christian, it's still hard for me.

Ultimately I'm grateful that Christ died for my sins that I might live a new and better life. Remember, the storm IS passing over.

Here's wishing you all a brighter, prosperous New Year and a Christmas full of faith and hope.

-Earl