In All Things Give Thanks

You wake up each morning and you have no idea what awaits you that day; good or bad. We just have to be thankful in every situation.

So, this morning, what do I thank God for first?

Is it because my youngest daughter, Anuli, wore a PE top that was too small that made me go up to their room and notice an electrical burn smell? I scanned around and couldn’t figure out where it was coming from so quickly alerted my husband, Uche, to the fact that something was going on and dashed downstairs to do school runs.

Is it because I went into the kitchen to ask the cook to come and help me lock the front door and realized that the burning smell (which wasn’t there 10 minutes prior) was even stronger in the kitchen? I told her to run upstairs and alert Uche of the urgency.

Is it because as I went outside to take Anuli to school I noticed a similar smell, albeit faint, that made me tell the security to turn the generator off? My rationale was that if there was an electric wire burning then let’s cut off the electricity supply.

Anyway sha… hurry! Anuli has to get to school on time. Oya! Let’s go!

Little did I know…

What I was not expecting when I returned home from dropping my daughter off at school less than 20 minutes later was to see a fire engine in front of my house. With with fire men and other people milling around outside our open gate, my home was clearly the scene of an incident.

Anyway, as I was saying…. What do I give thanks for first?

Is it because the new domestic help (who literally started work yesterday) decided to go to her room to get her phone only to find the room on fire?

Is it because the mattress under the air conditioner had some fire retardant substance so it burnt slowly?

Is it because Uche was already downstairs so he could take speedy action?

Is it because we had working fire extinguishers so Uche could immediately start attacking the fire?

Is it because we just so happened to have sand in the compound that could also be used to put out the fire?

Is it because we had competent people in the household who could help my husband put out the fire?

Is it because the window and door of the room were shut such that even though the room itself was gutted, the fire didn’t spread?

Is it because no one got hurt and the loss was contained – clothes, bed, mattress, and the like?

Is it the kind neighbour who called the fire engine? Speaking of which, the last time we had a fire (yep, another electrical fire about two and a half years ago) it was our other two neighbors who helped us out. God bless good neighbors!

Is it because the fire did not take place in the middle of the night whilst the new help was asleep underneath the air conditioner that caught fire? Or it didn’t happen at a time when no one was at home to attend to it?

Is it because of the fact that when I was coming back home from school I was praying some pertinent prayers (sent daily by a friend) and in the Spirit, completely oblivious of what was going on at home?

Please, tell me, where should I start thanking God for His continued goodness in our lives.

For now, whilst I am still processing what just happened, let me just say, “Father Lord, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

Please, you too, help me thank God!

At this time, I will not allow my mind to focus on the challenges we face in Nigeria that makes electrical fires an all too frequent occurrence.

No, today is about thanksgiving!

Tomorrow, we will engage a fire safety consultant so we can better understand how best we can fire-proof our home to minimize the risk of another episode. You may want to consider doing the same.