My son has always been fascinated by vehicles- cars, trucks, bulldozers, basically anything with wheels but especially emergency response vehicles. I mean obviously, right?, it’s a car- with lights and sirens!! So from the time he could talk he would point out the window and excitedly exclaim “look mommy, garbage truck!!” “Look mommy, monster truck!!” BUT if we saw a fire truck or police car or ambulance- “WHOA!!” he would say in awe!! I love his curiosity and excitement, seeing the world through his eyes just made my heart happy.

As he got a little older, he started to understand what those lights and sirens actually meant- it meant someone needed help. Fast forward to my second child- we had some hiccups at the beginning and he actually ended up IN one of those ambulances. That experience changed all of us- in lots of ways- but one of my biggest takeaways is that now instead of thinking “whoa” when I see those lights, I flashback to one of the scariest times of my life and I’m instantly fighting back tears.

I tell you all that for a reason- what if we all take a minute to notice those lights & sirens, and remember what they actually mean- someone needs help. I’m not a doctor or a nurse and I certainly have no business being anywhere near all of that- but what if instead, I use that minute to pray for all those involved? Pray for the injured, pray for the sick, pray for the professionals driving those trucks, pray for the doctors & nurses awaiting them at the hospital, pray for those that witnessed whatever caused this emergency, pray for the family members- I can tell you from experience, they may just be in the car following that ambulance, and wherever they are, they are scared and can really use your prayers for the calm and peace that only our Heavenly Father can provide.