Ferocious winds and torrential downpours made many of us constantly look toward the sky on Christmas Day.

Early reports indicate trees down and a possible tornado in Centreville that left a good bit of property damage, but only minor injuries.

In short, for many in Southwest Mississippi, the storms ripping overhead provided a gentle reminder of Mother Nature’s power and, perhaps, a little Christmas miracle.

Storms packing as much energy as the ones that passed our way could easily have caused widespread property damage and loss of life.

We were lucky this time, or more aptly put, we were blessed.

Aside from forcing delays in a number of bicycle and other wheeled-toy rides, Tuesday’s weather forced some of us to count our blessings and hunker down a bit longer with family and friends.

As we near the end of 2012, we’ve had quite a ride when it comes to weather, including the rare Christmas Day storms, Hurricane Isaac and even amazingly low Mississippi River levels.

But despite all of the challenges, the Miss-Lou has managed to remain relatively unscathed, at least in terms of major property damage and loss of life.

We are, indeed, blessed and it’s a good reminder for us all this morning as Christmas Day begins to slowly fade into our memories. We should count our blessings each and every day and realize that each new day is a gift worth treasuring.